PlayStation gamers reportedly losing access to purchased games via serious bug

PlayStation users have brought to light a bug that is reportedly causing some console owners to lose their digital licences, meaning they can no longer access games that they had previously purchased.

While digitally owned games once seemed like the future, it’s a format that’s now attracting more and more concern. With delistings and server removals becoming more commonplace, there’s no guarantee that we’ll always retain access to our digital purchases. It’s a similar predicament regarding the purchase of films and TV shows. Just take a look at the recent dissolution of Sony’s Funimation streaming service, with users informed that none of their purchased content would be transferred over to Crunchyroll, resulting in mass outrage.

This latest issue involving PlayStation was brought to light by Reddit user dSuds2342 who said, “PSA: People are losing access to their digital licences, and people need to be talking about it.” They continued, “For the last few months, there has been a bug impacting a relatively small amount of PSN users in which all digital licences (including purchased games & titles added to one's library via PS+) become decoupled from your transaction history which shows you own those things. If this happens to you, your transaction history will look totally normal, but your ‘Purchased’ tab in your ‘Games Library’ on the Playstation.com website will only show titles that were added after you became afflicted by the bug.”

The user believes the bug began following an error message displayed when launching Helldivers II.

“Any games before you were hit with the bug will be inaccessible on console. If you try to download them, it will want you to rebuy/re-add from PS+, but when you try to do that it will tell you that you already own the content. Installed games impacted by the bug will show a padlock icon and can't be launched. In my case, I've had my PSN account since 2007 and right now, the only content I can access is anything I added to my account after roughly 11:50pm on Thursday, February 29th, 2024.”

The user believes their console contracted the bug after they launched Helldivers II and were hit with error message CE-117773-6. Google recommended they ‘Restore Licences’ but this seems to be where the problems originated. While it sounds as if this is something PlayStation should be able to rapidly reverse, dSuds2342 claims to have hit a dead end with the company’s customer service.

According to the user, this bug has affected over 50 other people they’ve connected with. “We need legislators to pass laws that protect consumer rights when it comes to digital goods. Until that happens we will always be getting the s**t side of the stick,” wrote ISpewVitriol. While I do tend to purchase physical games where I can, the acquiring of some digital editions is inevitable - and those purchases should be protected.

As I mentioned, this does sound like an issue that can be remedied so here's hoping that by spotlighting this bug, PlayStation gamers can regain access to their libraries as soon as possible.