The original PS5s do not require internet to run disc based-games. This might be a different story to run BD-ROMs specifically MOVIES, but to run games on PS5 from a disc, no internet was required to use the disc drive and you didn’t need to connect PS5 to the internet to complete set-up. I didn’t pick up a PS5 launch day but I was still able to use it without an internet connection to play Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales upon boot up. I also tried PS4 games and they worked too. What I don’t remember doing is trying to play movies.
Regarding, it is likely PS5’s BD-ROM drive is authenticated at the factory, so, I probably wouldn’t need to connect to the internet to play a BD-ROM movie either, but that is only because you would need to authenticate the drive to do so.
To my recollection I did need to do this on my PC as well to use BD-ROMs (again movies), but since I don’t have BD-ROMs with other content, I can not say I whether I needed to verify my BD drive to read non-DRM ROM content stored on BD discs using that portable USB Blu-ray drive. Pretty sure I could play CDs and DVDs on that drive no issue though. It is possible that the PS5 slim disc drive add-ons don’t require a connection to run games or DVDs, but will need to connect to run movies and other protected media.
Will be staying tuned for more information.
