PlayStation Digital Games Show 30-Day Timers

PlayStation users have reported a mysterious timer appearing on some digital games for PS4 and PS5 consoles, raising fears that licenses could expire after 30 days without an online check-in. The issue, first highlighted in late April, affects newly purchased titles and has sparked widespread debate over digital ownership rights, though Sony has not issued any official statement.

The concern emerged when modder and YouTuber Lance McDonald shared screenshots on X, showing a "Remaining Time" counter on the game information page for titles like Don't Starve Together Console Edition. According to McDonald, the feature requires consoles to connect to the internet every 30 days to verify licenses, with access potentially blocked afterward until refreshed. The timer displays a valid period start and end, and it applies to digital purchases made after a March firmware update. Older games bought prior to that update do not show the timer and appear unaffected.

Players testing the system noted inconsistencies: the counter only appears on a limited number of games, and launching affected titles after the period may trigger error messages on PS5, even if no visible timer is present. Setting...