Source: The Verge
Sony is implementing mandatory online authentication for game ownership on PlayStation, a move that creates friction for players without reliable internet or those playing years from now when servers shut down. This DRM shift mirrors PC gaming's move toward always-connected models (Steam, Epic, Ubisoft+) but breaks with console gaming's historical promise of permanent offline play—a feature that has differentiated PlayStation from subscription services and justified $70 purchase prices. The policy exposes a real tension: publishers want to prevent resale and account sharing, but enforcing that requires infrastructure that outlasts the business model itself, leaving future players with unplayable purchases.