The disc is not the game: Physical releases increasingly require extra downloads
DoesItPlay tracks the many "physical" games that don't work without the Internet. https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2026/07/the-disc-is-not-the-game-physical-releases-increasingly-require-extra-downloads/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social
Comments (2)
@arstechnica Yes, we understand that. But what they're getting rid of isn't just the physical disc that stores data - it's the physical token that proves ownership of the license that can be freely transferred from one owner to the next - either permanently or temporarily.
The disc that stores data was never what they wanted to kill, it was the notion of ownership.
@arstechnica You might as well release it digitally at this point. What's the point of selling physical, if it still needs to be downloaded?
At least Nintendo's "game key card" thing is clearly labelled, has a plausable financial reason to exist, and is more honest than no disclosure at all. Cartridge flash memory costs tens of dollars per unit, while a disc costs single-digit pennies. Therefore, there is no financial reason to do this with the CD/DVD/Bluray disc media that disc consoles use.