The upgraded PlayStation 5 models, which features mostly some size reductions and aesthetic changes to their hulling predecessors, will be hitting this holiday season. No enhanced software specs, mind you. For those who want to forego the hard drive version, but apparently decide to change your mind, the digital-only model comes with the option to upgrade it with the purchase of a separate Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive for $79.99US.

A mild catch to this, when pairing the disc drive with a console for the first time, it will require an internet update for a connection, based on a report from VideoGamesChronicle. John Linneman, senior editor and writer for the Digital Foundry, shared concerns on X/Twitter, hoping it's only for a firmware update check. 

"Uhhhh...if this is the case, that is highly concerning and very strange. Hardware connectivity shouldn't be determined by a server that may not always be available."

Uhhhh...if this is the case, that is highly concerning and very strange. Hardware connectivity shouldn't be determined by a server that may not always be available. https://t.co/NT4KU6ShrN

— John Linneman @dark1x.bsky.social (@dark1x) October 25, 2023

Some irony to this, as during the launch of the Xbox One, Sony threw a slant in Microsoft's direction of transitioning the new system to a DRM (Digital Rights Management) machine. That famous video about game sharing that defined Sony's dominance during the PlayStation 4's run.

This was ten years ago...

The Ultra HD Blu-ray verification may be a one time process for pairing, but if servers go down, that will create an issue where the drive is essentially useless. 

How does this make you feel about the digital slim option PlayStation 5?

SOURCE: VideoGamesChronicle