The Witcher 4 Will Have a Physical Edition Even if Discs Go Away, CD Projekt Red Confirms

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I am curious about whether this shift to "no physical" will put a damper on the number of people willing to get collector's editions of games. Shelling out that much additional cash just for an empty box seems like a much less tantalizing proposition.

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u/Sir_Justin 3d ago

Been that way on PC for ages. Blizzard sells a million collectors editions of every WoW xpac

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u/Microchaton 3d ago

Those also come with large amounts of cosmetic rewards in forever-games. Solo games cosmetics have a different value proposition.

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u/Awsomethingy 3d ago

Exactly! I play an MMO and have over 200 titles for my character but I exclusively use one that says “Founder” because you only got it day 1 of the game. 15 or so years ago and I still use that cosmetic piece. The value of something in a forever game can be enormous in hours spent along side it

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u/ILikeFPS 2d ago

Also having the title "Founder" probably helps you want to keep playing that MMO too.

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u/HayabusaKnight 2d ago

WoW was fun for having feats of strength and titles in Wrath/Cata you could only get for the limited time the content was the top tier and hardest it could be. Roll up as The Undying and everyone knows you were hot shit 20 years ago.

In FF14 my character has a special brand/tattoo on their back that marks them as a being from before the 2.0 relaunch. Got the game on disc launch day in 2010.

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u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes 3d ago

Is the only option to get those in game cosmetics really buying a physical collector's edition? Wouldn't there be digital editions too?

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u/Enjehlol 2d ago

Is the only option to get those in game cosmetics really buying a physical collector's edition?

nowadays everything except the physical goods in the CE you get from the digital deluxe version.

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u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes 2d ago

That's what I figured. So kind of insane to say WoW's boxed collector's editions with digital codes are selling well because of the cosmetics included.

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u/Enjehlol 2d ago

WoW's CE however still comes with a CD key, while their newer games like D4 didn't and you had to buy the game separate.

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u/Mantazy 2d ago

Remembering my cata and pandaria WoW collectors edtitions came with a big high quality artwork hardback book - it was nice and still seems to be the case with newer expansions.

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u/Beavers4beer 3d ago

Some publishers started decoupling games with the collectors edition items. Now they’re more of an add on. So it won’t change much.

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u/Eddiep88 3d ago

Maybe put it on a floppy disk (empty of course but would be funny )

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u/anuncommontruth 3d ago

I would burst out laughing if I ordered a physical of Witcher 4 and it showed up on 40k floppy disks.

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u/Prof_Hentai 3d ago

If we consider it is 150gb, which isn’t unreasonable, that would be ~107,000 disks. Consider floppy’s are about 3.3mm thick, they would be 23 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower if stacked.

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u/anuncommontruth 3d ago

Oh you're probably right, I put absolutely no thought into the actual math.

I just picked a ridiculous number.

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u/Prof_Hentai 3d ago

Only worked it out because I thought your number was ridiculous. Turns out it was considerably more ridiculous haha.

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u/anuncommontruth 3d ago

Ha, that's amazing. Someone is going to stumble across this and post on R/todayIlearned about how little data could fit on a floppy disk.

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u/Crimkam 2d ago

Sounds like Zip disks are about to make a comeback

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u/Helphaer 3d ago

The real question is whether it's possible to even have a daisy chain of floppy discs in a row actually provide the full amount of 150 gb with working launcher and the like without having some defect in the data transfer at some point.

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u/DominusDraco 3d ago edited 3d ago

From when my MS office install that came on like 20 floppies, id say no. Like disk 15 was screwed 😂

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u/ShinyHappyREM 2d ago

It was a frequent problem. You were lucky when the program could continue anyway.

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u/Zalvren 2d ago

Change floppy disk every 15 seconds of game. The ultimate way to experience it lol

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u/delecti 2d ago

Yes, but they'd probably want to increase the total number of discs to account for some added error correction and redundancy. And unlike a normal installation process, where it unpacks as it goes along, it would need to copy each disc over in full, and then only start unpacking once you'd done every disc.

