Sony’s vision for the future of gaming is internet-connected PS5 disc drives

Sony’s updated PS5 model has come under fire for having a frustrating online requirement tied to its optional disc drive.

As shared by Call of Duty insider Charlie Intel, a disclaimer on the upcoming ‘PS5 Slim’ packaging reads, “Internet connection required to pair Disc Drive and PS5 console upon setup.”

Additional images of the Modern Warfare III PS5 Slim Bundle

Back says “150GB minimum.” Also says 90GB+ download required to play.

Bundle is available November 10th

(ty @_tlyer) pic.twitter.com/zAhx0lZWdu

— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) October 24, 2023

For the Digital Edition version of the PS5, consumers have the option of purchasing a separate $79.99 USD (about $109 CAD) Disc Drive to play physical media. However, users will still need to connect to the internet to complete the pairing process. It’s unclear whether this is just a one-time requirement for setup or if it will be needed every time you sign in.

Of course, a company like Sony also only stands to benefit from the continued removal of physical media, as it cuts out the middlemen (retailers) and helps curb second-hand game sales from which it doesn’t profit.

But VGC also points out that the company may just be complying with the U.S.’ Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Section 1201 of the law makes it illegal to “circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a copyrighted work.” Therefore, Sony and Microsoft’s consoles use a pairing method to ensure that each console can only work with the specific drive assigned to it.

Regardless of the reasoning, though, this still deals a blow to game preservation, as online functionality won’t always be available. Per a recent study from the Video Game History Foundation, 87 percent of games released before 2010 aren’t available in the U.S. The organization concluded that the video game industry has done an exceptionally poor job compared to other media when it comes to preservation.

Given that the updated PS5 is set to launch next month, it’s unlikely this online requirement will be changed anytime soon. The console also isn’t yet confirmed for Canada, as it’s only set to release in the U.S. this year.

Source: Charlie Intel Via: VGC