PlayStation 5 Slim: Detachable disk drive supposedly requires internet connection for authentication

Sony's highly-anticipated PlayStation 5 Slim console is yet to hit shelves and is unlikely to do so until existing PS5 models run out. Its Digital Edition comes with a US$50 price increase and the ability to add an external disk drive via USB-C. However, some eagle-eyed Twitter/X users have discovered that the process isn't as seamless as Sony made it out to be.

Some images of the new PlayStation 5 Slim have emerged online. Its fine print suggests that the console requires an internet connection to "pair" itself with the disk drive. This raises a flurry of questions, such as why a disk drive needs to "authenticate" itself with Sony's servers and what happens to a drive if it is attached to a separate console with which it isn't "paired".

While the PlayStation 5 Slim might be able to connect to servers today, the same might not hold true in the future. The only fathomable reason for it would be as an anti-piracy measure. Sony probably doesn't want people using it as a Blu Ray player on their PCs. Regardless, it'll be a while before we see the console in action, and the ensuing backlash might force Sony to reconsider its ludicrous decision.

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