Sony rolled out mandatory online licensing checks for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 digital games in April 2026, and games purchased after March will lock after 30 consecutive days offline. The policy affects digital purchases only; your disc copies and older downloads keep working. Sony confirmed the change to support queries on April 26 but has not published formal documentation.

The trigger is license verification. Sony stores purchase data server side; your console pings Sony's servers roughly every 30 days to confirm you still own the license. Miss that window offline, and the game becomes unplayable until you reconnect.

Who this affects: anyone buying digital games on the PlayStation Store after March 2026, including new releases, back catalog purchases, and sale grabs.

Restore blocked games: connect your PlayStation to Wi Fi or Ethernet. License refresh runs automatically in seconds (no menus, no manual sync).

The move parallels Microsoft's legacy Windows activation grace periods, which similarly required periodic online checks for certain license models.

Industry watchers note Sony's shift as another step toward licensing models that require ongoing verification, even for outright purchases.

Practical takeaway: if you bought digital games recently, plan to connect to the internet at least once every 30 days, or stick to physical discs for truly offline gaming.