
Since the launch of the Switch, physical releases requiring excessive downloads has been a major talking point. It admittedly makes owning actual hard copies of games a tad pointless - unless you want to display them on shelves, loan them to friends or perhaps resell them later down the line.
A post on pcmag.com points out Switch owners won't have to worry about this problem with Blizzard's recently announced Diablo III Eternal Collection. The Switch release will reportedly fit all of its content - including the Reaper of Souls expansion and Rise of the Necromancer DLC - onto a single game card, with no downloads required. It means you'll literally be able to buy the game at your local video game retailer, insert the card into your Switch and play the game. As trivial as this may sound, it's a sign of changing times when it is so frequently publicised.
Are you relieved to find out Diablo III Eternal Collection won't require an internet download to play? Do you think downloading part of a game is just a harsh reality of modern gaming? Could other developers and publishers perhaps make more of an effort? Leave your thoughts below.
[source uk.pcmag.com]
Comments 71
Really now?? Game has to be at least 20 gigs or more you would think. Take note to all other developers including Bethesda. Yeah, I went there! 😛
You know something's wrong in the industry when this sort of move is notable.
If this is true it will go from the "gonna maybe buy it soon" list to the Day One list.
@Spoony_Tech Honestly, take note Ubisoft. Their Wheel of Fortune/Jeopardy physical disc is a joke. It requires a HUGE day one update from what I understand. En cue "Goodness gracious, it's a monster!"
@JasmineDragon With you, there. Please and thank you.
Ok now i'm pretty much thinking I've got to get this. I've got D3 and the first expansion on PC a couple years back for an obscene steal and it would be cool having portability and the big addition of characters and campaign that necromancer package did.
@SladeWatkins That can't be avoided. I can't tell you how many games I had to do that with including Nintendo but at least the whole game is on the cart. Day one patches happen all the time and can be avoided if necessary.
Everything in one cartridge/disc. Just as it should be.
@Spoony_Tech I think I read the most comparable in size release so far would put the game just under 16GB. Given the Switch could very likely maybe upscale the 720p visuals to that 980 level the docked mode would to that would be even more savings. The PC and consoles keep multiple copies of the same assets based on output resolution. Switch doesn't need to do this which saves considerable room.
@Spoony_Tech The only reason I'm complaining about it, honestly, is that I have a 1.5 Mbps connection all the time. In order to do updates to things I have to go to my aunt's where it's like 60 Mbps. My ISP is horrible and unfortunately I'm going to have to stick with them for the time being. Looking into alternatives to fix the "ugh" I have about updates. I'm sure there's something they can do for us 'slow internet folk' out here in the wilderness.
Shut up and take my money again blizzard
I wish this was more commonplace. I was pretty certain about getting this but now that I know it’s all there I’m going to preorder it. If more games were like this I’d certainly have a stronger point to buy them!
@SladeWatkins Even for those with fast internet - updates should be designed as a benefit not a hinderance - but instead of allowing devs to give us ‘more’, this ability to update is so often used to just save the devs some testing/time and allow the final users to be the beta teaters even though they payed full price. They just say ‘oh we can release now and just fix all those bugs later. Poor practice if you ask me. So I’m happy whenever a game is released ‘complete’ or as good as it can get reasonably.
I for one, like to see ‘updates’ done, before the game releases.. bring back the old days ‘yall!
@FTL Agreed! They should have the game polished before they release it. THEN update as necessary. Diablo took a step in the right direction here. **Claps**
this game is so old so it should be polished n ready. hopefully other developers will take note..
Day one purchase for me
I really hope this catches on... FFS....
I really wanted this on the WiiU. Glad I held out.
Damn blizzard I may hate almost all your franchises except Diablo but this is cool. Good job.
Everyone treating D3 like a relic from a bygone era, making me feel old. Get off my lawn everybody!
I don't find buying physical games pointless because from my experience on the Switch it was never a problem, my games don't take up too much space and I like it when I buy physical games versus digital beacause it's reassuring that i actually have the game rather than downloading it
😮 Those who suffer through slow internet ARE loved!
Thank you Blizzard
THANK YOU BLIZZARD
I love the Switch, but one of my top issues with it has been 3rd party games having that nasty "requires additional download to play" warning plastered on the cover.
If I buy a physical game - like I prefer - I want the whole game on the medium. Updates and DLC later are fine, but the whole core game should be on the disc or cartridge.
This could be the first game released in the West using a 32 gb cart. Currently, the only other game using a 32 gb cart is Dragon Quest Heroes 1 & 2 in Japan.
So it turns out 28GB for the PS4 version of the D3 eternal collection s I browsed the store just now... Nintendo compression masters.
Bravo
Aquisition confirmed
Great news if true!
It is still more comfortable to buy it in eshop. I just have 4 cartridges and it drives me crazy to switch them and I even dont know why. It takes a few seconds only but still...
However, Diablo III still has very large updates very often. And this won't stop even if Diablo IV is announced.
This is what a 60$ 3rd party port should do.
