Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced's Physical Edition Needs the Internet, and Preservation Fans Are Right to Be Annoyed

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is already one of Ubisoft's most crowd-pleasing remake ideas, but new physical box details have sparked frustration: the PS5 physical edition reportedly says internet is required to install the game.

For gamers, this is one of those small packaging notes that opens a much bigger argument. A physical disc used to mean you owned a working copy of the game, or at least something close to it. If the disc requires an online download to function, it becomes more like a license token, a partial installer, or a collectible object with conditions attached.

That matters for preservation, resale, collectors, and anyone with poor internet. It also raises the uncomfortable question of what happens years later if servers, patches, or storefront infrastructure disappear. The remake itself may still be excellent, but this weakens the appeal of buying physical for practical reasons. Gamers who care about long-term ownership are not being dramatic here. A pirate game that cannot sail without phoning home is, ironically, a very modern treasure chest with a lock on it.