A recent system update for the PlayStation 5 may have brought a subtle change to digital games and console sharing, potentially requiring players to connect to the internet regularly to validate their licenses. Fans noticed the controversial PlayStation change in the PS5’s March 2026 update.
Ownership of digital games has been a hot-button issue for many gamers with the rise of online marketplaces like Steam and the PlayStation Store. Many have called into question whether customers actually own the games they are buying digitally, with storefronts closing potentially causing players to lose access to games they have paid for. The growth of online live-service games has also caused similar controversy, given that microtransactions can become inaccessible when a game’s servers shut down. Now, a rumored change to the PlayStation Store is stirring up more controversy about its digital games.
The PS5 is Getting More Expensive in Yet Another Region
Buyers looking to get a PS5 in specific markets do not have much time before Sony increases the price of its console lineup.
PlayStation Fans Are Furious Over The PS5’s Rumored Connectivity Policy
The PlayStation 5’s March system update reportedly included a new feature that could significantly impact online games. Some fans have discovered a new “valid period” timer on digital games, suggesting that they will be unavailable to play after a set period of time. The change has been heavily rumored to be related to a new DRM policy from Sony, requiring players to log in once every 30 days in order to continue playing their digital games. Customer support agents for Sony initially confirmed the change to be an unintentional glitch on the PS5. Sony’s automated customer support has also been inconsistent about its implementation, including some Online Assistant conversations suggesting it will be exclusively applied to PS5 Console Sharing.
The potential Sony change has sparked plenty of backlash from fans furious about the decision to force internet connectivity. Many emphasized the rumored update to the PlayStation Store as another step towards a fully license-based model, with players only purchasing the rights to play a game instead of properly owning it. Some fans mocked Sony’s rumored online-focused policy as being similar to one Microsoft had toyed with during development of the Xbox One, which was ultimately scrapped before the console’s launch.
PlayStation’s potential new limits on digital games also sparked a push towards a growing movement aimed at game preservation. The Stop Killing Games initiative caught fire in response to Ubisoft’s handling of the shutdown of racing game The Crew. The online campaign has amassed more than one million signatures since being launched in April 2024. The campaign has caught the attention of European governing bodies and consumer organizations, including the French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir filing a lawsuit against Ubisoft in late March. The movement even sparked some lawmakers to push new policies aimed at preserving games after their servers are shut down.
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The controversial digital game policy could affect some major games set to release on the PS5 throughout the rest of the year, if it winds up being implemented. Marvel’s Wolverine is slated to launch on September 15 as a PS5-exclusive, created by Insomniac Games and many of the same developers that worked on the Marvel’s Spider-Man series. One of the biggest multi-platform releases in gaming history is also set to hit the PS5 during the holiday season, with Grand Theft Auto 6 scheduled to finally release on November 19. Sony’s new digital games policy could significantly affect some of the biggest upcoming launches for the console.