Take notes Bethesda we don't want another Wolfenstein 2 practice with DooM Eternal!
Physical is still the way forward for me where possible. Buy a game that you don’t enjoy, and you can trade it in. Finish a game and do the same. Buy digital and you’re generally stuck. It was great however when steam started the rufund process, as I’d been burned many times before
Blizzard doing the good work!!!
Amazing news hope othrr devs follow suit
@MegaMari0 A lot higher than that. According to my storage file the game with both expansions is sitting at 51.30GB on my base PS4.
Curious to know how heavily compressed this game is on Switch, what may be cut or if they just mean you still need to download updates (optional?) for the game.
I'd take what the PS Store says with a grain of salt. It says Gran Turismo SPORT is 42.99GB when its 79.3GB currently.
Definifely getting this day one. I will support any dev that treats us right.
@XenoShaun Seriously? 79GB? I swear, I'm starting to think they're doing that on purpose.
what how could they. Blizzard will now be getting death threats and trolled by WB and the other scummy developers that charge full price for half game on cart.
@HollowGrapeJ Yep it's mad. If I recall right Halo 5 from Xbox Game Pass was nearing 100GB. My poor 500GB hardrive wept that day.
@XenoShaun Absolute insanity. Imagine how expensive it would be if the Switch did that.
Wow! I really wish more poeple would do this.
But I bet.....first day.....there will be a patch
@GraveLordXD
Are you talking about the 2 DLC packs beacause I'm pretty sure that all of Breath of the Wild Is on the cart.
@xpromisedx I think it’s the silly rubber flap and the fact for nearly 30 years we’ve been inserting the game cards the other way round that upsets us. 3ds has a much better system
@Nincompoop I think the game will fit on a 16GB cart.
The game has been around for awhile. I would expect that all the day 1 patch stuff would be done with by now
Great,that's the way to do it,thank you devs.
Will now get day one.
@Whalehome Diablo 3 still gets frequent updates with new content and seasons. So there will most certainly be updates in the future.
@Zeraki exactly, and they had some serious updates in the past so it kind of defeats the purpose. In 4 years the differences between the game on the card and the up to date patched one are probably gonna be huge.
SOLD!
@Zeraki oh really? I didn’t know it was still receiving updates with seasons and such. I was merely referring to a day 1 patches, but I’d be excited to play it for all the new gear and such. I haven’t played it since Xbox 360
@GraveLordXD
To play games without updates you need to turn on Airplane Mode in the Switch options. This skips the prompt to update your game and lets you play the version you currently have.
@sandman89 now as you mention it, that might be actually true! It‘s so extremely uncomfortable...
That's really good news. The only other thing I'm slightly concerned about is battery life whilst playing this game.
If it's true. Thank you Blizzard! ❤️
@Spoony_Tech
probably cuts under 16GB.
@Spoony_Tech It doesn't need to support 4K resolution like on Xbox One X, so I think it will comfortably fit on a 16 GB cartridge.
@GraveLordXD In Diablo 3's defense, a day 1 patch might be inevitable if a new Season starts after the game has gone gold. Then you will have to patch it to participate in the new Season content.
@GraveLordXD I think you completely misinterpreted my post.
Diablo 3 can be played entirely single player without internet connection if you so please.
The internet connection is required for Battle.net syncing, multiplayer and Seasons.
@Fandabidozi lol right, I’ve played this since launch and now I’m about to buy it a third time just to play it in bed old man style
@GravelordXD You're right but still you can play the unpatched games in airplane mode (except some online only games).
At last some common sense. Think this will turn some maybes to day one purchases. Diabolo not really my thing, but it is on my radar now...
Absolutely awesome! I own it on every platform, I was tempted yesterday to fire up the amazingly beautiful X1X version......but, nah...I'll hold off for Switch!
@GraveLordXD I’m almost certain that you are able to play breath of the wild without a patch. I recently let my dad borrow mine and he didn’t have his switch connected to his router but was playing the game just fine.
@Whalehome it is on PC and least. I can't speak for the console versions as I have never played them.
I did dookie.
And now i'm ready to play.
@Draxa
I bought my first PC so I could play Diablo II (and Baldurs Gate 2).
Hopefully D2 gets a high res makeover like StarCraft and we get that on Switch too. 🤞🏻
So i assume the bigger card evolution has finally happened. This is great news.
Matthew here, I wrote the PCMag article Liam links to and can confirm this is true. Blizzard contacted us through their PR firm because I stated in another post that it was unlikely all the content would fit on a 32GB cartridge. They wanted to make it very clear it will. Also, this is definitely a 32GB cart as Nintendo won't have 64GB carts until late 2019.
@Fandabidozi that would be awesome knowing blizz tho god knows when that’ll happen lol
Good to hear! On a sidenote: I heard with the Spyro collection you have to download Spyro 2 and 3, wich is insane! Well, that's the case with the disc-versions. But I suspect its the same with the Switch-version. It immediately has become a no-buy for me!!
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