Control Ultimate Edition disc requires one-time online connection to play on Xbox

Control's new Ultimate Edition requires you connect to the internet to play its single-player campaign - but only once, and only for the disc-based version of the game on Xbox.

[Sciurus_vulgaris]

505 Games doesn’t seem to like good PR.

[philm87]

It's not exactly bad though is it?

[NEXUS-6]

The Ultimate edition is a slap in the face for people (+me) who already have the original release.

This one time sign in is just a cherry on top.

[ThomasDaTank]

Then you clearly don’t know the definition of bad.

[philm87]

They didn't have to do an upgrade to next gen at all, and I bet they wish they didn't with all the freebie grabbers out there not realising it actually costs money.

How inconvenient is it? Surely 99% of console owners have an internet connection?

[Sciurus_vulgaris]

A single player game shouldn’t require online access to play. And 505 Games should have made sure the XB1 version of the game was properly compressed. At minimum Control’s base game should be fully playable from the disc.

[4Sh0w]

One time...not a big deal imo.

[wiz7191]

@Nexus I’m with you on that , I just recently bought Control since I caught it on sale .. Now I feel like I should of waited to get all the DLC plus the next gen version. I feel cheated , one thing for sure I’m not upgrading.

[Miraak82]

I’ve felt that way with most games since FF15 , started seeing the patterns in a lot of games early on and in most cases I never buy games on release anymore. Most single player games I wait at least a year cause theres always a complete/ definitive version at a lower price

[gamer7804]

You can’t even keep your save games with control ultimate edition You have to start all the way over. Jus terrible all around.

[Ristul]

So without an internet connection, the disk is useless?

[Skate-AK]

It is until you authentic it via booting it while online.

[Ristul]

Thats very anti consumer if you ask me.

[DJStotty]

I think in this day and age, the territories where xbox will be launching, more or less every household has an internet connection lol.

This will be made into another nonsensical issue

[ssj27]

Tell me about it i just got ghost reacon for $6 on amazon just to find out i couldn't play it without been online i was like wtf is this for real not even free next time f $@ ubisof they lost me completely

[derektweed1]

You should have researched the game before buying. That's totally on you. It's like buying destiny and them complaining you can't play without being online.

[Amplitude]

@DJStotty:

Nah my dude you're missing the point.
A massive number of us here don't support this since a massive number of us buy physical games for collecting and preservation.
By requiring an online activation to play, you're effectively now just renting the game until the 505 and/or Xbox servers go down. This is why I never buy switch games where only 20% of the game is on the cart.

If that's the norm for single player games it would be terrible for 30 years from now.

That being said, there are definitely gonna be games that don't fit on a disc considering the massive size of CoD. So hey maybe we'll just have to deal with it this time.

[Aggesan]

This! The whole point of buying a disc instead of digital is for a feeling of actually owning the product.

Regarding large games like Cod, I think they won't get that large on ps5/xbs.
The reason CoD is so large is because of uncompressed assets. This is needed because the harddrives and cpu can't transfer and uncompress compressed data to the RAM fast enough.
This isn't a problem with the new consoles, so they should be able to compress the data way more aggressively now. Thus having an overall much smaller install size of the game.

Sorry for bad grammar, not native english speaker.

[MetroidFREAK21]

Dumb

[russo121]

People, this is the time to stop next gen disaster, Sony and MS needs to make public announcements they are consumer friendly. It seems Sony and MS are lip tight about always online, always connected. This is a major issue to be dealt. By this time I'm only considering PC gaming, until MS and Sony made it very clear they are against 2013 MS policies.

[MetroidFREAK21]

AAA game development is just gross now

[ApocalypseShadow]

And look, I was just telling people in my last comments what's coming. Snuck in here and there. And there are influencers running around talking about how everyone should have internet by now and this is okay. Even for single player games. Just nonsense.

I've been warning people. Sadly, they're not listening but only to the influencers who are trying to groom gamers into acceptance.

[anast]

Who would agree to buy this? and only the Xbox version lol

[SullysCigar]

Yeah, thanks to PlayStation "compression techniques" they said it's not an issue. Looking forward to smaller games sizes on PS5 too.