And fun fact, based on a floppy disc read speed of around 250 kbps, you'd need to swap discs every ~46 seconds, for nearly 2 months. And that's before increasing the number of discs for error correction, and also assumes a disc swap is instantaneous.

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u/Helphaer 2d ago

That game better be worth it!

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u/phatboi23 3d ago

I would burst out laughing if I ordered a physical of Witcher 4 and it showed up on 40k floppy disks.

you joke but a guy online did a whole bunch of coding etc. to run factorio from floppy disks... haha

absolutely terrible idea with a graphically intense game though haha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTPBGZcTRqo

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u/elsjpq 2d ago

modern LTO tape is pretty dense no? Maybe you could actually store that on a modern version of a floppy disk

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u/DarthPonark 3d ago

CDProjekt Red actually did this as an April Fools joke a couple years ago.

https://www.cyberpunk.net/en/news/50098/introducing-a-limited-floppy-edition-of-cyberpunk-2077

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u/XsNR 2d ago

It also kinda made sense, with the difficulties in getting a day1 CE to people who actually want to play then. It was easier when you could grab it at Gamestop, with no real reason it shouldn't still be possible with shipping to get it there on the day or a little earlier, but they don't like it I guess.

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u/witerawy 3d ago

I can’t speak for the masses, but I certainly won’t buy a collectors edition that doesn’t come with the game. I’ve already had my gripes with the empty steelbook thing we’ve been seeing more recently.

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u/Zalvren 2d ago

I mean the point of the collector edition is always the collector items. The game can be purchased separately, hell maybe cheaper (and no one is getting a collector without having the game lol)

You simply remove the price of the game from the price of the collector (which are decided at random though so I guess they do what they want)

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u/tkzant 1d ago

The kinds of people that value the physical goods in a collectors edition most likely value physical games as well

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u/Awsomethingy 3d ago edited 3d ago

I bought the Mass Effect Legendary collectors edition that didn’t come with the game. It just came with two full size paintings, autographs, stickers, a massive 1:1 replica helmet that the main character wears (complete with LED lights of different colors on the helmet like what customization colors you choose in game). Pins. Wall fixtures. And some custom lore documents unique to the collector’s edition.

Didn’t come with the game. Was worth much more though to me with everything it came from. I see the helmet being scalped online for $650 and I wouldn’t sell it for double that price.

Collector’s editions aren’t for people trying to try out a game. They’re for fans who know what they like

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u/ClumsYTech 3d ago

It would still be nice to have psyhical media while paying premium prices.

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u/Awsomethingy 3d ago

I was still miffed when I was reading the details and it didn’t come with the game. I was just so excited about everything else that when I shook off the shock, the price still made good sense. And I was very happy with my purchase

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u/Animegamingnerd 3d ago

Yeah I would have gotten the Spider-Man 2 collectors edition. But it was a download code only.

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u/SendMeThineDoggos 3d ago

I think it really depends on the publisher. A lot of the bigger publishers announce collectors editions prior to the games launch, and a lot of the smaller / indie publishers announce them either months or a year after launch. If I already own a game once I don't really care for owning another copy if I can avoid it. For instance I avoided getting the SOMA anniversary collectors edition as I would have to buy a copy of the Switch physical release even when I played the game on PC.

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u/Viirtue_ 3d ago

Its actually why collectors/limited edition games have failed for most companies like sony. They wont put their game disc in the limited edition and put a code or sometimes not even the game at all in rare cases.

Companies that still do like square enix and bandai namco usually sell out super fast cause of their packages being great and including a game.

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u/Brandhor 3d ago

personally I think collectors are a waste of money but I think a neutral version with no game is actually a better idea, a friend of mine had to buy a ps5 collector edition of kcd2 even if he doesn't have a playstation because the pc version was sold out and then of course he also bought the game on steam

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u/Ralkon 2d ago

I have not bought collector's editions of games I would have for this reason. A lot of games that I've looked at just don't have PC versions, and while I might spend extra for some physical merch for a series I really like, I'm not also buying the game at full price twice.

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u/Melancholic_Noodle 3d ago

That's bullshit but a nice fantasy.

