From another site:
There is speculation in the PlayStation homebrew community that the change was a way for Sony to sneak in code that will hamper modders. An online check-in is a common tactic against modded hardware, as it prevents illegally downloaded games from being played on the console unless it connects to the internet, which then begins the process of downloading and installing the latest firmware.
Inconveniencing everyone because of a sale you never had. Brilliant.
With modern titles now, yes, sadly that’s true. Gone are the days you can buy a disc and have the game installer actually be on said disc instead of still forcing you to download the game via the Internet.
This was true as far back as the nes if not further. Its literally ALWAYS been true as far as modern video games are concerned.
That is irrelevant to BorgDrone’s point. Even in those days, legally you’re buying a license with that physical purchase.
No, this has always been the case. The only real difference between physical and digital games is that it’s much harder to revoke the license as it’s tied to a physical object.