[TornRaptor]

That will be welcome with the tiny included ssd they included.

[gold_drake]

what is the point of that exactly?

[DJStotty]

To download the remainder of the game, as per article :-

"Eurogamer understands this is because the disc does not actually contain all of the game's campaign data, the remainder of which is then downloaded."

Nothing to do with DRM before them rumours get circulated

[ThomasDaTank]

So basically controlling the product you bought. This is what a lot of publishers want. There is no reason as to why the whole game isn’t on the disc. Online requirements should be for patches, updates or dlc if you’re buying a physical game, not the game itself. Defeats the purpose of physical games.

[DJStotty]

That is down to the devs, not Microsoft.

[Melankolis]

"That is down to the devs, not Microsoft."

Microsoft should've prohibited this kind of practice. This basically means Microsoft let a publisher sell an unfinished product in their platform.

[VariantAEC]

Why are people hating on DJ?
He is right read the article people!

[DJStotty]

@VariantAEC

I always get it lol, even when i am correct, people do not like it.

@Melankolis

"This basically means Microsoft let a publisher sell an unfinished product in their platform."

Most games launched on all platforms, require day 1 "updates" to finish the product, this is no different.

[Good-Smurf]

That 24 hour check up from 2013 Microsoft is slowly coming back...

[mrsolidsteel20]

@Good-Smurf

It definitely does echo back to MS's original plan back in 2013.

[King_Noctis]

I didn’t know MIcrosoft purchased Remedy and 505 Games.

[ChasterMies]

Like game publishers, Microsoft is a software company. Software companies love always online subscription services. If they had their way, you’d never own their games.

[Father__Merrin]

Microsoft going to to its broken promises. Checking in online to play a game no wonder they want everyone on gamepass

[Kavorklestein]

Oh brother.
So no wonder they give PS+ free titles, games with gold, it's to make us use DRM!/s
How dramatic everyone is on this.
Every Steam game and Epic Store game ever purchased say hello then.
This is a Non-issue.
This is not 2013 and most games are bought digitally on ALL devices besides maybe switch.

[Christopher]

***This is not 2013 and most games are bought digitally on ALL devices besides maybe switch.***

This is still not true. Digital game sales account for about 40% of the market on consoles. Most of the digital revenue comes from MTX/DLC purchases. Discs are still the primary way that people buy and own games.

[neutralgamer1992]

Kavorklestein

On pc you are right on consoles you are absolutely wrong. Contrary to popular believe most people still buy their games on disks. That digital revenue that publishers share data for accounts for DLC and more importantly for the publishers free money as in micro transactions

EA makes close to one billion from ultimate teams from their sports titles now that's not game sales but it's accounted for as digital revenue

Christopher

Exactly

[Kavorklestein]

Quit focusing on one part of what I said about the ratio of digital vs. Physical. My overall point is that this is a total non-Issue. And it's not. Whether on PC or Xbox, it is not an issue. People might need to use the internet to access something. Oh noes! What about your n4g comments? What about your plethora of knowledge about gaming?
The fact you know about it and have a voice to say something about is because the internet exists.
Quit acting like serious gamers should care about the internet being a part of how they receive content.
If Steam store and epic store can thrive being exclusively digital (and no one complains) then that basically proves that no one cares or SHOULD care. This non issue is being overblown by the same people who download Call of duty updates each week, have $2000+ pc's and use the internet on their consoles weekly if not daily anyway so get over it and get wise and see the obvious writing on the wall.
No matter if or why you may think this is strange or annoying to have this be digital, it is not a big deal, not important it the grand scheme of anything, not bad, and not something to rally the troops for.

[DJStotty]

@Father_Merrin

This is not a "check-in" to play the game, this is to download the remainder of the game as it says in the article.

[Christopher]

DJStotty is 100% correct about this. I'm not sure why people would downvote only for the fact that they want to misinform.

And, this is 100% because of the decision of the developer, not Microsoft. They could have had two discs, they went cheaper and required the storefront.

