Weekly Roundup: PlayStation DRM Backlash, Greedfall Studio Closure, $5 Stealth and Resident Evil Movie News
- Sony clarifies PS4/PS5 DRM fears after backlash
- Greedfall developer Spiders shuts down
- Thick as Thieves launching at $4.99
- New Resident Evil movie trailer revealed
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PlayStation DRM Checks Cause Concern
The weekend saw social media explode as several PS4 owners noticed that the latest system update also incorporated a new Digital Rights Management feature. There was confusion as to what it actually entailed, as the belief was Sony now requires users to renew the license for a game, online, every 30 days. Failing to do so would lead to that license being revoked, rendering the game unplayable whether it had been paid for or downloaded via PS Plus. However, after game preservation company Does it Play? and others started digging into concerns about possible CBOMB implications, a Sony representative issued a statement.
“Players can continue to access and play their purchased games as usual. A one-time online check is required to confirm the game’s license, after which no further check-ins are required.”
It’s also been reported that this affects PS5 owners too, although it’s not as obvious as with the PS4 (the timer is hidden on the former and displayed on the latter). In both cases, it’s supposed to prevent a refund exploit on jailbroken consoles by issuing a temporary license that upgrades to permanent once checked. Games bought/downloaded before the March 2026 system update are unaffected, as are physical copies.
Greedfall Developers Shut Down Studio
Spiders, the French studio behind multiple games including Sherlock Holmes Versus Jack the Ripper, Steelrising, and two Greedfall titles, has closed. This just a month and a half after Greedfall 2: The Dying World left Early Access. Spiders confirmed rumours via its official Bluesky account on April 29:
“We’re going to cut straight to the chase so you’re not left wondering: After a long period without clear answers, we have received confirmation that Spiders is being liquidated.”
“What does it mean? This means the company as a whole no longer exists. We’ll cease our functions immediately. The planned DLC will release via Nacon, and then – well, that’s it.”
Nacon is the publisher of Greedfall 2 (as well as many, many games from other studios like RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business and Hell is Us) and also in a lot of trouble itself. It started March by filing for insolvency, so this latest news at least makes sense in the wider scheme of things, even though this doesn’t stop it being unfortunate.
Thick as Thieves Set to Release for Under $5
OtherSide Entertainment, the new studio formed from devs who worked on the likes of Deus Ex and System Shock, started April by revealing that its debut title, Thick as Thieves, had shifted from PvPvE to solo/co-op. Now, the studio has revealed that it’s set for release on May 20 at the remarkably low price of $4.99.
Why so low? OtherSide have said that it’s due to the choice of releasing the game as an “introductory campaign” that involves 16 missions set across two “dynamic replayable” maps; changing the difficulty setting rearranges things like security patrols and traps. Loot successfully pilfered goes into funding things like character cosmetics and better gear. However, the studio hasn’t said whether new content will be included as free updates or paid DLC.
A New Era of Evil, Maybe
The Resident Evil series has a long and storied history, but also one that’s gone from strength to strength. Requiem is currently the best-selling game in the franchise so far, but this kind of success hasn’t really translated to other mediums yet. Most people have seen at least one of the Milla Jovovich movies by this point, but not that many caught Resident Evil: Welcome to Racoon City (2021), dooming that proposed new series to end with its first installment.
Now, it’s the chance for Zach Cregger (Weapons, Barbarian) to take his shot. Simply titled Resident Evil, his movie is set to open in theatres on September 18 and focuses on Bryan (played by Austin Abrams from Weapons), a medical courier who gets caught in a living nightmare as the world around him collapses into undead chaos.
Cregger has stated in interviews with the likes of Inverse and Variety that “I am the biggest worshiper of the games, so I’m telling a story that is a love letter to the games and follows the rules of the games.” He’s also said that his movie doesn’t follow any characters from the games, but is set in the same world.
“I wanted to construct a story that could live in the world of Resident Evil and kind of be on the periphery of the events of Resident Evil 2, where Raccoon City is having its big night, but tell just another story that could be happening in parallel, that really honors the vibe and the pacing you get when you play the games.”
