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Sony Requires You To Login Weekly To Access PS Plus Extra Games (Downloaded games) (Gamebyte) (Sony Blogpost)

Aenima

Member
Yeah, and of course this was getting compared when the Series X issues popped up.

When that was happening, I was getting license validation messages on my PS5. Nothing stopped working, it was just odd that was also happening.

Whatever the check in length is, I never ran into it with Plus games. Only time I did is when there was some error with a PSN game on my PS4 years ago.
The only weird thing that happened to my PS+ games was with Resogun, that i got from PS+ and then i let my subscription expire and while i could not launch the other games, i could still play Resogun like if i had bought it.
 

supernova8

Banned
I don't see the issue. Only problem would be if Sony servers go down and nobody can authenticate despite having legitimately paid for that time. I imagine there's some clause in the T&C that says it's a "best effort" so that they are not legally obliged to provide any sort of compensation if/when servers do go down.

I get the idea that they want to make sure people cannot subscribe to PS Plus (or rather the new Game Pass equivalent), download a bunch of games and then cancel their membership. That's obviously not how it's supposed to work. Flipside is they need to make sure their servers are fit for purpose so it's a fair deal.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
I don't see the issue. Only problem would be if Sony servers go down and nobody can authenticate despite having legitimately paid for that time. I imagine there's some clause in the T&C that says it's a "best effort" so that they are not legally obliged to provide any sort of compensation if/when servers do go down.

I get the idea that they want to make sure people cannot subscribe to PS Plus (or rather the new Game Pass equivalent), download a bunch of games and then cancel their membership. That's obviously not how it's supposed to work. Flipside is they need to make sure their servers are fit for purpose so it's a fair deal.
But as Pete42O said in the last page, why cant a gamer with a sub plan play them offline until his sub plan ends?

So lets say someone has a Xbox or PS sub plan ending on Dec 31, 2022. Why cant the guy download the games and play them offline until end of the year? If he wants to keep playing them on Jan 1, 2023, then he can renew at the deadline. Why the DRM checks now?
 
Man, people going out of their way to find issues.

It's an online service, it's impressive you can go an entire week without connecting to their servers if anything.
 

Iced Arcade

Member
5 days, 7 days, 30 days. Is it really going to be different? Are people making a habit of downloading games off their online rental service and then unplugging the Internet for 30 days? Seriously?
It's like you didn't read and replied.

I have no issues with online requirements at all lol
 
Star Wars No GIF

Seriously, though.... non-issue. If you look at the service as being, essentially, Netflix for games, then it make sense that you need a persistent check for the right play the games on the service. What muddies it is that users download the games onto local storage which creates the false impression that there is some sort of claim to ownership. There is none, though. It's basically a streaming service. You own nothing. You want to play offline, buy the game.
 

supernova8

Banned
But as Pete42O said in the last page, why cant a gamer with a sub plan play them offline until his sub plan ends?

So lets say someone has a Xbox or PS sub plan ending on Dec 31, 2022. Why cant the guy download the games and play them offline until end of the year? If he wants to keep playing them on Jan 1, 2023, then he can renew at the deadline. Why the DRM checks now?

Good point right there. All I can come back with is "well basically if you want to be the one setting the rules you'll have to actually buy the game". Even then, with all the bullshit with "day one patches", even if we buy and "own" the game we don't really own it because we're forced to go online to "download a patch" authenticate under a different name.

We're on the same team I guess I just have higher tolerance for this sort of thing. Plus, I'm not subscribed to GP or any service like that (I have Amazon Prime but of course that needs to be connected to stream so it's a non-issue).
 

AmuroChan

Member
But as Pete42O said in the last page, why cant a gamer with a sub plan play them offline until his sub plan ends?

So lets say someone has a Xbox or PS sub plan ending on Dec 31, 2022. Why cant the guy download the games and play them offline until end of the year? If he wants to keep playing them on Jan 1, 2023, then he can renew at the deadline. Why the DRM checks now?

If the console is offline, couldn't someone just change the system clock then? So someone could get a 7-day free trial to PS+, download all the games to the console, disconnect the console from the internet, then just change the system clock back so the trial never expires.
 
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StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
If the console is offline, couldn't someone just change the system clock then? So someone could get a 7-day free trial to PS+, download all the games to the console, disconnect the console from the internet, then just change the system clock back so the trial never expires.
Good point. If the system's clock cross verifies with a server check to determine sub plan time remaining, maybe you cant get around DRM checks.
 

MScarpa

Member
Never even thought about until this post. Ehhh I wouldn't sub to something if my internet was spotty but each their own.
 

