It looks like Redfall’s physical version includes a download code instead of a disc

videogameschronicle.com:

It looks like Redfall‘s physical release will include a download code for the game instead of a disc.

As spotted by a ResetEra user, the game’s page on the Bethesda Support site states that: “The physical Xbox copies of Redfall are Xbox Play Anywhere codes which can played on both the Xbox Series X|S and the Microsoft Xbox App on PC“.

VGC has asked Bethesda for comment on this story.

While some special editions of modern first-party titles have included download codes, including notable releases like 2022’s God of War Ragnarok, it’s uncommon for the standard versions of games on Xbox to include just a code.

This is more of a common practice on Nintendo Switch, but it’s more regularly used by third parties, rather than Nintendo itself.

The news follows confirmation that the Arkane title will require an online connection to play, even in single-player mode.

This means that should Xbox servers go down, as happened in summer 2022, it would be impossible to play the game and raises the prospect of the game being completely unplayable in the future.

While many modern games include DRM, which requires a one-off online check to prevent piracy, a persistent online requirement remains relatively uncommon for modern games with single-player modes, even in titles that are primarily co-op focused but have single-player elements.

Xbox has historically promoted the importance of game preservation, most significantly with its extensive backwards compatibility program. The company also famously u-turned on hugely unpopular plans to require an online connection for Xbox One.