Update []: It’s been a little under a week since word got out about The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered’s physical version requiring an Internet connection.
And we still don’t know exactly whether the full game will be playable offline or not.
Here’s what the publisher is saying on social media:
“The Physical Deluxe Edition includes the base game in disc format for Xbox or PlayStation, along with a code that grants access to the digital story content and digital deluxe content.”
So, we take this to mean that the full game is on the disc, while its Digital Deluxe Edition content is not. That’s fine.
But what of this mythical “digital story content”? Does that include DLC expansions like Shivering Isles and Knights of the Nine? Or is that just part of the base game now?
There’s still a lot for Bethesda to clarify here.
Original Story: If you’ve been eagerly anticipating the physical version of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, due out on 13th October, may we recommend you exercise some caution.
As spotted by notorious social media mogul Wario64, the box art for the PS5 version has been updated to include an ‘Internet Required’ disclaimer. Similarly, the Xbox version points out that the RPG will “require [a] content download”.
Now the game does come with some DLC items which need to be redeemed using a voucher, including a couple of pieces of armour, two weapons, and some mounts. It’s unclear, then, if the disclaimer is relating to them. (You’ll obviously need to go online to claim them, after all.)
But both Microsoft and Bethesda have an awful recent track record for physical releases, short-changing players with shoddy products that only include a fraction of the game’s data on the Blu-ray disc.
Many fans prefer to purchase physical in order to ensure their software will remain playable long after Sony’s servers have been shut down, so the premise of Game Key Discs (as we’re coining them) has not gone down well.
But this game is 120GB, so it’s possible the publisher hasn’t been able to squeeze all of its data onto a 100GB PS5 disc. Although, in that case, we’d recommend using two Blu-rays – this is supposedly a Deluxe Edition, after all.
Of course, we may be getting ahead of ourselves here.
While the disclaimer is concerning – and we recommend you exercise caution before pre-ordering this version of the game – it’s still possible the game will be on the disc and the publisher is not doing anything nefarious here.
We’ll contact Bethesda and ask if this physical release will be playable offline. And we’ll update you as soon as we know more.