New information has come to light about the optional disc drive that will be found in the upcoming smaller PlayStation 5 models.
As reported by Video Games Chronicle, it’s come to light that users will need to take their PlayStation 5 online to complete installing their optional disc drive, if they choose to add one in.
Fans found out about this themselves when pictures of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III PlayStation 5 bundle came up online. One of the messages found at the back of the box says this:
“*Internet connection required to pair Disc Drive and PS5 console upon setup.”
Now, Video Games Chronicle cites a Wired article in their claim that the DMCA may be part of the reason for this online check in requirement. A clause in the DMCA law states that it is illegal to “circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a copyrighted work.”
So what Sony has done is place copyright firmware in the disc drive. They then program their console so that if you try to switch disc drives, even between two working PlayStation 5 consoles, the consoles will not recognize said drives.
These systems have all been set up in place so that Sony has control over what parts you can install on your PlayStation 5. Presumably, of course, said limitations are not placed on hard drives that users can install into their consoles, because of consumer demand.
In any case, the actual cause for alarm most observers have with this online check in is that it may make this process impossible to do when Sony turns off the servers for it. That makes it a matter of hardware preservation, as we may end up in a future where dozens of disc drives can no longer be used.
However, this issue is also about producing e-waste. Apple has faced criticism for a few years now for their accelerated planned obsolescence policies leading to hundreds of their devices being rendered unusable in a matter of a few years. Similarly, Google had to reverse their policies on planned obsolescence for their Chromebooks, after uproar that they were artificially shortening the lifespan of the devices.
Video Games Chronicle hopes that Sony will modify their system upon phase out so that they can remove the online check in requirement, but that may not be technically or legally possible. What may end up happening is Sony providing software to do the check in or bypass to be used via a USB thumb drive on the PlayStation 5’s USB ports. However they do it, we can only hope that Sony is mindful of the issues that come up because of their choices with this console.
