Gamers have discovered a frustrating new reality regarding digital ownership with a newly discovered PS5 digital game lockout.
A recent live test confirms this restriction is affecting titles purchased after March 2026. This restricts access to fully purchased digital games if the console cannot connect to Sony’s servers to restore licenses.
Discovering the PS5 Digital Game Lockout
Content creator Hikiko is a Dead Man, known for bringing attention to the original PS3 CMOS battery issue, verified this new restriction live on YouTube. You can watch the full disassembly and offline boot process here.
Both games launched perfectly while the console was connected to the internet. Next, they completely disassembled the console on stream to remove the CMOS battery. After reassembling the hardware and plugging the console back in, they deliberately left the internet disconnected to simulate a completely offline environment.
Results of the Disconnected CMOS Battery Test
The test resulted in an instant lockout from both Vampire Crawlers and Wild Arms 4. The console required an online connection to verify the licenses before allowing either game to boot, leaving the user with an error stating the content could not be used. The fully purchased titles were left completely unplayable offline.
Are Pre-March 2026 Game Licenses Affected?
This new restriction does not appear to be completely retroactive. Games purchased before March 2026 launched without issue during the offline test. Hikiko noted that it remains uncertain if those older games will stay playable after 30 days without an internet connection. More testing is required to see exactly how long those older licenses will survive without a server check.