[Doge]

Seems like they couldn’t fit the entire game on disc for the Xbox version:

“ Control Ultimate Edition, including all the latest expansions is over 50gb so we're unable to fit everything on the Xbox disc. We have used Xbox intelligent delivery to provide some content on the disc and the rest via download.

You can read more about Xbox intelligent delivery here: https://news.xbox.com/en-us...

On PlayStation 4, this isn't the case as Control Ultimate Edition fits on a single disc, due to compression and other variables.

Once you have downloaded the game, rest assured you do not have to be online to play!”

Kinda dumb if you ask me.

[Deathdeliverer]

So they are using the PS5 read speed just as Mark Cerny said and games should get smaller on PS5. Didn’t think I’d see a game actually take advantage of that this early. I hope Modern Warfare revisits the game on PS5. 150 GBs is straight up ridiculous.

[dumahim]

I don't think that's what's going on here. Data was duplicated on the HD to reduce seek times. This same data can be on the install disc once and copied to multiple sections of the HD. Also, they're talking about compression. This is the first time I know of hearing about a difference in compression between the two systems that would cause an issue for disc size.

[Deathdeliverer]

@Dumahim
Exactly what you wrote is exactly my point. On PS5 data doesn’t have to be duplicated as much/ or at all because of the not just high speed of the unique SSD, but also the uncompressed read/ data speeds and rates that make things virtually instantaneous. They could, and in this case are, make games take up less space. I didn’t think the fruits of that would start to show so soon. Sony said it would be something developers could immediately take advantage of. I wonder how this will change as time goes on. It’s part of why they said PS5 development times would be drastically reduced.

[neutralgamer1992]

They could have compressed it better, or have 2 disk one for single player and the other for DLC. Install from the DLC disk than insert play disk and play the whole game

It's just an lazy excuse because how come that's not the requirement on PS5

[jznrpg]

PS5 uses 100GB BDXL discs , I’ve seen people say Xbox can read them as well but this dev is saying it’s only 50GB so I guess they aren’t using them?

[VariantAEC]

@jznrpg
I guess not? I'm not sure there's any difference between UHD BD-ROM drive on either system. PlayStation made a point to note that 100GB game disc capacity. MS didn't... Still not sure there's a real difference myself, but then again why do this? Are 100GB BDs that costly to print???
Time will tell. It would be really sad if MS got saddled with the smaller capacity discs for the 3rd generation in a row and unfair to their consumers.

[Nodoze]

The real question here is whether or not this disc can be resold. Meaning if Player 1 buys it, activates it, then resells it. Can Player 2 do the same? I have a feeling this may be a one time upgrade activation, but hope that is not the case. If so the optics are even worse, and it is even more anti consumer.

[neutralgamer1992]

Exactly with the way 505 games have handled this while thing it wouldn't surprise me if this is a one time use type thing

[VariantAEC]

X to doubt. It's a 3rd party.
Wow... I'm as close as you can get to a bona-fide "Sony Pony" on N4G by some people's standards and this fear the disc-based DRM is bunk before its taken off at least in this case. As long as MS hosts the rest of the game content you can download it so long as you have the disc.

I'm calling this now without knowing for certain: MS IS NOT bringing back disc-based DRM.

[CorndogBurglar]

Its not an "activation". Its to download the rest of the files.

[staticall]

But no one knows that yet, you can't be 100% sure it's just downloading some files, it can easily be both activation and download rest of the files.

We wouldn't know that until someone tries to use the same disc on multiple consoles. And whatever that will work on offline profile or not. Unless Xbox doesn't allow you to create offline profiles, for some weird reason.

[OptimusDK]

Are we here again?
Can you please find a Console user - that is not able to login to his account one time?
How do you even live with NO internet connection at all. Dont you have internet, a mobile phone this is just stupid ...

Please relax and stop being falsely troll concerned.

[DJStotty]

I know right, people can afford to buy a Series S/X but have no internet connection.

Please...

You could even use your mobile as a Wi-fi hotspot (may use a lot of data though lol)

[ThomasDaTank]

That’s not point. Maybe you Don Mattrick should have said what you did /s

Why does a physical game need online authentication? I don’t believe it when they say they couldn’t fit all the content on disc.

