Wolfenstein: Youngblood's summer launch is approaching, and soon players will be able to experience the latest in Id Software's Nazi-slaying series. Unfortunately for those that might have been interested in adding the game to their physical collections, it appears that the Switch version will not ship with a game cartridge. Updated retailer listings on both GameStop and Amazon show that Panic Button's port will just include "a code packed in a box, with a required download", rather than a standard cart. This detail has yet to be confirmed by Bethesda or Id Software, though we do know for a fact that the European release of the game's standard edition will be digital only on all platforms. Wolfenstein: Youngblood releases on July 26th for PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

• MURDER, THEY WROTE - Team up with a friend or play alone with an AI companion in the first modern co-op Wolfenstein adventure.
• ESCAPE FROM PARIS - Wolfenstein: Youngblood features the most open-ended Wolfenstein experience to date. From a new base of operations located deep in the heart of the Paris catacombs, plan how and when to attack and dismantle the Nazi regime
• SWEATIN' THE 80S- The wonder years, these are not. Featuring harrowing takes on iconic Parisian landmarks to graffiti-tagged streets, leather-clad Nazis, and an all-new soundtrack inspired by the synth heavy tones of classic 80s action films.
• LOCK AND LOAD - Wield the latest advancements in power armor tech, weaponry, and armor to stamp out Nazi scum. Level up, explore, and complete missions to unlock new abilities, weapon attachments, gadgets, cosmetics, and more to complement your playstyle.
• Contains digital download code. No cartridge included

Source

 

[lordelan]

And developers should be boycotted for this crappy anti consumer bullshit behaviour

Not necessarily. Those "physical releases" should be boycotted as they're pointless and harmful to the environment (waste of paper).
I'll still be happy to get the game digitally though.

Well, here is a game I am not buying then. Is not like the Switch has much space to start with.

I feel you and you're right.
On the other hand, we live in a time of regular updates nonetheless. As an example you need around 700 MB on your SD for the most recent Smash Bros. update, even if you own the cartridge. So it's just the base game that is saved and although I see that (of course) the base game is still the biggest fish, I'd rather buy a 400 gb mSD card for less than 100 bucks (in fact I already did). As an additional advantage it saves you the "hassle" to swap cartridges every now and then.

I still acknowledge that people love to have physical collections. So please don't read my post as "physical games are shit". That's not what I'm saying.

 

[DANTENDO]

Well, here is a game I am not buying then. Is not like the Switch has much space to start with.

Play the ports on a ps4

 

[kuwanger]

Why just sell it digital only then?

There was a whole thread about it previous, but the short and long of it is 75% of sales are still physical. This ties into not only that people want a physical copy for resale--which this obvious undercuts--but also that physical copies are the first to get discounts--presumably to clear out stock. Store presence is still a think, so physical copies (even pseudo-ones) are likely to stay for quite a while.

That, and it has next to no security features, leading to rampant piracy day 1.

Fun fact that it's "Secure Digital".

 

[TheMrIron2]

A digital only AAA game in 2019 on a system which only comes with 32GB is bad news.

 

[Foxi4]

Fun fact that it's "Secure Digital".

I don't think that's the kind of security they meant when they called it that.

 

[kumikochan]

Not necessarily. Those "physical releases" should be boycotted as they're pointless and harmful to the environment (waste of paper).
I'll still be happy to get the game digitally though.


I feel you and you're right.
On the other hand, we live in a time of regular updates nonetheless. As an example you need around 700 MB on your SD for the most recent Smash Bros. update, even if you own the cartridge. So it's just the base game that is saved and although I see that (of course) the base game is still the biggest fish, I'd rather buy a 400 gb mSD card for less than 100 bucks (in fact I already did). As an additional advantage it saves you the "hassle" to swap cartridges every now and then.

I still acknowledge that people love to have physical collections. So please don't read my post as "physical games are shit". That's not what I'm saying.

Eum okay, don't agree with that plus not one those climate changers protesting people that are running rampant in the streets of Europe. Have other stuff to worry about. Plus selling a game digitally isn't gonna be less harmfull seeing posters, plastic, trucks being used to ship other stuff and so forth. So me having a game physically isn't gonna doom the planet much further

 

[kuwanger]

I don't think that's the kind of security they meant when they called it that.