Rayderism

Member
I don't understand the problem here, if you have the ability to have the console online, why go offline? I guess maybe if you have data limits I could understand, but otherwise, why would anyone purposely take it offline? What benefit does that afford you? Especially as a PS+ member.

My consoles have been constantly connected to online since the PS3. Seems to me it's more of a hassle to go out of your way to disconnect it than to just leave it connected. But I don't have data limits either.
 

Swift_Star

Banned
I wouldn't be outraged. It would kind of suck if you were taking a 2 week or longer summer vacation to a camping trailer with no internet access or something like that.
I've bought TVs and consoles for that specific purpose before. Being inconvenienced by a login requirement would be a bummer. 30 days is arguably much more sensible, since the service is usually sold as a monthly charge anyway.

Kids looking to be entertained at night, lugging their Playstation around, getting denied access to their games. I can sense parents collectively reaching for a Tylenol bottle already.
Why would you take a console to that place? If that’s true buy the games you want to play there.
 
That was already known and it’s understandable since the games are not yours, they’re rented. Can you play gamepass games offline indefinitely? And Nintendo Online games?
Now open the gates for the fake outrage and CONCERNED CITIZENS.

I don't know about Nintendo, but GP only needs a monthly check-in on a home console. I week is tight, what if you are on vacation in the Antarctic or something.




:messenger_winking_tongue:
 

Swift_Star

Banned
A lot of purebred fucking idiots on this forum defend anything Sony does. This non-issue isn't bad enough to defend from mild criticism.

There clearly are outlier cases where it's inconvenient or a problem if you've ever went camping and had to use consoles offline. The very nature of having services "nag screen" or stop you in any way on any platform is a problem for consumers. Pushing a 7 day limit around what is typically a monthly service charge is just overreaching and potentially annoying. Getting around it with tethering isn't a problem, but it begs questions as to whether you're getting what you pay for, or why Sony would be so limiting in the first place. What benefit is a 7 day limit for checking in, when people commonly travel or take vacations more than one week? A month removes the argument entirely, or can boil it down to "once and forget about it."

But, clearly. I hAvE aN AgEnDa AgAiNsT sOnY.
Why are you being such a drama queen over this?
 

PhaseJump

Banned
Why are you being such a drama queen over this?

I'm not. I got quoted 3 times in a row, telling me something I already said myself in the first place, as if it were necessary to point out to or correct me on it. Pointing that out, I suddenly have an agenda. Behold, the console wars.
 
Yet so many people are embracing and excited for an online only, streaming and subscription based future. I’m sure some people are thinking, no big deal. It’s just a weekly check-in. This will lead to other things later down the road, trust me.
 
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StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
You go camping with a video game console that needs a tv and plugged in? Or are you talking about taking it to your cabin? Simple, enjoy the outdoors.
Bringing consoles during trips can happen.

I knew guys who'd go on vacation somewhere out of town and one guy would bring his PS2 and they'd spend all night playing games in their hotel room. You'd think they'd be checking out the town only going back to the hotel to sleep and shower.
 
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PhaseJump

Banned
You go camping with a video game console that needs a tv and plugged in? Or are you talking about taking it to your cabin? Simple, enjoy the outdoors.

Cabin, trailer, rural lake lot or property with no service. I've done it all, and there's usually a reason to have TVs or something to keep some kids entertained or separated. Movies, games, whatever. Having a bunch of them installed and downloaded on a console you can lug around is easy enough, but having to check in weekly on a monthly service would be mildly annoying.
 

ManaByte

Banned
I imagine there's some clause in the T&C that says it's a "best effort" so that they are not legally obliged to provide any sort of compensation if/when servers do go down.
Sony’s EULA for EverQuest back in the day technically didn’t even guarantee there would be servers online...for a MMO. But no one ever read those, so…
 

njean777

Member
I mean I def defend people when they are upset they are mad that something goes wrong with a purchased digital game (which I completely understand), but with this and gamepass I cannot really be upset about what MS or Sony do (unless it is completely unrealistic). It is a full online service where you are paying per month to access a library of games which you have not purchased all separately. So IDK I can see this being fair coming from a service like this.
 

Barakov

Member
Yet so many people are embracing and excited for an online only, streaming and subscription based future. I’m sure some people are thinking, no big deal. It’s just a weekly check-in. This will lead to other things later down the road, trust me.
Kinda explains where we are right now. Years ago, it was just horse armor and now look how out of control it's gotten.
 

JaksGhost

Member
Yet so many people are embracing and excited for an online only, streaming and subscription based future. I’m sure some people are thinking, no big deal. It’s just a weekly check-in. This will lead to other things later down the road, trust me.
This has been a thing for years though. Since the day PS Now enabled the ability to download games.

https://blog.playstation.com/2018/09/20/playstation-now-adds-downloading-of-ps4-ps2-games/

Note that you will need to connect your PS4 system to the internet every few days to verify your PS Now subscription, even if you’re only playing downloaded games.
S/N: I totally forgot PS Now used to be $100 per year for just the service alone.
 

