Xbox Games On PS5 Continue A Worrying Trend Thanks To Indiana Jones & The Great Circle

Xbox does many things better than PlayStation, but one aspect it's incredibly bad at is supporting physical media, and that's perfectly shown in the PS5 release of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The game looks and plays better than ever on PS5 Pro, but the physical disc hides a nasty secret. The complete 1.0 version requires an internet download, as the full game isn't on the disc.

This disc download is a crucial mistake, and it makes me appreciate PlayStation so much more. For reference, The Last of Us Complete: Collector's Edition shows how to do a physical release right, and people don't appreciate it enough. With companies like Ubisoft insisting that we don't own our games, PS5 shows that's anything but the case, and Xbox should really step up its game after Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

Xbox Continues Weak Physical Media Support On PlayStation With Indiana Jones

A Disc That's Mostly A Download Is A Big Problem

For years, Xbox has neglected to give many of its first-party games physical releases, and if the company does put out a physical version, the game's almost never complete on-disc. Halo Infinite, Starfield, Indiana Jones, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 all couldn't be played offline with a complete on-disc 1.0 version.

It's clear that Xbox doesn't seem to care about physical game releases anymore, and its physical media support on PS5 further proves this.

In fact, Xbox retooled the disc releases of Indiana Jones and Black Ops 6so that nobody could play them if one got a copy early. Starfield had a notorious leak due to a person getting a bunch of early physical copies, so they wanted to make sure that never happened again. What's even worse is that minus some games, like Starfield and Indiana Jones, there are no Collector's Editions for physical fans to enjoy.

Call of Duty was iconic for its Collector's Editions, which gave out awesome tech and stuff like a Juggernog mini fridge, but there hasn't been a Collector's Edition since Modern Warfare 2019. It's clear that Xbox doesn't seem to care about physical game releases anymore, and its physical media support on PS5 further proves this. Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 isn't even shipping on a disc, while Indiana Jones and the Great Circle needs an internet download. Sony's own PS5 exclusives do this so much better, and a great example is The Last of Us Complete: Collector's Edition.

People Don't Understand The Value Of The Last Of Us Complete: Collector's Edition

It's A Solid Physical Release

The Last of Us Complete: Collector's Edition pre order official image.

While Sony has tried to subtly push physical media away with products like the PS5 Pro, one can't deny that they provide tremendous physical media support, not only for video games but for movies as well. In fact, one can draw many parallels between Sony's physical game and movie releases. TLOU Complete: Collector's Edition is getting flack, but many consumers just aren't thinking about it the right way.

Five years later, is The Last of Us Part II better than the original?

I just played The Last of Us Part II in preparation for the new season, and I have mixed feelings about it. I really love the side characters in part 2. Jesse, Dina, and an increased amount of Tommy go a long way, as well as the supporting characters in Abby's story. That said, as a complete story, it feels inferior to part 1. It meanders in a way that could be interesting, but I felt like it fell apart toward the ending.

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Think of this release as a 40th Anniversary Ghostbusters 1 & 2 Ultra HD Blu-ray combo pack Steelbook. It's a product for die-hard fans who love physical media, and it's a great release. Not only does it come with The Last of Us Part 1 & 2 in a Steelbook case, but it also comes with a full four-issue comic with an exclusive cover and some nice lithograph art prints.

The comic alone is enough to warrant a purchase for many fans as they might own a physical copy of both games, but they likely don't own that comic. That addition was enough for me to pay $109 (no tax because of Oregon) as something who already owns both PS5 physical games. Keep in mind, however, the most important aspect. Both The Last of Us Part 1 and Part 2 Remasteredare playable from start to finish offline, using only the disc.

PlayStation Understands That Physical Media Is Important

Xbox Just Doesn't Get It

With nearly every first-party PS5 physical release, the full 1.0 version of the game comes on the 100 GB Ultra HD Blu-ray disc. Yes, PS5 games use Ultra HD Blu-rays, not standard ones like on Xbox Series X|S, which may be why we don't see many true first-party Xbox physical releases. Regardless, it's still incredibly disheartening to see Xbox go this route even with their own games like Forza or Indiana Jones on PlayStation 5.

Indiana Jones from Indiana Jones and the Great Circle next to Nathan and Elena from Uncharted

I Hope Indiana Jones & The Great Circle's PS5 Promotion Starts A New Gaming Trend

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle got a fun new promotional video, and I hope it's the start of a trend in how a key part of video games is treated.

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I'm an Xbox fan first and foremost, and I prefer many aspects of the Series X, but to be frank, PlayStation's commitment to physical games and real ownership is my favorite aspect of the PS5. It's so refreshing, compared to Xbox, to actually physically own games and to install and play both PS4 and PS5 titles entirely offline. I've actually been collecting physical games again for current consoles, which I haven't done for over eight years. It's frustrating that Xbox can't put the full game on the disc, even with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PS5.

Yes, the title's over 100 GB, so it would need more than one disc, but I still want to truly own the game. Other publishers like Rockstar, I'm sure, will have no issue printing multiple discs for a game like GTA 6, but it's telling that Xbox won't bother for one of its best games in years. Hopefully, after Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, companies like Limited Run Games can work with Xbox to make true physical releases of its titles.