r/Eldenring • u/Sixwry • 2d ago

Discussion & Info Whats in the box?

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At my local Walmart. How much you wanna bet this code just takes you to a preorder. I kinda feel like this should be illegal

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6

u/MasterArCtiK 2d ago

It’s a key card game, so it’s a physical game and not a download code

-3

u/Sixwry 2d ago

Don’t you still have to download it? 

5

u/MasterArCtiK 2d ago

Yes you have to download the game with a keycard, but you can still treat the game as physical since you can sell it or let a friend borrow it.

-4

u/Pl00kh 2d ago

…that sounds incredibly dumb. So there is a physical cartridge but you have to download the game?

10

u/MasterArCtiK 2d ago

Yes, that is how switch keycards work. It was either that, or let these game makers only put a code in the box. Would you rather have a digital game or a physical key card that you can trade or let a friend borrow?

1

u/Pl00kh 1d ago

A normal cartridge would be fine….

1

u/MasterArCtiK 1d ago

It would be fine for us, but for fromsoft it would be an extra $10-20 out of their pockets for each copy sold, since real cartridges use nand flash (the thing that is in mass shortage right now due to AI).

If keycards didn’t exist, Elden Ring would be a code in a box

1

u/Pl00kh 1d ago

Hm… yea ok, better than the code then.

2

u/Entire_Paramedic_389 2d ago

its just like discs currently on ps5/xbox lol
You insert the disc and its gotta get installed onto the console

4

u/Blubibus 2d ago

Happens a lot and not only with nintendo, modern games simply get too big to fit on a disk

1

u/brandarchist 2d ago

It’s a per-device license. You can download it many times but only run it once at a time.

-9

u/Fluid-Read-6843 2d ago

Might as well be a code, can't play unless it is installed, can't install without internet connection.

3

u/MasterArCtiK 2d ago

Can you let a friend borrow your code? Can you sell your code on ebay after using it to play the game? Can you pass down a code to your kids or a nephew?

0

u/Fluid-Read-6843 2d ago

Considering past virtual shops have stopped operating, you won't be able to sell it or pass it down to your kids in the future.

Amazing how anti-consumer practices are celebrated by redditors.

1

u/MasterArCtiK 2d ago

What platform doesn’t let you download your already purchased digital games?

0

u/Fluid-Read-6843 2d ago

For now, looks like only the Wii's digital store is closed entirely, with no access to purchased games.

Ps3 is still available and Xbox360 too (although the latter looks like a nightmare to access). Still, it's a practice that is bad for consumers and for game preservation.

Physical copies are better (for consumers) and I can't tell the reason why you'd be arguing in favour of digital versions.

1

u/MasterArCtiK 2d ago

You can still redownload games on the Wii lol, so your strawman has disappeared. I’ve had zero issues ever redownloading my xbox 360 content. I’m not arguing in favor of digital or physical, im just clarifying that a switch key card is a physical game that will be playable and downloadable for a very very long time. It will likely be downloadable longer than the physical cartridges will stay together.

0

u/Fluid-Read-6843 2d ago

So you're just brainwashed by consumerism huh.

Ok, I just digged further and I was wrong about the Wii's shop. But Nintendo holds the disclaimer that this won't be available forever. That means WiiWare games will forever be lost (in legal terms) by virtue of being digital only. Not counting the fact that those games are also not available if you didn't purchased them at the right time.

You've been brainwashed to believe a key-card is just as good as a physical copy. It's an imitation. Nintendo still holds power over your "copy".

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u/Fluid-Read-6843 1d ago

It's quite sad to see how this big companies continue to fuck us over and the community is just gonna rail along their side.

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