There are some heavy hitters heading to PS5 as the holiday season approaches, whether you’re pining to play the recently released Spider-Man 2 or awaiting multiplayer action in Modern Warfare 3. You might already have a PlayStation 5, but if you’re after an upgrade or leaping over from Xbox, the new PS5 Slim is an ideal stepping stone. However, you need to be aware of a potential caveat if you want to use the PS5 Slim disc drive.
Sony is yet to roll out PS5 Slim model into stores globally, but some retailers in the United States are already receiving the updated PS5 console. The recently confirmed MW3 PS5 bundle will be available when the PS5 Slim release date arrives, which Call of Duty reporting account ‘CharlieINTEL’ details in newly leaked images of the console. Looking closer at the PS5 Slim’s packaging, it notes that an “internet connection is required to pair [the] disc drive and PS5 console upon setup.”
The disc drive is one of the few confirmed accompaniments for the PS5 Slim hitting retailers soon, as other options like PS5 Slim plates are yet to be released. Digital Foundry writer John Linneman expresses their perspective on this design decision, saying on social media that “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.” 
While Linneman claims that it might “possibly be related to firmware checks”, it could prove detrimental to players trying to dive into new PS5 games who don’t have a stable or decent internet connection. As the disclaimer includes the mention of “upon setup” we speculate this will be a one-time pairing for the disc drive, which means your internet connectivity shouldn’t affect reading discs for some of the best PS5 games available.
Additionally, it is likely that is a verification method for the hardware, pairing it with your console’s data and ensuring it can’t be tampered with. This is in correlation with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which Section 1201 specifically clarifies that consoles can’t “circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a copyrighted work.” It could prove to be an issue for those looking for repairs from external parties, as it affect a player’s “right-to-repair” according to The Verge.
If you are picking a PS5 Slim up, let us hope you don’t run any issues pairing the disc drive together if you want to play some hard copies. In the meantime, you can check out all the free PS Plus games available right now on your standard PS5.