Battlefield 6 is doing something radical. According to leaks from players, the full game is already on the physical disc. The only thing that seems to be missing is the day one patch for bug fixes.
Still the thought of being able to insert a disc and just jump into a game is so rare nowadays. It’s an old-school way of thinking. Which is insane because it used to be the standard for decades. You didn’t need pre-loading, downloading extra content, or waiting for servers to let you in.
The Benefits
For people with slow or capped internet, not having to download gigabytes right after launch is a huge relief. It also makes preserving Battlefield 6 easier. One of the biggest problems game archivists have is that most games require a constant connection to the game’s servers. The minute the servers go down, the game becomes unplayable.
If Dice pulls this off well, it could force other AAA publishers to rethink their launch model. Why should consumers buy a disc that’s basically a key plus patch loader? If a big AAA title can deliver a whole game on their disc, others will feel pressured to follow suit.
What this won’t change (yet)
Players will still need the day-one patch. Even with the full game on disc, updates, expansions, and seasonal content will still be essential. Some of the benefits depend entirely on how open the servers are. If they shut off key features, the disc may only get you so far.
Can this become the norm?
Battlefield 6 is betting on a middle ground. Deliver the full game via disc, but it’ll still need an internet connection and updates. If the experiment succeeds, we might go back to the good old days of having a complete game on launch day.
It won’t be easy. Recently, the trend has been toward live service games. To change course, gamers need to care enough to demand better. If they do, we might see a new (or revived) standard. Buy the game, insert the disc, and just play. No massive downloads required.
