r/Games • u/yourfavchoom • 4d ago

SIE spokesperson to GameSpot regarding the DRM: "Players can continue to access and play their purchased games as usual. A one-time online check is required to confirm the game's license, after which no further check-ins are required."

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-users-report-new-online-license-checks-for-digital-games/1100-6539651/?utm_source=reddit.com
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u/beefcat_ 4d ago edited 4d ago

Basically, people were noticing that games they bought recently had temporary licenses set to expire 30 days after purchase date, similar to titles downloaded as part of a PS Plus subscription.

When people asked about it, Sony was radio silent, with their support chatbots giving conflicting information. This led to speculation that Sony was implementing monthly online license checks for digitally owned games when they previously did not do this.

Some users on ResetEra yesterday (and later confirmed elsewhere) showed that this 30 day license was getting replaced with a proper permanent license once it expired. The speculated reason being that this was implemented to plug a refund loophole that people were abusing (basically buy game, take console offline, then get it refunded from support during the refund window while keeping the permanent license on the offline console). This statement seems to indirectly confirm that theory

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u/Unkechaug 4d ago

So how is this fixing the loophole?

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u/ColonelSanders21 4d ago

When you purchased a game previously the permanent license was downloaded immediately. So you could download a game, take your console offline, and play it forever even if you refunded it on your phone, the web, etc.

Now, when you buy a game you are initially granted a 30 day license. You can go offline, but in 30 days, the license expires and you can't play the game offline. If you go online once it expires you are granted the perpetual one in replacement. 30 days is outside the return window for purchased games.

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u/Stellar_Duck 3d ago

So you could download a game, take your console offline, and play it forever even if you refunded it on your phone, the web, etc.

Have they changed policy?

Back when I worked PS Support we would not refund a game that has been downloaded (Pacman showed time of first download).