Sony recently implemented a “must connect to the Internet for verification once every 30 days” policy for stand-alone games, causing a large number of players to be dissatisfied. During the process, many players and media discovered that this was exactly the same as the scene when Sony executives publicly criticized and ridiculed Microsoft when it proposed a similar “connection authentication required” policy during the Xbox One era. Comparative videos and remarks from back then were edited and circulated on the Internet, making Sony’s current position particularly embarrassing.
The players are not being unreasonable, but there is a specific loss of trust.
The core issue of this policy is that stand-alone games should not rely on the Internet in nature, but forced regular connections will cause all kinds of inconveniences: including players with unstable networks, use in no-network environments, and loss of long-term collection value. Player groups point out that if a game is released on a physical disc but still requires online verification, the line between ownership and subscription will become increasingly blurred.
Sony’s arguments that mocked Microsoft back then can almost be directly applied to itself now.
The community has compiled multiple comparisons: including statements from that year that publicly stated that “stand-alone games do not require network authentication” and “players should be able to fully own the purchased games.” These statements form an obvious contradiction with today’s policy. Players made these comparisons into mockeries with pictures and texts, and spread them widely on the forum.
This incident has touched upon players’ basic trust in the brand.
When player groups feel betrayed, their emotions are often harder to appease than mere policy opposition. This is why even if Sony later tried to explain on the grounds of “security and anti-piracy”, players did not pay the bill, because what they saw was not a security issue, but a choice to prioritize revenue over experience.