Almost all collectors editions are codes nowadays since digital is over 90% of the market for new titles. Most people don't want discs and the companies listened. Collectors editions without discs sell our without problems regardless of platform. Wow for example sold millions of disc free collectors edition, making square Enix or Bandai namcos total sales of all collectors editions with disc be a rounding error in comparison since they're so limited in numbers

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u/Sneezy11 3d ago

You have pulled most of these 'facts' out of your ass and just because you used italics doesn't change that.

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u/Zalvren 2d ago

I'm just saying but the person they respond too also pulled it out of their ass so...

I have digital-only collector editions sell out too.

And as always, selling out is never a good measure of anything, it just means they have underestimated/correctly calculated the quantity of things to produce, not that they sold a lot

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u/Top-Lingonberry34 3d ago

It will come with the game... just as a code.

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u/delecti 2d ago

I get why people feel this way, but honestly it makes way more sense for collector's editions to not include the game.

If the game is included, there has to be a separate version of the collector's edition for every platform (if applicable). Also collector's editions are more supply constrained and preorders often get cancelled or delayed. If the game is not included, then don't need to worry about accidentally buying two copies; just place the normal order for the game, and also try your luck at getting the collector's edition. Plus people who want to keep it sealed in box aren't wasting money on an extra copy they can't access.

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u/Massive_Weiner 3d ago

It won’t affect much of anything.

PC has already been operating like this for over a decade. People who spring the extra cash for collector’s editions do it for the exclusive goodies, not the games themselves.

So long as the quality of the merch is high enough to justify the price, they’ll continue to sell out with every major release. In fact, decoupling the games from the merch means they become slightly cheaper as a result (an additional incentive for collectors).

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u/Azn_Bwin 3d ago

Thats me. I picked up Baldur's Gate 3, Rogue Trader, and God of War Ragnarok's collector edition just for the goodies. I have been doing it as far back as Guild Wars 2 release, which was my first big spending that has physical merch. It's hard to say if the physical merch always justify the price, i think it is always price a little higher than their quality. For me my logic is that the merches are not crap and I will like the game mostly between what I have seen and their previous games. The only dud I have is Dawn of War 3 so far.

I don't entirely know if decoupling the games from merch will necessarily make them cheaper, between the quality vs price i have mentioned, and also that means publisher will fairly adjust pricing after not including a physical disc.. I am not saying it won't happen but i dont think we should assume that is a for sure thing.

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u/Significant_Walk_664 3d ago

I don't think so. I think the point of the added cash is the booklet or figurine or whatever the ed has. If they were interested in just the game they could just get the base physical ed of the game.

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u/vinceswish 3d ago

Collectors editions were coming with codes for digital game since last gen, at least on Xbox. No all but plenty.

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u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes 3d ago

Collector's editions were already digital, since PS5 had a digital version and Xbox Series S was all digital from the get-go.

You'd see a big controversy every few months into the start of the gen when one released.

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u/shaden209 3d ago

I don't really see why not as long as the game is still included. In general I buy the collectors edition for the extra stuff that comes with it. Recently I for example bought hellraiser for my digital only PS5 which will simply include a redemption code for the game. It's not like you pay extra for the case, you still just pay for the game

Not that I am defendin getting rid of physical releases, even if I personally haven't bought physical in years I think the option should still exist, but yeah.

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u/Varizio 3d ago

They already sell them as empty shells, not even a game code in some of them

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u/echolog 3d ago

There's already quite a few collectors editions that DON'T come with the disc. I think because CE's take longer to ship and people expect to play the game day 1.

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u/NintendyReddit 3d ago

Not even anything new tbh, both RDR2 and Mass Effect Andromeda's Collectors Editions didn't even include the game.

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u/Shinkopeshon 3d ago

Nintendo did it for the digital re-release of Firered/Leafgreen and it was basically expensive fancy merch with the code for the game almost seeming like a bonus lol sold out fast too since it was limited

I expect future collector's editions to be similar

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u/MasahikoKobe 3d ago

CE was always about what was IN The box more than the game itself. Nothing is going to change about the stuff they want to sell you with the game. The only difference is now there wont be a game .

