LEGO 2K Drive's Physical Switch Release Is Just A Download Code

why not save plastic and just sell paper with a scratch code.

So far this game is a disappointment across the board. 😑

Wow, this physical release is completely round! Serious, I can't see a point anywhere!

What a waste of papers and plastics. May as well just put it on the eShop as a free-to-play game then.

I already saw that from play-asia several days ago. 🙄
Code in box treatment for Switch but full games in physical for PlayStation & XBOX version.
If they don't want to take it seriously with Nintendo Switch, don't treat Nintendo like a trash.
It was like rubbing on Nintendo fans face in wrong way.
Shame on you 2K ! 😒
Don't support this garbage treatment.

@Anti-Matter Unfortunately, I don't think they'll learn a lesson regardless.

If it sells well on Switch: "See! We gave scraps and they ate it up anyway! Look how smart we are!"

If it doesn't sell well on Switch: "See! We gave scraps because we knew it wasn't worth investing in the Switch. Look how smart we are!"

I hate it when this happens. I only buy digital on deep discount so if it reviews well and goes down to US$10 then I’d give it a go but looks like I’ll pass

Hoping this isn't about to become a trend, considering PowerWash Simulator is another fairly high-profile release that's getting the same code-in-a-box treatment (and announced earlier this week to boot)

This type of business practice makes me do the opposite and not want the game. There's plenty of other games to play that have a physical copy.

Really disappointing to see another one of these fake physical releases. What’s the point in even making a physical box just to not include a physical game?

Nope, not gonna do it.

Full price game with micro transactions is just a code in a box. Nope.

@Key19 Spot on.

And its always online game ( no cloud saves ) .

More of these code in the box game, hopefully this practice doesn't transcend to next gen.

Also if you want physical copies of all the Trine games, get this Trine Series collection which had Trine 1-3 on the cartridge and then get Trine 4 individually:

Don't get the Trine Ultimate Collection as Trine 4 will be the only game on the cartridge whereas Trine 1-3 will just be download codes instead.

What’s the point? I like having my physical games, y’know, physical.

First microtransactions and now this?
Just giving us more and more reasons to not support this game and 2k.

Mr. @Eagly you beat me to that meme.

What's the Point?
You Might as Well buy the game on the eShop, Instead of waiting a couple days for a download code inside a physical case.

If the microtransactions didn't kill this game's hype, this will. At least for Switch users.

Another game that joins GTA trilogy and Kingdom Hearts Switch collection in going almost immediately from "yes" to "**** no"

Say what you want about Tetris 99 physical being a waste of money, but at least that one has the game and the DLC on a cartridge.

It partially makes sense as it’s a live service game similar to Overwatch when you’ll constantly be updating it; is this 2K straight up saying “Once the servers are offline, your game goes bye bye”?

@KelloggsFroot For parents or gift givers that don’t want to give a gift card.

Also for the very few that learn of new games by going to retail stores and seeing what’s on the shelves.

@Xiovanni Like a baseball card

Now this is advanced cheapness.

@KorGonia There are also other similar cases.
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster only has Final Fantasy X on the cartridge while Final Fantasy X-2 is considered a DLC for the physical release.
It hurts even more since you can't play Final Fantasy X-2 without inserting the cartridge on the Switch unlike these other physical downloads.
At least the Asian releases still support English and have both games on the cartridge.

And at least the Resident Evil collections don't require you to insert the cartridges to play the other games.

Boggles my mind how some companies can consider this best practice...

wasn't much interested in the game anyway but now my interest is zero

Keep it up LEGO...keep it up. 🤦‍♂️

Also if it’s just the download code why not just sell the download code like some other games and not put it in a case?

I've never understood the code in box thinking, they've created a box, why not create the cartridge as well? I prefer digital but have some physical but this seems like some weird half and half that never pleases anyone

They’ve done well to try and make this game as less attractive to everyone as possible.

This game, they’ve successfully killed all hype and interested for me. And the hype was high at first.

2K interactive has been on my worst companies list for quite some time already. So I have been avoiding their games for years now.
All they release these days, is just micro transaction infested sub par bug ridden games, not worth your time.

@Serpenterror it won’t because next gen will go full on digital, especially because digitale sales are now higher than physical.

Sad times, but it was a matter of time.

@Rayquaza2510 if next gen go full digital, I won't be buying any games, I'll be getting them in an "alternative way".

I'm really looking forward to this, it's an online open world racer so will only last as long as the player base does anyway so I don't get why people are freaking out that it's download only. The pick up rate is going to be smaller for this on Switch than other systems so why waste resources making cartridges for them to just sit in stores.

Play it, enjoy it while you can and then move on. Not every game needs to last 20 years.
As for Microtransactions every lego game is riddled with them and always have been, thats not something you can blame 2K for including so why the hate here?

@antisumo creating a box is cheap and allows you sell your game to people that don't buy on the eShop. Cartridges are expensive, especially compared to Playstation/Xbox discs.

It's a full free-to-play game, pay-to-win and entirely aimed at children.

And it's not even free to play. This "game" is an outrage and should be forbidden.

