Doom: The Dark Ages Disc Is Pretty Much Useless Because You'll Need An Internet Connection Anyway

People who already have their hands on physical copies of Doom: The Dark Ages are warning that the full game isn't actually on the disc.

[Profchaos]

There's zero reason why this game couldn't be on disc it was a strategic move to not allow the game to be played after the servers go down

[Tacoboto]

Same situation with AC Shadows this year, Hogwarts Legacy a couple years ago; PS Collector's Editions likely won't include a disc ever again; Xbox Game Studios definitely won't release a full disc ever again
PS5 Slim + Pro disc drives require online activation and so does the Series X

It's a shame. I think I'm done buying physical. It's an extra expense for an already-expensive PS5 Pro I want before DS2 and GoY, and they'll probably kill off those activation servers way before the store in the future.

[Profchaos]

It's just sad and annoying even switch 2 is failing in physical.
Sad future where kids are unwrapping digital codes on Christmas morning but it's a reality we seem to be driving towards

[GamingSinceForever]

I seriously doubt that kids are going to be upset after unwrapping digital codes for a game they wanted. 😂

Besides the digital age is their era not ours.

[Profchaos]

I don't know I mean I give switch games now and they get hyped but if it's a game that just appears on their home screen after getting a receipt there's just not much excitement.

I do get what you're saying though and I'm probably just a. Old man yelling at a cloud but I don't know it's also what I see lately along with my own experiences which are redundant definitely

[CrimsonWing69]

Kids do not give a flying f*ck about all digital. They’re all into Fortnite, Roblox, streaming movies and music. The only people upset about this are console gamers that are from a specific time.

Hell, I used to be the same, but digital is just way more convenient and I’m running out of space for all this sh*t.

[MetroidFREAK21]

Yeah, Microsoft could've used two discs for the Xbox version and a proper PS5 disc for the game. However, they hate physical media now so the game is a skip. Even though I really love Doom

[neutralgamer1992]

It's really sad since Phil was talking about preserving the games

[Tacoboto]

If the servers *do* stay up though?

Xbox is the only modern console platform where discs from the 2001-era console still do work today. It's the only advantage Xbox has left

[-Foxtrot]

Phil Spencer has this habit of saying something (and making a big deal of it) then his actions show him doing the opposite

[Tacoboto]

"his actions show him doing the opposite"

By supporting games from 2001 in 2025? What other platform does that?

[Terry_B]

Believing in something from Phil Spencer or Microsoft is not smart.

[Profchaos]

He was but his pathway to preservation leave a lot to be desired for example he's talking about having AI build classic games to preserve them on the fly which is ludicrous it's not preservation

[Chevalier]

"By supporting games from 2001 in 2025? What other platform does that?"

Playstation games you can load and play without internet at least can you say the same about Xbox? NOPE

[Profchaos]

PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games don't work on the ps5 not in the sense you can insert a disc and play any version of them.

But on that note you can't insert a og Xbox game and play the original version either it downloads an emulated versions of the game I'm not saying it's not a welcome feature but in preservation sense it's not the same as playing on real og hardware

[MetroidFREAK21]

@Tacoboto... shut up

[Hedstrom]

Kinda sad. For most people in the west it doesnt mather. But in other parts of the world the physical releases are crucial to have gaming in that Region of the world

[jznrpg]

I don’t buy digital and I’m in the west.. It’s not about internet connection. It’s about owning what I buy

[MetroidFREAK21]

Amen

[-Foxtrot]

All it does is make me less likely to get it at launch, just like Indiana Jones. I’ll pick it up when it’s far cheaper. I still haven’t even bought the Oblivion Remaster yet.

At the minute I still have a lot to play so it’s not like I don’t have anything else to play in the meantime.

It just annoys me that they either could fit it into a disc or they could start using newer discs that can hold more.

[victorMaje]

No buy, I’ll wait.

[KyRo]

You can still lend it to a mate, borrow it, rent it, sell it and will be cheaper physically than on console storefronts. seems pretty far from useless to me.

[Kornholic]

You were downvoted for stating absolute truths, lol.

The potential to have the full game on disc is only one benefit of physical games.

Being able to sell your games once finished is a huge advantage digital games will simply never have. It would be possible to make a system where users could sell their digital games but businesses are too greedy to do that.

On top of that physical games are almost always cheaper and get cheaper quicker, too.

In contrast, there is practically no upside to digital games. Not having to insert a disc into your console is NOT an advantage.

[Name Last Name]

I couldn't care less about lending and selling games. I just want a full disc that I can play offline.

[KyRo]

It's N4G. Absolutly nothing surprises me honestly. Yet in another article they will complaining about a all digital future just as they did recently with the Switch 2

[Good-Smurf]

Another game dashed off my list, thanks for saving me $70 Microsoft.
I don't care how good a game is if these companies going to do physical version, do it right or fuck off.
I won't let them treat me like an idiot while them getting away with top dollar prices and record profits while saving a few bucks not putting game data on disc.

[ravens52]

This exactly. Doesn't look like I'll be getting any MS published games. Don't come here with that bs, my ps games are on disc so fck off like Smurf said.

[badz149]

No buy. Next!

[anast]

I was giving them $20, but now it's a $10-$15 game.

[PhillyDonJawn]

Why do they do this

[gold_drake]

oh for fuck sake, are u kidding me?

why even offer a disc version then? it has absolutely no value lol

[Kornholic]

It still has resale value.

[jznrpg]

F’in MS not putting games on disc now. It’s not surprising they’re going the Ubisoft route as they don’t want you to own anything in the long term but it’s lame when Phil was talking his game preservation BS.
All they have to do for 2 game discs is say hey it costs us more to put the game on an extra disc it’s 5$ more for 2 disc games. Problem solved if it was about cost. But it’s not, it’s about ownership. MS wants to rent you games no matter how you pay for them

[isarai]

Yet another MS Studio game i will not be buying till it's used and under $20 then. Pure bs

[Blaze929]

Stuff like this would anger me when I had data caps with Xfinity. If I buy the disc, why do I stil need to download the game?

[gigoran8]

So...E-Waste. Call it what it is. No way to preserve it physically. It's just a disc DRM that downloads the game for you.

[Jingsing]

Microsoft basically trying to poison the PlayStation market place into digital. They can then withdraw their games from Sony's platform at anytime as no one has physical copy of a Microsoft game. I recommend not buying any Microsoft game going forward.