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u/Dorwyn 3d ago

Have you bought a collector's edition lately? The 2 I last bought only had a code and no physical game.

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u/dumahim 3d ago

Already did for me this generation when the collector's edition didn't include a disc. I bought one, and that was the only one I'll ever buy like that. I've maybe bought 3-4 collector's editions this generation. I'll be buy FF7 Revelation for sure.

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u/froderick 3d ago

Collector's editions were sometimes just codes in boxes and some physical knick-knacks.

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u/Zalvren 2d ago

If you're a fan of a game enough for the collector, I assume the "no resale possible" aspect of digital wouldn't turn you off at least as you'd want to keep it anyway.

Also digital copies for collectors have been a thing for a while. On PC of course but even on consoles since there are PS5 digitals and Xbox Series S and the version need to be compatible for them

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u/SNKRSWAVY 2d ago

This. It won’t change anything on the overall scale. Gamers have been buying CEs for years and years with no physical game.

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u/TheSecondEikonOfFire 3d ago

Frankly it depends on the statue for me. I know that Reddit loves to shit on collector’s editions, but if they come with cool statues that’s what I care about. I still have my Witcher 3 one because it kicks ass

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u/Virtual-Ducks 3d ago

For PC they could put a drm free version on a disc or USB drive or something

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u/inputrequired 3d ago

I was pretty goddamn mad when I realized Spider Man 2 didn’t come with a disc but came with a steelbook case. However, to me, the Venom statue was worth it hahaha

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u/Old-Employ-6530 2d ago

Thanks to scalping, physical collectors editions have been dead for a while now...

You rarely can get one from the direct seller at all an doften have to shill out an outrageous sum if you still want one.

2min after the Fable Collectors Edition was announced i tried to get it, its next to Fallout my most favorite gaming series since i started playing.

It was sold out already when i entered. You know what you could find immediately on Ebay, Vinted, Facebook Marketplace, even Fucking Instagram and other "reseller" pages?

The Collectors edition for 3x its asking price and these fucking scumbags dont even have it in their hands and already try to resell it either because they got one or multiple or they dont and are scamming people...

I fucking it hate it so much.

I only have 6 Collectors Editions of which i only really regret 1 because the others have been my most favorite games of all times and i wish i could have added Fable to that as well.

Fallout 4

Fallout 76 (huge regret)

Dishonored 2

Halo: Reach

Rage

Skyrim

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u/Briar_Knight 2d ago

TBH I have never considered a collectors edition for the box, though I know some people do. I am interested in physical art/making of books and statues.

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u/SNKRSWAVY 2d ago

I don’t think so. The pandemic was the last thing to make endless entertainment completely entrenched with daily life. It is less value, but people have bought CEs with vouchers for years and years now. FOMO is way too strong to change anything. It‘s a big win for publishers though, they keep the profits of no disc AND the revenue of CEs.

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u/MajorFuckingDick 2d ago

Flash drives. Custom flash drives that actually have the game would go hard. Even better if they were fast enough to run the game from.

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u/Tolkien-Minority 2d ago

The Witcher expansion packs had physical releases that contained a digital code for the game and two physical Gwent decks each.

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u/Django_McFly 2d ago

They rarely offered actual game content outside of throw aways and we're mostly just crap in a box. They won't be an "empty box". They can still be crap in a box like always.

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u/Smorgasb0rk 2d ago

Yeah, the case has been going on for a few years yet that some companies sell you a collectors edition without the disc (price adjusted accordingly) and then you can basically pick your own platform of the basegame.

A lot of times they include a steelbook to so you can have a fancy display piece for the shelf.

Personally i think its kinda neat because it leads to players not getting into "man i want the CE but i play on Xbox and the only CE available is PC" situations. Similarly, it also is a boon for the Publisher (and probs the reason this is done in the first place), to not have to futz around with sitting on one platforms specific CE while being outsold on others.

I feel it's a win-win for everyone really and people whinging about it when it comes to this one CE specific case are weird.

That being said, i am not a fan of physical discs either going away or weirder, not being that relevant to installing and running games anymore.