[DJStotty]

It does not require online authentication.

Per article and the developer :-

""Control Ultimate Edition, including all the latest expansions is over 50GB so we're unable to fit everything on the Xbox disc. We have used Xbox intelligent delivery to provide some content on the disc and the rest via download," the publisher wrote in a statement."

[Christopher]

People buy games on discs to limit bandwidth usage as many regions have them. This sadly isn't possible with this game on XBO.

***people can afford to buy a Series S/X but have no internet connection.***

This affects XBO as well, just FYI.

[DJStotty]

I thought this was just due to the Series X/PS5 enhancements, as does this download just apply to the Ultimate Edition?

"Control's Ultimate Edition is Remedy's controversial new version of the game with its two expansions included. Buying it now will grant you the game's next-gen visual upgrade for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X at some point in the future. The only way to access this upgrade is with the Ultimate Edition"

I was making a point that if you have a console, whether it be xbox one/PS4 or plan on getting Series S/X or PS5, chances are you already have an internet connection.

[Christopher]

@DJStotty: Lots of people buy on disc because they have capped Internet. Lots of countries in Europe/Middle East have internet caps per month.

[darthv72]

Chris, you should probably put an addendum on this title to reflect the issue is content download required to finish installation, not DRM / online activation

[neutralgamer1992]

OptimusDK

That's not the point please stop using this lazy excuse. It's a single player game which means it doesn't require online at all.

DJ

The whole purpose of buying something on disk is so we don't have to use the internet and now a days most if not all have CAPS on their net packages. Next gen games will be much bigger so when people buy on disk they want their games to be on disk

Instead of being lazy they could have make this a 2 disk ultimate. One disk for single player and the other disk for DLC

[OptimusDK]

Do you live in the good OLD days.
There are no games NOW that do not require a first patch to download. You see this all over the place. Show me a game that does not have a download after release?

Give me a break - this is only because you can stick it to the XBOX - false pity concern that is all it is.

[neutralgamer1992]

OptimusDK

Downloading a day one patch compares to downloading half the game and dlc isn't the same

And leave that fanboy stuff out of this I am just as disappointed with godfall which is a single player game that requires online and psn plus. Gamers now a days don't want to see or admit to an issue which may put a bad imagine on box of their choice but it's because of mindset like that now we have micro transactions every where. When micro transactions came in they were defended by saying it's only cosmetics and now they are a issue every where

We want these developers and publishers to stop being lazy. First if all to those who bought the game and the DLC they should be getting an free upgrade and on top of all that now we have this

Xbox doesn't need pity it needs to start delivering games on level with nintendo and Sony and it definitely needs to stop pretending it's competing with 2 other gaming failures as in Amazon and Google and instead focus on the fact they got smashed so badly they stopped report sales data. This is coming from someone who bought OG Xbox

[Deathshadow90]

OptimusDK

"There are no games now that do not require a first patch to download.

Are you 100% sure of that? You're implying there's no current-gen game in existence which doesn't require a patch. That's false.

"Show me a game that does not have a download after release?"

Shadow of the Colossus PS4 by Bluepoint Games. Released in 2018. No patch & no download required. Still version 1.00 to this day.

[darthv72]

That's because right after they finished that game, Sony got them working on Demon Souls remake. so they havent had time to go and fix any bugs that may exist.

[Good-Smurf]

They cheapen out on one extra Blu-Ray that costed them next to nothing to press.

[DJStotty]

What the Developers did?

[talocaca]

When will they learn? The bad PR is not worth the "benefits".

[Kavorklestein]

Tell 505 that I guess.

[wiz7191]

I mean why are people blaming Microsoft ??? They aren’t the ones who make and distribute Control. I’m guessing the one time online thing is to download the rest of the game since all of it couldn’t fit on one disc. Use common sense guys it’s like buying a game and having to download a day one patch that’s all. The disc can be resold I’m quite sure it’s not locked to an account or system.

[SullysCigar]

They're probably blaming Microsoft because it's only a problem on their consoles. This isn't the case on PS4 or PS5.

