PlayStation quietly added a hidden timer to every newly purchased PS4 and PS5 digital game, and the internet was convinced Sony had killed digital ownership. The discovery was real! But it took days of testing to discover what it meant. Join us at http://bellular.games for early access content, 20 editions of 'Loading Screen' a month and to support our team! 00:00 Play Has A Limit 00:52 DRM's Last Disasters 02:29 The Story Jailbreaks 03:58 The Panic Spreads 07:10 Reading The Code 09:23 Play Has (Nearly) No Limits Sources: https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2013/06/19/update/ https://x.com/DoesItPlay1/status/1375262063195480066?s=20 https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/user-proves-once-ps4s-internal-cmos-battery-dies-offline-games-wont-play/ https://www.eurogamer.net/sony-has-quietly-fixed-playstation-4s-dead-battery-issue https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIPuXAd6KCA https://www.reddit.com/r/playstation/comments/zwq40o/what_does_remaining_time_mean_on_ps4_games/ https://x.com/LegacyKillaHD/status/2049015100170727857 https://x.com/manfightdragon/status/2047928888907669530 https://x.com/DoesItPlay1/status/2047947842031857899 https://x.com/HikikomoriMedia/status/2048599668171383278?s=20 https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2026/04/you-can-play-your-purchased-games-as-usual-sony-breaks-silence-on-ps5-ps4-game-expiry-drm https://www.reddit.com/r/playstation/comments/1s7swoq/valid_start_valid_end_date_on_a_purchased_game/ https://www.reddit.com/r/playstation/comments/1s7g337/valid_period_end_date_question/ https://x.com/HikikomoriMedia/status/2048475990347616389?s=20 https://x.com/desgamesyt/status/2048050660336341198?s=20 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR_MPkTlrN8 https://x.com/xMBGx/status/2048840321182626122 https://x.com/NintyPrime/status/2048953471236202984 https://x.com/DoesItPlay1/status/2048023064193966588?s=20 https://www.reddit.com/r/playstation/comments/1s7swoq/comment/ohg9fdy/ https://x.com/egycnq/status/2049150845124485340?s=20 https://www.resetera.com/threads/sonys-digital-drm-issue-up-one-time-online-check-is-required-per-sie-spokesperson.1501771/page-7#post-154305715 https://x.com/BigGoji/status/2049221926963298415?s=20 https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-users-report-new-online-license-checks-for-digital-games/1100-6539651/
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Just because Sony isn't using maliciously using this license timer system now, doesn't mean they can't or won't in the future.
This wouldn't be such an issue if all the big gaming companies didn't spend years training us to not trust them.
if we cant get our Steam Machines, we will make our own
And people wonder why so many pc gamers freak out when ever a online check DRM gets added to a game it's because worse case scenario has already happened multiple time's over where a online DRMs has locked people out & took away permanent access to game's they bought.
Its gone from Planned Obsolescence to Compelled Obsolescence
Perfect timing for modders to released jailbreak exploits to install Linux on PS5 😅
If buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing.
It's hilarious that when it comes to piracy? Big corporations always, without fail, do something that hurts their paying customers and doesn't effect pirates. Edit: Yes thank you it's affect, don't type comments when barely awake you'll get 5 people telling you the same thing. I'm happy to edit this comment and leave the error since a grammar mistake seems to bother you more than anti-consumer practices. Also, yes, I know Sony's current thing is not e-affecting the PS5 as it stands- all evidence pointed toward it being the case, especially with the PS4 CMOS battery nonsense. Doesn't change much of Sony's stance on things, like their return policy being trash, along with Nintendo and Microsoft. Or perhaps disc drives needing an online activation. All anti-consumer things that a-effects folks who actually do pay for their games.
Remember a time when you would buy a video game and if someone tried to take it away from you it was considered stealing? I miss that.
GOG doesn't have this problem.
The problem with these companies today, is that they are so enrolled with governments they have caught the same bug, were they think we need them.... think its time we let them all know
If I'm not being sold a game to own, they shouldn't list it on the store at full price. Digital games did not save money on reducing physical distribution like we were promised.
GOG doesn't need this for their 30 days no-questions-asked refund policy.
my first thought on hearing about the 30 day timer was "Man a bunch of navy guys will be pissed" , In ancient days when my friends were in the navy they all had stories of console gaming while out on their cruises of "varying lengths" to relax. hopefully Sony doesn't screw this up for real.
This is why physical media must persist, at all costs
Forced obsolescence, the new way our corporate overlords will take back all of the wages they so "generously" pay us.
You will own nothing and you will be happy is so common place nowadays.
Fun fact, the "one time online check" has been around for years, at least as far back as 2017. I had pre-ordered Spyro Reignited and downloaded it at a friends house on release (since my net was down for awhile) and it wouldn't let me launch without connecting online first. I was mad cuz I had to drag my PS4 back to his house and launch the game XD
It's reasons like this that I love GOG. Granted, not every game is on the platform, unfortunately. But for the ones that are, as long as you have a backup, you don't even have to worry about internet.
If we’re only “renting” a license to play the game, the price should reflect that. $70 for a base game is bullshit.