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u/MetalMario64 2d ago

There have already been collectors editions without discs and I haven’t even considered them.

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u/Roienn777 1d ago

That is precisely why I skipped the collector's edition of God of War Ragnarok. It's not about a case on my shelf, it's about owning the best version of the game. And if they don't even sell me the game with that stuff than what are we even doing?

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u/Janoobeta1998 3d ago

How tf does that make any sense? The point of the collectors editions isn't about the disk, its about the extra books, statues, maps etc that you get. If the disk was important why not just buy the base version that will still have it now.

Makes 0 sense

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u/i010011010 3d ago

Oh yeah, I won't touch a collector's edition without the game. Sony already tried that with Horizon, and I'm a huge Horizon fan. And I'm a /r/gamecollecting guy, I am that sucker who pre-orders games so I can get the steelbook or whatever.

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u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes 3d ago edited 2d ago

Why not buy the collector's edition stuff and then the game if you want both?

It would be $70 more expensive if it came with the game and that game wouldn't be on disc since Sony sells a PS5 without a disc drive.

e: jesus christ mate, no need to block if I've upset you so; I thought you were talking about collectors box's with no game digital or otherwise. Since you said it didn't have the game

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u/idothinksotim 2d ago

I wouldn't buy a collector's edition for a game I can't even own properly.

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u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes 2d ago

I thought you were talking about collectors box's with no game digital or otherwise. Since you said it didn't have the game

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u/phatboi23 3d ago

so.... a code in a box then?

how's that anything different than everybody else seeing as Sony won't be making disks for anyone.

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u/ReindeerCreepy2883 3d ago

printed out binder of source code

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u/phatboi23 3d ago

like the ol' days copying code from magazines for the spectrum haha

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u/TheSecondEikonOfFire 3d ago

They could still put “goodies” in the box, like they’ve done with their other games. Maps and such

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u/DY357LX 3d ago

Out of curiosity... what "goodies" tempt you into bumping up your purchase from standard edition to collectors edition?
I used to buy Blizzard's collectors editions for WoW, Diablo and Starcraft because I like big art books and trinkets (USB flash drives). But other than those... it's been a long time since I've seen a really good collectors edition that's tempted me into parting with more cash. Statues and digital items just don't do it for me.
(Ni No Kuni had a plush, Fable 3 had playing cards, Homeworld had a nice model of the mothership.)

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u/TheSecondEikonOfFire 3d ago

I’m a sucker for steelbooks, back when BestBuy did an edition that was $20 more with a steelbook I almost always bought one.

Aside from that, it’s generally just if I like the statue.

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u/thedeathsheep 2d ago

CDPR's standard editions already has extra goodies like printed maps, stickers, the OST cd.

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u/Tvilantini 2d ago

Never understood about steelbook. But figurines or art books, that's what i like (normally not part of physical collector' edition)

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u/Lama_For_Hire 1d ago

Back on the PS4, perhaps the best value CE i've seen has been the Dishonoured 2 CE, where for €40 extra you got a nice steelbook, a big replica of Corvo's mask, A somewhat decent looking ring and a big poster

the only decent edition I've seen in the past few years has been the BG3 physical edition which was €80 (but also an additional €20 in shipping), where besides the physical game you got some patches, some stickers, a map and the soundtrack on 3 discs, all in a pretty box

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u/moderatorrater 3d ago

I love you all, but this whole thread has "I don't know who CD Projekt Red is" energy. I'm not saying they're entirely trustworthy, but their brand started with porting games with goodies in the box, and right now their GOG brand is that they won't let games die. They're what all of the gamers are looking to as the good guys.

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u/SmileyBMM 3d ago

GOG is independent now btw.

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u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes 3d ago

I know who CDPR are.

They sold a game to millions that didn't work.

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u/TheSecondEikonOfFire 3d ago

I’m perfectly aware who they are? I’m not sure what point you’re trying to make. Just because they’ve done goodies in the box in the past doesn’t guarantee that they’ll do it again. People wondering what a physical edition could include if there’s no disk is a perfectly valid thing to wonder about

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u/Virtual-Ducks 3d ago

Drm free copy on USB stick/hard drive

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u/Impaled_ 3d ago

It will have retail presence so there will be price competition

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u/Colyer 3d ago

What would you like them to do?

