This PlayStation Error Will Block You From Accessing Digital Games
Some gamers prefer to buy paper copies of their games, while others are happy with digital downloads. Sony is even releasing a digital version of the PS5 , in case you fall into the latter camp. However, if you buy a lot of digital content or have a large collection of PS+ games that you’ve claimed, you should be wary of a bug that could prevent you from playing most of them.
Last week , Reddit user dSuds2342 shared a PSA on r/playstation , warning users of a catastrophic bug that could lock you out of the vast majority of digital games in your purchase history. If you become a victim, you will reportedly be able to see these names in your transaction history, but not in the Purchases menu. If you try to download the affected games to your console, you may be asked to buy them again or add them again from PS+, but when you try to do this, the game will claim that you already own it. Affected games that already exist on your console will be marked with a padlock icon.
According to this Reddit user, they caused a strange PlayStation error when trying to launch Helldivers II , which resulted in an error message (specifically error message CE-117773-6). When they Googled what to do, they discovered that they should select the “Restore Licenses ” option , which can help users access blocked games on their console. But choosing this option is what the Redditor believes left them unable to make purchases: Because the items weren’t properly linked to their user account, recovery licenses severed the connection to all games purchased before the bug affected the console , rendering any further actions useless.
As of this writing, there are at least 50 other known users affected by this issue, but there may be more. In the same thread, one user claims to have lost access to over 400 games after using the “Restore License” option due to the CE-117773-6 error message when downloading Elden Ring . Another user says he has lost over 700 games .
What to do if you are blocked from accessing PS5 games
Last week, Sony seemed slow to help fix the problem. However, the company has since reportedly begun fixing the accounts of some affected users, with users being told their access would be restored within three, four or 10 days. Redditor ArkJK, after requesting compensation for a wasted month of PS+ subscription, received a free month of the service as a “gesture of goodwill.” So, for now, if you see this error message when trying to access the game, your best bet is to contact PlayStation support and hope they offer you a quick sort.
By the way, one interesting hack that seems to have some success at least in recovering PS+ downloads is signing up for another month of PS+. Giving more money to a company that holds your digital purchases hostage might seem like the last thing you’d want to do, but some users, including the OP quoted in this post, were finally able to play their previously announced PS+ games after subscribing for another month.