@sanderev how is it pay to win exactly?
Its an open world racer similar to Forza Horizon so you will be able to unlock competitive vehicles in game if the PvP mode is toir bag.
The Microtransactions simply lesson the grind and lets tou get what you want faster which suits me fine. I would 100% prefer to pay a few pound to get the car I want instead of wasting a few hours trying to unlock it in game.

I’m certainly not trying to say it’s a GOOD thing when releases like this come out, but I’ll admit that if I were interested in the game I’d buy this instead of going to the eShop. Might as well get a free backup case that I could use for something else. Some of mine are kinda dinged up.

Nobody:
Jordan from Switch Watch: Code in a box BULL****

Well… this went from a day one buy to a wait for sale 3 months later really fast. I can handle live service, Battlepass, and in-game purchases, but physical was the one thing that my purchases was contingent on.

God, really? For something like a $20 EShop game or in store dlc like Fortnite, these are unnecessary but at least explainable. This is a full priced $60 game with microtransactions and near $100 deluxe editions, and 2K can't even bother to give this a cartridge when every NBA game is physical and this can easily fit on a 16GB cart. What an absolute waste. Gonna just buy this on sale when it inevitably goes for like $10 or just gonna get the PS4 version physical

I have reclassified this game as a Free-to-not-buy game. It’s a new category reserved for “physical” games with shady practices.

It's 2023, why are you not buying digitally anyway? The myth you don't own a digital game has been debunked years ago, and every intelligent gamer knows in 90% of cases digital is far cheaper. This isn't the 90s anymore, far too many "gamers" have been stuck in their archaic ways. I used to be physical only until I took 5 minutes and educated myself, anyone complaining here should too.

As for 2k and their terrible practices... Simply don't play the game. Buying used, borrowing from a friend, etc still supports them. Play something else and learn from your previous mistakes. They've only released the game as they have because the majority of you complaining still bend over for them. If that upsets you, then you're exactly who I'm talking to.

@Rayquaza2510 I don't think next-gen will go full digital yet or ever. There are still some countries (such as Thailand, Vietnam, India, South Africa, and the Philippines) which Nintendo cater to that doesn't had reliable internet yet and going all digital means Nintendo will likely lose support from those countries, something they won't want to happen. Physical games will continue to sell just like vinyl. Just like how vinyl remain relevant due to having superior sound, physical games will remain relevant due to having superior convenience.

Well I thought it would be a good game, but I was deceived…

@Chaotic_Neutral No other LEGO game on consoles has microtransactions. DLC levels and character packs clearly showing what is included and that regularly go on sale, yes. But not pay-to-win or loot box systems built into the games.

Oh boy! A download code and microtransactions plus live service?! Does it come with a slap in the face too or is that sold separately?

@EliJapan but it doesn't give you a tactical advantage and you don't have to pay and can just play with the free cars.

@Davina_McCall from what I've seen this doesn't have loot boxes, just the option to buy cars and extra biomes just like literally every other Lego game. Skywalker Saga dlc costs more than the game and they deliberately locked favourite characters behind a pay wall- how is this different?

Reason why not to support/buy anything from 2k they became the new EA.

I'm all digital on my Switch..
But for those who like physical, im not a fan of bait n switch like this..

@Zimon That would make it too physical.

@Owl1 Or DON'T save plastic, and make it a code in an actual LEGO set to build a car. Either would have made more sense than an empty box.

@Shambo that's a good idea... but that would make the physical $110.

@Chaotic_Neutral
I think you may be confusing the Drive Pass content (which includes Biomes and Cars) with the in-game microtransactions, which are separate and require "coins" bought with real money to purchase in game. You get 500 of these "coins" in the more expensive versions of the game and currently no one is sure what these items are, as 2k deliberately kept testers/youtubers from accessing the in game shop (unkies emporium). You also earn a different in-game currency for unlockables, but it's not yet clear whether the items purchased with "coins" can also be unlocked through gameplay. Imo this is essential information 2k really need to make clear before the game launches.

@Owl1 it would probably be very expensive indeed, but still more inviting to buy than an empty box with an ugly banner saying it's an empty box. Lego City had something interesting on Wii U, where you could buy a LEGO set of a cop car and a robber, and if I remember correctly, the license plates of the cars were a code to unlock the cars in game. Sure, this could easily be shared so it couldn't "lock" much content away. But it was a nice way to make a collector of either or both the games and the sets buy both.

I don't like it, but i completely understand why they're doing it. If they're going to make it a live service game, then yeah, they shouldn't give out hard copies. They should make sure you have wifi in the first place before you play an online game lol

@Davina_McCall I play a lot of MMO'S so all that is standard for an open world game.
You don't need to buy everything but if I can pay to fast track some grind I'm going to take it.

@Serpenterror I don't think that is a valid reason for Sony/MS/Nintendo to keep physical media, most sales take place in EU, US and Japan, and I am sure these companies would calculate how much they win financialy by dumping physical media (a lot)

I would rather see physical games stay, but that is just me, most gamers don't care anymore.

@NinjaNicky I prefer physical media, PC aside.