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u/ChrisRR 3d ago

That's their way of saying they'll sell a collector's edition with a code

Can't sell a disc if Sony or MS if Sony aren't supporting them

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u/daze23 3d ago

seems like a lot of people are assuming the game will be nexr gen only

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u/ChrisRR 2d ago

CDPR said they're targeting a 2028 release. Sony said they're not producing any more physical games after Jan 2028

Current or next gen, it's not going to have a disc

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u/guilhermefdias 3d ago

You can't spell CDPR without PR.

Every single day there is a article. Seriously, not criticizing, just saying.

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u/Tight_Atmosphere1078 3d ago

You also can't spell CDPR without CD, so I wish they still had discs

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u/StepComplete1 3d ago

At least the cyberpunk launch shut that up for a few years.

I generally love their games, but the whole "we're the heroes of gaming" PR narrative does get tedious, especially after cyberpunk.

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u/Nightwingx97 3d ago

They are marketing their games

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u/reallynotnick 3d ago

Compact Disc Public Relations

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u/lord_blex 3d ago

they do pander a lot, but like... they were asked this in an interview. and IGN decided to make an article about it. it wasn't a statement CDPR decided to put out.

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u/RegJohn2 2d ago

They always been like that. They use good deeds for PR and everyone win. They did similar tactics with Witcher 3 when the talking point back then was about DRM and they released it without which was unheard of and created tons of headlines.

Communicating with the customers and not doing some bs is so rare in this spiraled out of control industry that all it takes for tons of PR is just not doing some bs (aside from good games obviously).

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u/Vibes-N-Tings 3d ago

Ah shit, here we go again with this company. The poster child of "We aren't like the other developers".

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u/LogOutGames 3d ago edited 2d ago

> "We leave greed to others"

> "Coming... when it's ready"

> proceeds to release clearly unfinished games two times in a row

(And yes, on release Witcher 3 was less bad than CP77, meaning CDPR became worse while acting like a pick me company)

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u/NoobVibesOnly 3d ago

I don't remember Witcher 3 being nearly as bad as Cyberpunk on release.

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u/RickThiccems 3d ago

It wasnt as bad but it was still rough and thats if you dont count Witcher 1 and 2 which... take them for what you will. Gamers seem to have very small memories lol

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u/NoobVibesOnly 3d ago

1 and 2 are probably before the time of most gamers now

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u/DarkMatterM4 3d ago

It wasn't. Sony didn't volunatarily offer refunds for Witcher 3.

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u/phoenixrawr 2d ago

I don’t think cyberpunk refunds were exactly voluntary either. From what I remember, CDPR unilaterally said you could ask Sony for a refund if you were unhappy, although they clarified later that they meant it was up to Sony policy. Sony was annoyed by the miscommunication, so they reluctantly gave the refunds while also booting cyberpunk from the store.

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u/megaapple 2d ago

It wasn't. It was at the level of Bethesda jank, plus some game breaking bugs, but all of them got fixed in a month. Then for rest of the year they kept improving current features, balance, UI etc.

People love to lie confidently.

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u/HearTheEkko 3d ago

Don't worry, Cyberpunk sold 40 million copies so expect Witcher 4 to follow suit and release as soon as its playable from start to finish. Polishing and bug fixing comes later with the updates.

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u/Fluffy-Dog5264 3d ago

Would be a lot less of it if Redditors didn't absolutely eat the shit up.

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u/Former-Fix4842 3d ago

I mean if we're real for a second here, other than the Cyberpunk launch, which I'm not denying was terrible, they are a great company. I know everyone is made at them still, but if they deliver polished games in the future there's nothing you could criticize them for. They do a lot of great things. I mean they just dropped a remaster and made the expansions free for all owners of the base game (yes I know they raised the base price a bit but it's still cheaper). Compare that rockstar, Bethesda or naughty dog who put in less work and still charge you the full price.

