PS5 owners will lose access to PSN if they don't follow Sony's latest instructions

It seems like PlayStation is desperately trying to safe-guard the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, and if you don’t follow its instructions, you’ll probably be booted offline.

For those that missed it, PlayStation is currently trying to defend itself from hackers and modders, who are successfully jailbreaking PS5 consoles.

Jailbroken devices are capable of playing numerous games without having to pay for them, and are even being used to play games from previous consoles like the PS2 and PS3.

Now it seems like PlayStation is finally able to take some action, probably after the $50,000 bounty it paid out earlier this week.

PlayStation is forcing a critical firmware update that you now need to stay online

Most PS5 consoles are currently on firmware 14.00, but a new, mandatory, update will bump it up to 14.10.

While this update can be postponed as normal, users are reporting that they’re unable to connect to PSN if they refuse to download it, with others claiming games that online-play won’t work either.

As shared by Pirat_Nation, it’s believed the firmware update is being released to directly combat the PS5 jailbreaking epidemic. Those that stick with the current firmware should still be able to jailbreak their consoles at the cost of online connectivity, whereas those who upgrade to the new firmware will be unable to tamper with their console.

Many believe this to be a futile effort though. AI tools are being used to bypass the console’s security measures, so the common consensus is it’ll only be a matter of time before the new firmware is broken too.

All of this is being done to not only prevent users from taking advantage of their consoles, but also ensure new game releases like GTA VI aren’t affected either. It’s believed GTA VI will only boot up with this firmware update installed.

So if you want to stay connected you must update your console at the earliest convenience, as you won’t be able to go online without it.

READ NEXT: GTA 6 'online-only' fears grow as unofficial PC port threatens launch

Why PlayStation is so obsessed with GTA VI’s launch

GTA VI is said to “play best on PS5” due to consoles like the PS5 Pro being more-powerful than the Xbox Series X/S. Plus, the game will likely take advantage of the console’s Dual-Sense controller, like allowing in-game phone conversations to be projected through the controller’s speakers.

Neither Rockstar Games nor PlayStation have confirmed what kind of Dual-Sense support we’re getting, so that’s just mere speculation on our part.

With that in mind, it’s understandable why such a catastrophic system error could be a top-priority just weeks before the launch of its biggest AAA game yet.

There’s likely pressure from Rockstar and its parent-company Takes-Two Interactive as well. Rockstar is already dealing with the aftermath Cyberleek, who has seemingly thrown in the towel after sharing over 25-minutes of unseen gameplay footage.

Combine that with the possibility of PS5 owners potentially pirating GTA VI as soon as it comes out, and it becomes painfully obvious why the company is rushing these console firmware updates out the door.

READ NEXT: GTA 6 release time, preload date, download size and editions