Your physical game collection is secretly a pile of download keys

Buying a game on disc doesn't mean you actually own it anymore.

Testing group DoesItPlay checked thousands of physical console releases to see if they work offline. According to a report by Ars Technica, 27 percent of tested physical games require an internet download to play properly or fix game-breaking bugs. That ratio jumps to 34 percent on PlayStation 5 and 50 percent on Xbox Series X.

Why it matters: When publishers eventually turn off their download servers, millions of physical discs will become useless plastic. Titles like Doom: The Dark Ages ship barely playable data stubs on disc, while others like Hogwarts Legacy block progress with mandatory online update prompts.

Know this: Nintendo Switch releases fare better offline, though publishers are increasingly pushing "Game Key Cards" that hold zero data. You can search DoesItPlay's public database to check if a title actually works offline before buying physical.

If you plan to replay today's console games in twenty years, keep your Wi-Fi connected and your fingers crossed.