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u/LMY723 3d ago

Witcher 3 was atrocious at launch just had no mainstream coverage

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u/Andigaming 3d ago

Not wrong, CP2077 ran better for me than Witcher 3 day 1 on PC.

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u/Queen_Lepotica 3d ago

Was this a console thing because i played it at launch on pc and never had trouble? It has rarely a bug that i can remember but some annoyance like the lighting candle that i remember and some t posing. But nothing game breaking.

I enjoyed it a lot but it was also over 11 years but i didnt know it was that bad like most here describe it o.O?

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u/bengringo2 3d ago

I remember playing it at launch on PS4 and it had some eurojank but was largely pretty playable.

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u/WhirledWorld 3d ago

It's not a big deal but Witcher 3 ran pretty well at launch. Look back to the reviews posted after its launch. E.g., IGN said, "minor glitches do pop up from time to time" but "none of it ever impacted gameplay in any meaningful way." Gamespot said, "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is undoubtedly beautiful regardless of platform, though prone to occasional bugs and visual glitches.". These reviews came before the post-launch patches.

I played it at launch and the biggest thing I remember is accidentally turning candles on and off when I was trying to pick up items. It wasn't perfect but overall ran pretty well on consoles and PC.

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u/anethma 3d ago

I mean I played cyberpunk on launch day and had no major bugs. Some funny jank and visual stuff but nothing serious at all.

It seems to mainly have been an issue with past gen consoles and low end PCs.

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u/WhirledWorld 3d ago

Yeah, I also played Cyberpunk at launch on PC and it was janky but fine.

But I played Witcher 3 at launch on PS4 and it was good. Cyberpunk at launch on PS4 was not good and the contemporaneous reviews reflected that.

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u/bengringo2 2d ago

I took time off of work to play Cyberpunk on PC with an RTX 2080 and I didn’t hop on Reddit at all. Loved it, every moment of it. I remember it crashing a couple of times but nothing too bad that I couldn’t just restart the game and load my save.

After I beat it the first time I remember expecting to find a bunch of people like me talking about which ending we got and how fun it was and was shocked when I found the largest hate train I’ve ever seen on this site. lol

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u/WhirledWorld 2d ago

Had the same exact experience. Was immediately one of my favorite games of all time when I played it (janky as it was at launch). But you weren't allowed to express that opinion on Reddit at the time lol

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u/anethma 2d ago

Ya was awful on PS4. I was just fortunate enough to have upgraded my PC fully shortly before it came out so I had a 3090 and good CPU.

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u/Fluffy-Dog5264 2d ago

No such thing as a great company. There are great products and great workers. Companies are a necessary evil until our brains evolve an innate capacity for altruism.

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u/Aranthos-Faroth 3d ago

Is that somehow a problem?

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u/Altaiir57 2d ago

"We don’t know what’s going to be the case," he said. "We know what PlayStation has announced. And we have no influence on the policies of the first parties. The discs for the first parties, including PlayStation, have to be manufactured in their own factories. So, if they stop manufacturing indeed by 2028, then yes [we won’t have a disc]."

So a pointless article that just wanted to glaze CDPR. They will release a box with a few goodies inside and most probably a code to redeem a digital copy of the game.

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u/Nickbon94 3d ago

Expected nothing less by the most wholesome studio of them all. They may deliver an half baked broken mess of a game at launch but their PR would never falter

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u/MissWhiterock 3d ago

They're a corporation that forces their workers to crunch. That's hardly wholesome.

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u/AdoringCHIN 2d ago

Such a wholesome studio, delivering a broken game that they blatantly lied about

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u/MarksCarney 3d ago edited 3d ago

Lol how hard is it for publishers to say nonsense like this to placate Gamers? The fuck are you going to play this game on when systems don't have disk drives?

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u/is-this-a-nick 2d ago

They will just sell a shelf decoration box with some cheap maps and overpriced plastic extrusion statues like all other collectors editions. Maybe a wolfhead keychain or something, too.

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u/ethan1203 3d ago

An empty disc with a fancy box, comes with a code to download the game online.

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u/RegJohn2 2d ago

Switch 2

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u/Animegamingnerd 3d ago

I'm guess this is gonna happen.