[wiz7191]

That’s still a 505 games issue on how they decide to distribute and package the game you can’t blame Microsoft. So far I only heard of Control having this issue

[VariantAEC]

Have to agree. This isn't an issue. Well to fanboys everything is an issue so long as it only adversely effects their rivals.
That said is this something the developer and publisher decided on or does the Xbox Series system not read 100GB BD-ROMs?
If the former 505 is to blame not MS.
If the latter is true Xbox would be straddled with low capacity discs 4 generations in a row.

Despite favoring Sony's hardware I'd be pretty upset on the Xbox fans behalf if for the fourth time in a row MS failed to consider the implications of capacity limitations regarding far more sophisticated games.

According to Steam Control Ultimate Edition weighs in at about 42GB (including all DLC). So the fact it's not fitting on a single Xbox disc seems wrong.

[wiz7191]

I don’t think 505 Games wants to spend the extra money on dual layer blue rays , I never really heard of any developer using them anyway. Idk I’m going to guess maybe like the article says PS5 just has a better decompressing process and can fit more into a smaller space.

[autobotdan]

505 is out of Control

[Petebloodyonion]

My good faith toward Remedy and 505 Games as run dry.
Honestly this inexcusable and may set up a dangerous precedent where game are not even complete on the disk thus requiring you a to connect to Internet to download the 5 mb patch that allows you to play the game.
Here's a quick solution for the lack of optimisation
Put the game on 2 disks.

[OptimusDK]

Are you guys fucking lunatics? They are doing improvements to the game - and yes you have to download them as they where not present when the game launched. Please STOP this crazy shit.

[Imortus_san]

Control yourself 505 Games.

[stiggs]

Cue the fake outrage in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

A show of hands, how many people play video games on a current gen console without an internet connection? Anyone, anyone?

No? OK then, let's move on.

[strayanalog]

Sounds like someone didn't want to pay for a second disc.

[CrimsonWing69]

So, I just started this game up over the weekend, not the ultimate edition, but the base vanilla one and I'm thinking to buy this Ultimate Edition. I know people are going to get pissed but it runs like crap on my PS4 Pro and I'd like to play a version that doesn't lock up after I unpause, doesn't dip into single digit frame rates, and doesn't have those long load times.

I actually like the game a lot, but the version I have is straight butt.

That all being said, I am not cool with what 505 Games is doing not letting people upgrade to the next-gen version except through the Ultimate Edition, but damn it, I want to play this thing with it being optimized and it's only $40 clams.

[ziggurcat]

"I know people are going to get pissed but it runs like crap on my PS4 Pro and I'd like to play a version that doesn't lock up after I unpause..."

I played on the Pro, that did not happen to me at all. Re-install the game or try rebuilding the database via safe mode.

Also, where is your Pro located? I ran into a whole bunch of issues when I had my Pro inside my cabinet - that all went away when I took it out, and placed it on top in the open air.

[XxINFERNUSxX]

Well now, we can change that now can we? LMAO I torrented Control Ultimate Edition for PC, it's on GOG so no DRM. I need no online to play (so who's the one getting fucked now? haha) :D But, funny thing is, I couldn't get into the game ah well :P

[VariantAEC]

Didn't know it was on GOG (yes, I checked you're legit)! Too bad my PC is out of storage space. MSFS 2020 is too important to me

[KingofBandits]

While that sucks, at least XSX is getting a physical release in some capacity. Unlike the PS5 which looks to be digital only

[AuraAbjure]

The full game doesn't quite fit on the disc so you gotta download the rest.

[Samus707]

Absolute horseshit. No buy.

[DiRtY]

There is basically a whole generation of games receiving free Upgrades for next generation, some of them even with vastly improved performances.

And there is control.

[VariantAEC]

So yeah I'm confused by this as the existing games discs for Xbox One support 50GB capacities and the game is 42GB on PC including all DLC... So why isn't it fitting on Xbox's disc? Seems like a non-starter of an issue. The game should just fit... Right?

Not a next generation issue though so that's good. This is a current gen issue though. I was initially under the impression that this was a next generation problem. Both next gen systems should support 100GB discs plus better compression so bigger games will fit on a disc with no repeating assets hopefully.