A number of Sony PlayStation owners have reported a concerning issue where they are losing access to their digital purchases due to a software bug. Gamers who purchase PS4, PS5, and PS Vita games and other content through the PS Store are finding that some of their content has been delinked, causing frustration and inconvenience.
Users have taken to Reddit to share their experiences, with many across different PlayStation consoles encountering this 'bug'. When attempting to 'restore licenses', a suggested workaround, users have found that all purchases made through the PS Store or games added to their library via PS Plus are delinked, rendering them inaccessible.
One user described the situation as follows: 'For the last few months, there has been a bug impacting a relatively small amount of PSN users in which all digital licenses become decoupled from your transaction history, making previously purchased content inaccessible on the console.'
Impacted users have noted that their transaction history appears normal, but the 'Purchased' tab in their 'Games Library' on the PlayStation website only displays titles added after the bug occurred. Attempts to redownload affected games prompt users to rebuy or re-add them, despite owning the content.
Installed games affected by the bug display a padlock icon and cannot be launched, further exacerbating the issue for players. Some users have reported that the 'Restore Licenses' process, intended to address the problem, resulted in the loss of remaining licensed content they had purchased.
Approximately 50 gamers have been affected by this bug, with some waiting for answers from Sony since November on how to resolve the issue or if a fix is forthcoming. Sony has been contacted for comment regarding this issue.
Players are advised to stay informed on any updates from Sony regarding this issue and to exercise caution when attempting to address the bug through various workarounds.
For more news and updates, sign up for the indy100 weekly newsletter and have your say in our news democracy by clicking the upvote icon to support articles like this.
