PlayStation 5’s new detachable disc drive has one major downside

The detachable disc drive, which users will be able to add onto their discless PlayStation 5 Slim Digital edition, will require an internet connection the first time it’s used.

On Oct.10, 2023, Sony announced its two new PlayStation 5 Slim models. Just like with the base versions of the PS5, the Slim models also include a cheaper disc-less model and a more expensive model with the disc drive built-in. But unlike the base PS5 digital edition, users will be able to purchase an official disc drive, which can be attached to the disc drive-less console to allow it to run physical games and movies.

However, there’s a catch. Twitter user @dark1x shared (via VGC) a zoomed-in image of the PlayStation 5 Slim’s box, which clearly states that an internet connection is required to pair the disc drive and PS5 console.

This raises the question: Why is the detachable disc drive not plug-and-play? While most users probably won’t have a problem with installing the disc drive update, it’s still a potential obstacle to those who play offline or have a bad internet connection. Worst of all, this could also mean that one day, when the PlayStation 5 services end, users who buy second-hand consoles may have a huge disc drive paperweight, which they won’t be able to use without an update.

It may seem strange, but in the future, people will be collecting PS5s as retro consoles, and if all that’s left are disc-less ones with these add-ons and no servers, we won’t be able to preserve our own gaming history very well.

Whether it’s a security measure or a recently discovered hardware flaw, it’s unclear why Sony requires an update to make the disc drive functional. As noted by VGC, a 2020 Wired article found both Sony and Microsoft pair each disc drive to the console it comes with, so this update could be to create that specific pairing. This could negatively affect second-hand sales of the attachable disc drives if they can’t be repaired with another PS5. Sony might make changes to the upcoming hardware accessory to make it a simple plug-and-play without requiring an update. 

To get the most out of your console, check out our guide on how to enable VRR on your PlayStation 5.