A large controversy surrounds the upcoming RPG epic Starfield. Allegedly, there are no discs included even with the physical editions and the Collector’s Edition. The Spanish support account is causing even more confusion, stating that this is not true. Fans are confused and a bit angry.
Where does the controversy come from?
- Recently, pre-orders for Starfield started and many fans jumped right in, even though waiting might be worthwhile.
- The very expensive Collector’s Edition for 300 € with a fancy watch was completely sold out within hours.
- Now, the official Bethesda account on Twitter claimed in a now-deleted tweet: there are no physical discs for Starfield (via Reddit).
Is there really no disc? Many fans are currently asking this question. The last official answer is: no. However, Bethesda’s Spanish support account tweeted: Yes, but only for the physical Standard Edition (via Reddit).
All other editions would come without a disc. This would include the purely digital Premium Edition as well as the Constellation Edition, which is the physical Collector’s Edition.
In the Constellation Edition, there is an item included, into which the game code is physically embedded. Presumably some kind of badge or figure made of metal, as would fit the futuristic game.
MeinMMO directly inquired with Bethesda and requested clarification. Meanwhile, there is also an official statement that a disc should be included in the Standard Edition of the Xbox version. All PC versions are said to have a code (via Bethesda).
This fancy watch is included in the Collector’s Edition:
Purely digital versions spark huge discussions
The shift to a purely digital offering meets rejection from many gamers. They want real, physical discs, mainly for 3 reasons:
- so they would have “real” ownership of their game and could not be arbitrarily denied access
- so they could still play in 20 years, if the game might not be downloadable anymore, but could still be installed via disc
- those who have no or poor internet could still play
The constantly advancing digitalization gives publishers too much power over what players actually own and what they do not. This is not necessarily desirable.
Others argue that even physical discs do not necessarily help. Often you still need a day-one patch to play and especially the right hardware, even with the disc in hand. Online constraints, as currently discussed in Diablo 4 add to the issue.
The only real advantage of a physical copy is that you can easily resell the game, which is hardly possible anymore today. However, the sheer size of many modern games alone could be a logistical problem, which is why publishers today prefer to push digital offerings:
Guess how many CDs the hefty Call of Duty Modern Warfare would need
