: As of April 2026, reports from modders and users on PlayStation Support indicate that newly purchased digital games on PS4 and PS5 may now require an online check-in every 30 days to verify the license.
Buying and downloading games has become the standard for many players, but it comes with a mix of high-speed convenience and long-term ownership risks.
: When you buy a digital game, you are typically buying a license to play it, not the software itself.
: You can still buy digital codes from retailers like Best Buy , which are stored in a digital library for you to access. The "Ownership" Debate
: This is often preferred by those worried about ownership because it offers DRM-free games, meaning you truly own the files once downloaded.