In a since deleted tweet from Bethesda Support, they have informed a user that all physical versions of the game regardless of platform will only contain a code to download the game.
While this has been the norm for PC for a while this might be the beginning of a trend for consoles. Personally I feel like there is no point in having a physical version at all if there won’t be a disc included let alone charging full price for it.
Update: After yesterdays news that Starfield might not have a physical disc, Bethesda has come in to clarify the following
Starfield Standard Edition is included with Xbox Game Pass. Game disc included with physical purchases of Xbox Standard Edition. Game code included with physical purchases on PC Standard edition.
If you can’t use the physical disk without going online, it’s useless anyways.
I could be wrong, but I don’t recall there being an only online requirement for Starfield. Up to now the communication has been that there is no online component and that it’s only single player which makes this announcement even more disheartening.
Online DRM isn’t what I meant, I meant additional downloads. Most games nowadays release patches from day one so you’ll be stuck updating even if you have a disk. At that point you might as well download the entire thing.
With 100+ GB games i could see the use of a physical installation medium to avoid downloading that much on a spotty network.
I wonder if any games have shipped on USB sticks, because there’s no way you’re fitting a whole game on a DVD, and saying “please insert disc 4” would not fly for a modern audience.