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. If you buy a digital game and don't connect your console to the internet for 30 days, your license will be removed.
Source [2026-04-25; +image]
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You wouldn't "lose" it, the licence would be restored after connecting to internet... provided Sony's servers are still functioning when you do...
Source [2026-04-25]
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...Trophies on PS4 require the internal system clock (the one you can’t see / alter) to be correct, so people cant change their PS4 date/time to make it look like they got trophies earlier than they really did. If your PS4 clock battery dies, all your games die
Source [2021-03-23]
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Newly purchased PS4 games now have 30 day valid license timer.
Most likely introduced in March 2026 firmware.
Could be a bug similar to an incident from 2022.
PS5 is affected too, but only shows an error when starting a game.Source [2026-04-25]
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Update x2: not a bug - PlayStation just quietly confirmed it’s intentional.
Any digital game you buy after the march 2026 update now requires you to go online at least once every 30 days or it won’t even launch.Source [2026-04-28]
[Image] Official PlayStation Support Response [2026-04-28]
Source: https://xcancel.com/SmashJT/status/2048887546323808258#m
[Image] "Don't Starve Together" (PlayStation)
I thought such a check was standard already. It's for digital purchases only, which you need internet to download anyway. Only 30 days might be too short in some cases. Steam on PC has a similar check, but I think its longer than 30 days.
I assume they are hardening the digital purchases, as they move more and more to digital (only). Because otherwise there was no need to do this after 6 years into the lifecycle of the console.
I am not sure nowadays about the limit from Steam/Valve side.
Cached license ownership Steam App tickets data is indeed stored locally, including a property
appticketsin encrypted state in file.../Steam/userdata/${steamUserId}/config/localconfig.vdf.The data is to be eventually mapped to the interface
EAuthSessionResponsewhich may be used to implement the value fork_EAuthSessionResponseNoLicenseOrExpired.This data is normally used by the Steam client only, and is available for explicit requests via Steam API, including third-party launchers.
If I do recall it correctly, previously, the Steam client debug console command
licenses_printreturned local "expiration times" for next checks with the remote API (as "handshakes") within the 14 days limit.The encrypted tickets data is considered signed, and I do recall reading about its signed "expires at" was set to 14 or maximum 30 days only. The 14 days matches out with the discounting limit:
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Yet, still, I wish I had more time... to investigate it myself. It feels like the signature time depends on the title. considering the following article:
Related: Steam Guide: Steam Offline Mode has no time limit: an explanation [web-archive]
Thanks for all the sources, very appreciate this.
As for the "expiration date", Valve made some changes a while ago. And there were misinformation, but also because Valve changed this and did not explain it well to the public. I think the 14 days limit was treated as a bug later, but can't find the source. And I know for a fact that its not 14 days, as last year in summer I had no internet for longer than a month if I am not mistaken. And some games were still functional, after 30 days. That is the Steam DRM only, so if a game has its own DRM and other checks, then that is a separate issue.
At the very latest with Steam Deck they had to do all of these changes, because using it offline for longer period of time is a totally normal thing to do on a handheld. Sadly its not very clear documented and communicated by Valve as far as I know, at least to the public for non developers.
I already researched it last year and did not come to a definitive conclusion. I only know that there were changes in recent years, that's why I cannot trust old sources. Actually someone has to do a ticket and ask Valve employee directly. Someday I do this if there is still no answer.