Sony finally clarifies PlayStation DRM situation that set alarm bells ringing after users noticed new PS5 and PS4 digital games come with 30-day lockout timers

Sony has released a statement clarifying the ongoing DRM situation finally explaining what's going on after days of conflicting information.

In a statement issued to Game File, a Sony rep explains, "Players can continue to access and play their purchased games as usual. However, "A one-time online check is required after purchase to confirm the game’s license, after which no further check-ins are needed." Effectively, your console will need to check once that you have access to the game's license, and after that, you'll be free to use it for good (or for as long as online services remain available for PlayStation platforms anyway).

Hopefully, this brings an end to what has been a week or so of disinformation about the subject, mainly thanks to Sony itself, as players reported getting answers on both sides of the coin from PlayStation's customer support. Players had somewhat figured this out on their own, as a ResetEra user noticed that the temporary license was replaced with an indefinite one after the 14-day refund window ended, leading some to assume this was due to exploits in the refund system.

Although I'd say this isn't exactly an amazing compromise either. Sure, it's fine now for anyone who legitimately buys their games from the store, but it assumes Sony will keep the PlayStation 4 and 5 servers running forever. Unfortunately, this just feels like something that's eventually going to become a preservation issue. Hopefully, Sony has measures in place to ensure this doesn't eventually lock players out of their entire libraries.

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