Fess

Member
It's a matter of convenience.

Playstation customers will just need to login via piggybacking their cell phones with tethering once a week, worst case. It's a pain in the ass, and something nobody should be thinking about for a "monthly" subscription.
I prepaid and stacked for two years… I guess I should be outraged since I shouldn’t have to do a check in in two years?

But here I am surprised that I can play the games at all, for even a second, without being online. 🤷‍♂️

I honestly assumed all these services were literally always online, and I was okay with that. How little I need to pay for how many games I get access to is easily outweighing these ”issues” for me. It’s half a pizza per month. It’s nothing.
 
Not if you're camping and don't have service. That's pretty common in the US
I don't think it is "common" for people to go on week long camping trips where there is both no internet AND they want to bring a home console with them. If you're going so far off the grid that there's zero internet (most campgrounds these days have wifi services anyway), then I highly doubt you're also lugging around a television and console. Seems like a very rare exception to me.
 

Shmunter

Member
I prepaid and stacked for two years… I guess I should be outraged since I shouldn’t have to do a check in in two years?

But here I am surprised that I can play the games at all, for even a second, without being online. 🤷‍♂️

I honestly assumed all these services were literally always online, and I was okay with that. How little I need to pay for how many games I get access to is easily outweighing these ”issues” for me. It’s half a pizza per month. It’s nothing.
DRM need not be an online thing. Can be embedded in the game or managed by a local database for period of validity. Can likely fudge it by changing the console clock, but even then measures to detect such things can be implemented.
 
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Wasn't my example. Take it up with the other poster.

Not necessarily. I was in big bend and campsites had power outlets but no cell service. Common in natural parks in us.

You understand what camping is? Who said a trailer park? Keep up
Because I know the number 1 concern of people going to the Grand Canyon is that they can't access their online games? Seriously, you are talking about extremely fringe scenarios here. Most people are playing at their residence most of the time.
 
Bringing consoles during trips can happen.

I knew guys who'd go on vacation somewhere out of town and one guy would bring his PS2 and they'd spend all night playing games in their hotel room. You'd think they'd be checking out the town only going back to the hotel to sleep and shower.
And the hotel did not have internet?
 

ArtHands

Thinks buying more servers can fix a bad patch
I have read (in those cloud gaming threads) that many parts of US and the world doesn’t not have access to good internet, so this is definitely going to be a huge problem.
 
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TheTony316

Member
If this was 2005, it could have been an issue but logging in once a week for a rental service in 2022 is nothing, lol.
 
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GhostOfTsu

Banned
If this was 2005, it could have been an issue but logging in once a week for a rental service in 2022 is nothing, lol.
Not even 2005, maybe 1995 or some shit. All of this is fake outrage from the green rats. They're the only ones worried about playing on their PS5 outside in the rain when they go on camping trips 🙄
kingfey at it again, trying to drum up fake controversy.
Yep! All of this seems organized tbh
 
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Shaukdotdj

Member
I don't see the issue. Only problem would be if Sony servers go down and nobody can authenticate despite having legitimately paid for that time. I imagine there's some clause in the T&C that says it's a "best effort" so that they are not legally obliged to provide any sort of compensation if/when servers do go down.

I get the idea that they want to make sure people cannot subscribe to PS Plus (or rather the new Game Pass equivalent), download a bunch of games and then cancel their membership. That's obviously not how it's supposed to work. Flipside is they need to make sure their servers are fit for purpose so it's a fair deal.
I feel like if the servers go down that just becomes EVERYONE'S issue regardless of when they last logged in.
 

Fess

Member
DRM need not be an online thing. Can be embedded in the game or managed by a local database for period of validity. Can likely fudge it by changing the console clock, but even then measures to detect such things can be implemented.
Okay I just assumed you had to be always online, and was perfectly fine with that, plus not owning anything, since I had to pay so little, so for me this is a nothing burger tbh.
I only see the upsides, it’s too cheap for what you get as far as I’m concerned, I prepaid because I don’t the prices will be this low much longer. I’ve payed for two games to have the service for two years. And I know I get at least Returnal and Miles Morales right from the start, so everything else is added bonuses.
 

JaksGhost

Member
I have read (in those cloud gaming threads) that many parts of US and the world doesn’t not have access to good internet, so this is definitely going to be a huge problem.
A majority of the US lives in metropolitan areas so it’s not going to be a “huge” issue especially since it’s been a thing. Where is this fake outrage and concern coming from as if this is the first subscription service to exist.
 
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