The new, slimmer PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition models are starting to ship out ahead of their intended release in November, and the fine print on the back of the box revealed something important but previously unknown about the Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive that players can attach to the console: it requires an internet connection.
Sony revealed these new versions of the PS5 earlier this month, and one of the biggest visual changes is that instead of having a single console cover on each side, the console now has four separate cover panels. The new PS5 Digital Edition obviously can’t play physical media by default, but Sony will allow people to remove one of the cover panels and replace it with an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive like they would when swapping parts on gaming PCs. This back-of-the-box fine print revealed that this swapping process will require an internet connection actually work, though.
CharlieIntel posted some images of a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III PS5 Digital Edition bundle and people discovered the following disclaimer text on the back of the box: “Internet connection required to pair Disc Drive and PS5 console upon setup.” Essentially, it seems like the Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive has some sort of DRM used to ensure that it’s official hardware and compatible with a PS5 console. Thankfully, it appears that this internet connection will only be required once.
While it’s understandable from a verification and piracy prevention standpoint, it does suggest that the existence of disc drives or other PS5 add-ons not made by Sony is unlikely. Additionally, there are preservation concerns, as once the PS5’s online support goes away, it will be impossible for new PS5 Digital Edition owners to buy games or add a disc drive to play physical copies.
Although it shouldn’t be a dealbreaker for most right now, keep this required internet connection in mind if you plan to pick up a new PS5 Digital Edition and an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive for PS5 in November.
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