PlayStation’s New 30-Day Expiry Timer Sparks Concerns Over Game Access

Recently, PlayStation 4 and 5 users have reported encountering a new timer associated with their digital games, raising concerns about potential loss of access to their titles if they fail to log in regularly.

This issue was first highlighted by modder Lance McDonald on X, who stated, “Hugely terrible DRM has now been rolled out to all PS4 and PS5 digital games. Every digital game you buy now requires an online check-in every 30 days.” According to McDonald, any digital title purchased after April 25 must be connected to the internet at least once every 30 days, or players risk losing their license to play. His post was complemented by a screenshot showing the game *Don’t Starve*, which included a new “Remaining Time” indicator on its page.

PlayStation DRM Timer: A Bug or an Intentional Policy?

Despite the initial alarm, many gamers began to notice inconsistencies with the displayed timers. Reports indicated that this feature appeared selectively across various games without any apparent reason. Moreover, fans were puzzled by Sony’s silence on the matter, especially given the contentious nature of digital rights management (DRM).

Games you bought in the past seem to not have this issue, but any game you buy from now on will only work for 30 days without an online check-in. This can NOT be avoided by using “Activate console as primary”.All digital games now die after 30 days for all owners.

— Lance McDonald (@manfightdragon) April 25, 2026

In the wake of these developments, the video game preservation website “Does it Play” reported that an anonymous insider claimed the issue was merely a bug. Their X post suggested, “From what we gathered, Sony accidentally broke something while fixing an exploit. They’ve known about the confusing UI for a while, but didn’t see it as urgent.”

Received word from an anonymous insider. The Sony DRM issue is unintentional. From what we gathered, Sony accidentally broke something while fixing an exploit. They’ve known about the confusing UI for a while, but didn’t see it as urgent.

— Does it play? (@DoesItPlay1) April 25, 2026

Nonetheless, despite the possibility of the DRM system being a mistake, the existence of the UI raises questions about Sony’s internal considerations regarding digital rights management. Fans argue that some level of planning must have preceded this rollout.

As of now, Sony has not made an official statement addressing this issue, leaving many players in uncertainty. We will be monitoring the situation closely and provide updates as they become available.

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