Actually, it was. SD Cards are an extension of MMC cards with DRM. The problem is (1) they focused on music and (2) they never got enough music buy-in (presumably for the same cost reason Switch carts vs bluray discs and the move to downloads). The point is, nothing is stopping Nintendo from putting a DRM layer on top. It's just clear that the problem is cartridges. Bandwidth is cheap: flash storage isn't (comparatively).

 

[zfreeman]

Why just sell it digital only then? Going to a store just to buy a box with the code is just freaking dumb.

Marketing-wise, it's a fairly cheap way to get your game advertised in every store. I'm sure this won't be the last time.

(see: Gaming the system)

 

[Deleted User]

i wont buy it digital only.
hope to get a limited run game edition out of this bullshit :o

 

[Paulsar99]

Marketing-wise, it's a fairly cheap way to get your game advertised in every store. I'm sure this won't be the last time.

(see: Gaming the system)

But imagine a poor fool who hadn't done any research on the game buying it only to find out it's only a code and he still needs to download a 50gb file.

 

[DANTENDO]

But imagine a poor fool who hadn't done any research on the game buying it only to find out it's only a code and he still needs to download a 50gb file.

Everytime I've bought a game before I leave the store I check what's inside the box

 

[Paulsar99]

Everytime I've bought a game before I leave the store I check what's inside the box

That's not the case for everyone though.

 

[tech3475]

Suddenly the 'half physical' releases seem like a good idea, at least the DRM is still tied to the cart.

I'm not a fan of Nintendo DD due to the way they handle DRM, etc.

The only real benefit to this is either shelf space and/or if it's discounted somewhere.

Everytime I've bought a game before I leave the store I check what's inside the box

I can imagine parents, partners, etc. Not looking or caring, just buying it knowing that x likes y so they will likely like z as a gift.

 

[Foxi4]

Actually, it was. SD Cards are an extension of MMC cards with DRM. The problem is (1) they focused on music and (2) they never got enough music buy-in (presumably for the same cost reason Switch carts vs bluray discs and the move to downloads). The point is, nothing is stopping Nintendo from putting a DRM layer on top. It's just clear that the problem is cartridges. Bandwidth is cheap: flash storage isn't (comparatively).

The DRM on the card is effectively a unique ID that can be used to verify that the card and the data on it match, it's not that extensive. You can't just randomly add a layer of DRM on top of that, there's a unique ID, that's what you can use. In fact, a membership with the SD Association gets you the full spec, including the protected areas, so it nullifies any protection it may provide. It's expensive, it's not secure due to the lack of any ability to customise, it requires an additional license to use the standard, it's just not worth it for Nintendo who is known for using custom storage.

 

[DANTENDO]

I can imagine parents, partners, etc. Not looking or caring, just buying it knowing that x likes y so they will likely like z as a gift.

The store obviously will inform them

 

[Veho]

Let's not pretend this never happened before, it's exactly how Nintendo released Pokemon Gold/Silver on the 3DS.

I'm not pretending anything, I just didn't know they did it before. It was a scam back then too.

 

[Foxi4]

I'm not pretending anything, I just didn't know they did it before. It was a scam back then too.

It was a general statement, not really anything directed specifically at you. It's certainly not satisfactory, but technical limitations is where the rubber hits the road. The Switch has been in a storage predicament since day 1, 32GB internal storage is a joke and the cartridge capacity and cost are both big bottlenecks. I suppose you could "make" these games physical by downloading them to individual SD cards and storing that in the boxes if you wanted to archive them, but that's not really a great replacement. It's entirely a marketing thing - people buy things they see on the shelf more often than those that are somewhere out there in the cloud, hence "boxed codes". Many Steam games use a similar method of physical releases as opposed to using a stack of DVD's.

 

[lordelan]

So me having a game physically isn't gonna doom the planet much further

Of course it's not. At least not at a relevant amount lol.
Just sayin' it's pretty pointless to buy game boxes that contain nothing but a download code except you love to stack those releases in your shelf.

 

[Veho]

It's certainly not satisfactory, but technical limitations is where the rubber hits the road.

That should be Nintendo's slogan

 

[tech3475]

The store obviously will inform them

Chances are they wont unless specifically asked about it.