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Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced, the PS5 remake of Ubisoft’s iconic nautical open world, will require a download if you purchase the physical version.
A disclaimer on the box art for both the US and European editions confirms that the “Internet is required to install the game”. It’s similar to messaging we’ve seen on titles like Crimson Desert.
It’s currently unclear exactly why this is the case, but we’ll contact the French publisher and try to get confirmation.
In some cases, like the aforementioned Crimson Desert, the game package is simply too big to fit on a single Blu-ray, and the dev has decided not to ship it on two discs. In others, like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, physical copies are effectively ‘Game Key Discs’.
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Regardless of the reasoning, some fans are already furious at Ubisoft’s decision here, calling for boycotts and describing the physical version as little more than a “coaster”. Another user on Reddit said even though they loved the original Black Flag, they “won’t buy the remake if it has online requirement to work”.
Gamers are getting increasingly frustrated at the restrictive nature of new game releases, especially when it comes to physical copies. In this instance, if Sony’s servers were to ever be taken offline, the Blu-ray would no longer be able to install the game.
One other interesting but tangentially related wrinkle here is that in Europe, physical launch copies of Black Flag Resynced will come with a poster, art book, and some in-game goodies. Those extras won’t be available in the US, however, so something worth knowing.
It’s a shame to see Ubisoft go the extra mile with the retail release in Europe like this, but then not include the full game on the disc. One step forwards, two steps back.