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[LegendOfKage]

This thread was inspired by a recent post in another thread:

Will sell my PS5 physical copy of Fallen Orden. Brought it for $25 in January. Thanks Sony will get that money back.

Remember this?



Well, despite this, my personal experience in the past is the moment you put a physical copy of a game into your console for any reason, PlayStation considers you to "own" that game, and you will need the disc to play it at any point in the future. It doesn't matter if you borrowed a friend's copy or rented a game, because the system can't tell and doesn't care. If a game you played on your account ever comes to PS Plus (Essential or Extra), despite being supposedly included with a service you're paying for, you will never be able to play that game again without the disc.

I first noticed this when a game I had borrowed from a friend came to PS Plus. I was looking forward to continuing my game, and I added the title to my PS Plus library without issue, but when I went to play it was still asking for the disc.

I do understand why this happens, but it's a flawed way of handling the issue. You wouldn't want someone who owns the disc to then switch their license to a digital copy that is only active when they're currently subscribed to a service, but why can't the disc only be required when no other options are available anymore?

My question is was this ever fixed? Does the system still work like this? Is there a workaround if I delete the disc version from my hard drive and re-download? What have been your personal experiences with this issue?

 

[DeepEnigma]

I don't believe so. Sony has it set up where the digital version and the disc version are separate licenses.

Especially when it comes to subscriber versions.

 

[StealthGoblin]

I had a physical copy of Spider-Man that was disc installed to the PS5. Sold the disc and deleted the content. Downloaded once it became available again through Extra and it’s all worked out fine.

I haven’t done anything other than delete and download so maybe it is fixed.

 

[Sleepwalker]

Yeah it hasnt been fixed, and I don't think it will. It's just the way Sony set it up to be. I had FIFA for the PS5 digital edition through a friends account, recently I bought a disc at 50% off so I gave my friend his account back. When I popped the disc in it prompted me to uninstall the digital version and install the physical one in order to play.

Sony treats them as different SKUs. If you have the disc version installed you gotta uninstall and install the digital.

 

[Beechos]

This is one of my biggest pet peeves on how sony catalogues their stuff. Theres a disc and a digital version of each game. You throw in last gen/current gen versions of the same game in the mix and thats 4 versions of the same game.

Not only that but some games have a save mechanic where your saved games wont work between the versions unless you do some weird save conversion.

I got a physical copy of 100gb game, game is on sale digital so i buy that, now i have to download the digital version of the freaking 100gb game again to play it digitally smh.

 

[Crayon]

I think I just deleted my demons souls install from the disc and downloaded the one off of extra. That worked. Not sure if it works withe the basic monthly games tho.

 

[NomenNescio]

I purchased Uncharted 4 on release, in physical format. After it went up on PS Plus, I downloaded that digital version, and never had to touch the disc again. What I don't remember is if I had to first delete the game from my HDD before such download, but that's redundant. And my save data was not affected at all.

 

[JaksGhost]

It has worked fine for me on the few occasions I've swapped out the physical for a PS+ version. With Final Fantasy Remake for example I initially upgraded with the free path via disc but once they offered the PS+ version I just deleted the one that needed the disc. Same scenario recently with Nioh 2.

 

[ÆMNE22A!C]

I rather be digital only but just installed Sekiro via disc. Would be ace if Sekiro came on plus. Hate having discs in my systems.

 

[TexMex]

Almost none of that is correct. You can change to digital at any time. Done it for several.

 

[Sintoid]

Played Uncharted 4 digital with my disc version savestate
No problem

 

[DeepEnigma]

You just download the digital version. Saves work on both.

 

[ManaByte]

Almost none of that is correct. You can change to digital at any time. Done it for several.

But if you have the disc version installed you have to delete that and re-download the digital version in order to play it. Sony recognizes digital and disc as discrete licenses.

 

[TexMex]

But if you have the disc version installed you have to delete that and re-download the digital version in order to play it. Sony recognizes digital and disc as discrete licenses.

Well sure but that’s a simple 30 second swap to make. OP saying that you’re permanently locked to playing off disc “at any point in the future.”

 

[ManaByte]

Well sure but that’s a simple 30 second swap to make.

I'd love to know what kind of internet you have that downloads 80gig games in 30 seconds.

 

[Crayon]

I'd love to know what kind of internet you have that downloads 80gig games in 30 seconds.

I've got an old house with a 3 inch galvanized pipe for internet. I tweaked the regulator a bit to increase the pressure. When it goes out my neighbors come over to fill up their internet tanks. We actually had a tiny break a while back and it flooded the basement with internet up to your ankles.

 

[Aenima]

My question is was this ever fixed? Does the system still work like this? Is there a workaround if I delete the disc version from my hard drive and re-download? What have been your personal experiences with this issue?

As mentioned, Playstation consider digital and physical version of the game diferent skus. So if you installed a physical game and then later want to keep playing it but using the digital version, you need to uninstall the game, then download and install the digital version.

 

[TexMex]

I'd love to know what kind of internet you have that downloads 80gig games in 30 seconds.

I mean if we're going to be deliberately obtuse here, yeah you're right, it takes more than literally 30 seconds to just download the game again. Really changes everything I've got a lot to think about.

 

[Duchess]

I think I had a problem like this once before. I simply deleted the disc version that was installed, and downloaded the digital copy. Bit of a PITA, but it's not something one would do all that often?

 

[Brutal Deluxe]

I've had a problem with FF 7 Intergrade since they released it on PS+. Had base game for PS4 then got the PS+ version so I didn't need the disc. It now won't even let me redeem the PS5 version of intergrade, I just get a message saying something went wrong. Been on to PlayStation support since it came out and they still can't seem to resolve the problem. I last got an email a few days ago saying they've passed it on to a specialist team. I don't hold out much hope. Sony's methods for this stuff are a real mess.

 

[DeepEnigma]

I mean if we're going to be deliberately obtuse here, yeah you're right, it takes more than literally 30 seconds to just download the game again. Really changes everything I've got a lot to think about.

Don’t worry. It’s bad because download times take longer than 30 seconds… hey, did you hear about the sub service called Game…?

 

[Killer8]

I've had problems switching from the disc to the digital version of some PS Plus Extra catalog games eg. FF7 Remake, but a delete and re-download usually fixes it.

 

[Fafalada]

My question is was this ever fixed? Does the system still work like this?

It never worked like that for me - I've done that with multiple games during PS4 lifetime (switching to digital versions) without a problem.
But as others note, you do have to do a reinstall.