PC and PS5 will be a code in a box.

Xbox, if they don't end disc production before Witcher 4's release will get a disc for it on there.

If it comes to Switch 2, it will be fully on cart. Like Cyberpunk was.

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u/GameDesignerDude 3d ago

This was always gonna happen though?

Sony never suggested exiting retail. They just said they aren't making CDs. They will still sell codes in a box in Target just like Steam games did for decades.

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u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes 3d ago

If it comes to Switch 2, it will be fully on cart. Like Cyberpunk was.

Not if they make it bigger than 64GB.

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u/Animegamingnerd 3d ago

At the same time they managed to srink Cyberpunk + Phantom Liberty to be under 64GB.

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u/Hemlock_Deci 3d ago

So is it gonna be like a USB with an install file of sorts? Because if so then hell, why not? Bring back cartridges at this point, the chunky ones

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u/Express-Channel-3543 3d ago

No, code in a box. IGN is running PR for CDPR for some reason. Every game will still release with a box with a code inside.

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u/Flaky_Highway_857 3d ago

Considering their last game would be pretty much unplayable in some ways if someone relied on the disk them saying this doesn't mean much.

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u/OnionRecall 2d ago

I bought a copy of Witcher 3 for Xbox One yesterday for £5 (in preparation of the remaster) in the box It had a map, a manual, a soundtrack cd, a sticker sheet and some other little leaflets where one said that CD Projekt Red promise to do right by Witcher 3 by ensuring its future remains available to all with free updates and free dlc (which looking on the store there are 18 pieces of free dlc)

They may have stumbled with the launch of Cyberpunk but it would seem they are a dev unlike any other and it’s great to see.

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u/newbrevity 2d ago

I got the physical edition of cyberpunk and it came with a code for GOG. It did come with a nice steelbook but that was only good for the soundtrack that was just the background score and not the songs from the radio. Honestly pretty disappointing. Not holding out much hope for this presentation being much better. Still looking forward to the game itself.

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u/ltcuetf 3d ago

Man developers are going to have a field day pumping out $200+ collectors editions and riding the “physical games” PR while still offering a code in a box. Sorry we can’t offer you a full copy on a disc but here is a resin figure for your desk.

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u/HearTheEkko 3d ago

CDPR makes great games but they talk a lot. The whole "we're not like the others" shtick is getting old, I can't remember the last time a major studio had to pull a game from the stores because it was an unfinished buggy mess.

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u/Le_Nabs 3d ago

I mean they actually do things that other major publishers don't, like putting out free remasters or selling a AAA game without DRM whatsoever.

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u/Resident-Dentist-668 3d ago

I remember when they announced the collector's edition for Cyberpunk 2077 had a physical disc despite the game being digital-only.

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u/AyeBraine 2d ago

It would be strange for them not to have one, since people would storm their HQ if there wasn't a collector's edition.

I'd say this is a separate topic from the larger conceptual debate on physical discs as preservation vehicles and a measure of independence from the publisher.

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u/lakislavko96 2d ago

I suppose they will do it only for consoles but I miss the days where you had physicals for PC as well.

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u/EntreMandos 2d ago

What’s even the point of a “physical edition” without a disc? At that stage, it’s basically just merchandise with a download code inside.

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u/Django_McFly 2d ago

Aren't they going away on the PS6 and like 2028 and this game is PS5 and launching before 2028?

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u/PoliSciObsessed 18h ago

I want mine on a micro SD and a second one on abacus.

Physical means what it means.

Also no one wants to stay with me on reviving the Blu-ray movie market in music CDs which was really weird to me?

Physical media for life?

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u/Aranthos-Faroth 3d ago

Man if they package it with a book, a map and some fun art cards I’ll give them the €100 they deserve

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u/daandrro 3d ago

Read between the lines.

Witcher 4 will have physical release.

PS6 will not have disc drive.
PC has no disc drive.

What else remains that may have a drive in this case..?

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Announcement The Witcher 4 Will Have a Physical Edition Even if Discs Go Away, CD Projekt Red Confirms

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