But I do think it is a poor excuse to "go that route" if it would stop existing, in my opinion one should stop gaming or just deal with it.

For me digital only on consoles would mean me buying more games on PC, I would get a Nintendo system for Nintendo games only then, and the non Nintendo games I got on systems like the Switch and the 3DS, I would buy on PC instead.

Because on PC there are more possibilites as to accessing these games multiple years after, not counting online only games but that is common logic.

@Rayquaza2510 if downloads weren't way over priced compared to physical, I wouldn't mind digital only but when a download costs £59.99 and a physical is £45, I won't think twice about the "alternative purchase".

Between this and their own admission that the switch and ps4 are holding them back they should have just scrapped these versions and gone new gen only.

@NinjaNicky big problem is that digital take way too much space from the storage while physical takes less storage.

@RiasGremory depends on the game. MW2 has 72mb on disc and the rest of the game is a download anyway. A lot of PS5 games are the same so if Nintendo do stay physical, I hope they don't go down PS5 and Xbox route.

Is that a surprise? Lego City Undercover was one of the games which pioneered the Switch publishing tactic of cheap, unscrupulous publishers by putting only half the game on the card and making the rest a download, making the card itself pointless to own.
It just encouraged me to pick up a copy of the Wii U version, which certainly contained the full game on the disc, yes?

@Hydra_Spectre At least those and the Capcom collections contain SOME fully-playable games on the card.
So they're a little redeemed over cheap*** 2K Games who repeatedly released useless cards which only contained half the data for the single game in the package.

@RobynAlecksys to respond to the question, in my case is because of 2 words: storage issues.

Unlike the Wii U, this time the 32GB of internal memory are exclusive for DLC and updates of my physical games, which there are more of this time as shown by the 4GB left in it. This is also the reason I get the physical version of digital games such as Tetris 99, Snipperclips Plus and Sonic Mania Plus, the cartridge contains all the DLC and updates, if not most of them. Soon Sonic Origins Plus will join this list as well.

I have a 128GB on my Switch and that's almost full as well. MicroSD cards are expensive over my neck of the woods and that was what I could afford when I got my Switch.

Then again, I do something I call "Insurance Downloads", that being getting DLC that's incredibly cheap or free for games I don't own but will get down the line in physical form. Mostly as a means to get early access to the updates and have them as ready as possible by the time I get a game.
I've done this with Sonic Frontiers, Sonic Forces, Mega Man 11, Pac-Man World Re-Pac and Pac-Man Museum+.

My workplace sells a lot of download code-in-a-case games like this. £10 a pop. Drives me nuts because sometimes they're regularly £4 a shot on the eShop anyway - Namco Museum Archives Vol.1 for one. Had it been the actual coin-op originals it'd be worth that much, but for the NES conversions I wouldn't lash a tenner on that.

I posted this on NL forum nearly a month ago: https://www.nintendolife.com/forums/nintendo-switch/lego_2k_drive

Sadly there will be people who pick up the box version without reading the label. Seems the label is placed different based on your location, would be ideal to have some sort of common standard.

Take Two can be such a disappointing company.

Oh. No.
(Yes, that's all I have to say)

@KingMike Doom 2016 also required a relatively large download, and is now out of print...which means it's an expensive cart that is not playable. Pretty cool.

This game just keeps getting worse. Next up, broken online play during launch, terrible frame rate and performance, or game breaking bugs, or all of the above?

@Owl1 THIS! What a bad marketing strategy. Lego sucks nowadays. Those “managers” should start to think of the consumers again. Otherwise this flagship of (not so much) “creativity” will go down fast. It sucks.

@Cashews it’s still LEGO you should blame. They suck.

@Marioman2023 yes. Ok. But don’t sell boxes. It’s outright criminal.

Ok, let me add to what’s already been said: yuck.

Seems somewhat predictable this.....

Next generation of consoles will be digital only. PC is already digital only, PS5 is halfway there with digital edition of the console.
It makes no sense not to go fully digital.

This just doesn’t work when you have multiple switches in the house and share cartridges with the kids. Skipping this one on Switch.

Hell with no physical release, when are we getting that sweet 2023 remix of Joyride from the trailers? It was already a banger back in 1991, but this is another level entirely!

@Rayquaza2510 Still that doesn't mean companies will limit their sales to just digital only, maybe on some games but a physical option will still be available. Maybe most of the western regions will be digital but all of the Asian and oversea markets will still had physical releases. The only thing is as long as Nintendo doesn't stupidly re-implement region lock then physical releases will be here to stay. Yes physical games will be more limited than ever but at least they'll still exist to some consumers who want them.

@Owl1 Well, they actually kind of sort of did it. A local game store has a LEGO car as a pre-order bonus (which I assume is not exclusive to that store), and the option to get a bundle with a bigger LEGO car, choice between two options, at a discount (which I assume IS exclusive?)

Hotwheels had an actual physical release, with a DLC pack and a "real" Hotwheels car in it, as limited edition, not a pre-order bonus, and not a bundle made by the store itself. But hey, it is what it is, and isn't what it isn't. I'm not buying it, but just saying