PS5 vs. Xbox Series X vs. Nintendo Switch: Console DRM, Physical Games, Offline Play, Which Is Best?

Since the last Xbox Live outage, there's been some discussion surrounding how console manufacturers handle DRM policies. Almost to a point where the meaning behind 'DRM' is starting to blend in with things like physical media ownership, and required online connections. So let's take a look at all three and really break this down. For Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft - how do they handle services? Digital games? Offline play? Physical games? Let's break the magicians code. HERE'S HOW THEY DO IT. (This will not be nearly as exciting as the actual show).

► Support the channel on Patreon! Every amount helps and keeps product placement off the channel.

► PS5 Compatible SSD’s and Heatsinks:

► My YouTube Equipment, Gaming Accessories, and Recommendations:

*As an Amazon Associate I earn a commission on qualifying purchases*

Follow Me Places:

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Outro song ‘I dunno’ by Grapes:

Music by Aries Beats:

Music by Myrd Schenk:

► Thank you to these wonderful Patreon supporters!

Albert colomb
Ali Almutawa
Angelo Sparacio
Anthony Gallagher
Austin Becker
Austin Post
Ben Lindey
Bohdan Koshyrets
Brian
Brian Burton
Carlito J. Hoogdorp
cfreddykrueger
Claudio Sepúlveda Huerta
Cody Messick
Colton Tompkins
Connor Cole
Crispin
curryking3
da_Heino
David Lin
David Pacheco
David Woody
Dean Jonathan Neal
Drew Purdin¥
Elizabeth Gonzalez
EliteSlayerPaul
Enes Bulut
Eric Ruelle
Gabriel Guevara
Gustav Christiansen
Isaiah Hooks
jacob
Jafet Dolande
Jamie Johnson
Jarryd Howard
Jason Moore
JediAray
Jip van der Kramer
John Covey
Jon Sturtz
Jonathan Serrano
Karawettu
Kyle Kelm
Kyle Sanderson
lauzoff
Mark Sean Roocroft
Martin Nachev
Mashud Mohammed
Matt Plews
Matt Walker
Max Well Fed
Michael Tisdale
Michael Wallace
mike durocher
Moises
Nahuel Sacchetti
Nyved89
oramad
Paul Romano
Penny Parker
Perfect_Organism
PHILIP NATHANIEL GO
Philip Ricketts
Quentin Price
Rashid NHM
Rebekah
Rob O’Donell
Sam Brown
Santiago Macho-Vidal
sean nilsen
Skip Jordan
Skull King
Soliveski
spencer sorensen
Steff Thomas
Sven Mueller
Tim Woods
Tyler Haydt
Tyler Moon
Tyler Unger
unbound23x
Vinny Sivaraman
Wheels87
William O’Carroll
Will Clements
znk3r

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Intro
0:19 - Services: PlayStation Plus
1:05 - Services: Xbox Live Gold & Game Pass
2:02 - Services: Nintendo Switch Online
2:38 - Physical Games: PlayStation 5
4:13 - Digital Games: PlayStation 5
4:28 - Physical Games: Xbox Series X
7:21 - Digital Games: Xbox Series X
8:10 - Physical Games: Nintendo Switch
8:32 - Digital Games: Nintendo Switch
8:49 - Key Differences: Next-Gen Game Upgrades
11:18 - Key Differences: Backwards Compatibility
12:30 - Key Differences: Primary Console Settings
13:53 - So Which One Is The Best?
15:16 - Physical Media Problem

#PS5 #XboxSeriesX #NintendoSwitch

[MysticRyan]

For those looking for more resources I recommend following the Twitter account @DoesItPlay1, they have a site and also test software on a game-by-game basis to let you know if it's playable offline or requires downloads.

[instant_noodlez]

There’s just something special about getting up, grabbing a game out of its case and putting it in your console . It’s charming to pop the case open and seeing the art inside, it’s like a little preview of the imaginative world you’ll be entering . I only buy physical ! It makes your collection feel more special and cool.

[Henkibojj]

One example I always bring up when it comes to physical copies: You'll always have access to Installation 1.00. GTA IV was stripped of nearly fifty songs in a patch because they didn't want to renew the licenses for them. On digital, they're gone, but on physical, you can just decline the patch and play offline/as it was shipped. There are many of those songs so iconic that the game wouldn't be nearly the same without them.

[starwarsmaster]

As a game collector, this is an amazing video to have all the information about every console in one place! I already knew most of this, but I will be sure to save this video for future reference! Thanks, Mystic!

[gearoidnyhan]

Thanks man, this is a massive issue that needs more exposing talking about especially for us who collect for multiple systems and platforms

[stevensalinas]

Best video on Youtube about DRM and offline/physical disc play! Was just wondering about this all week and no one had a video about this that was this thorough! Bravo, Mystic!

[NxtDoc]

It is genuinely crazy that Xbox's DRM from 2013 is still very much in tact! Scary thing is, MS is so large and powerful that they don't have to back off. 😬

EDIT: And the silence since the Xbox Live Outage, DRM debacle, is wild to me as well. Just silence 😒

[justintime]

One nice thing to note about Nintendo and physical games is that for first party titles, their newer prints regularly have the patches/updates added onto the cart. So because I bought the Mario Tennis game a couple years after launch, I ended up getting a cart with all the patches on it. There’s no way to tell from the cover, but it’s indicated on the back of the cart (in case you want to check when buying a used copy), the higher the last number, the more up to date it is.

I know others do this too, but I feel Nintendo is very consistent with it. Days Gone is one Non-Nintendo example where newer prints had most of the updates on disc!

[mikem]

I buy a mix of both. Whichever is cheaper. If the game is the same price, I go physical.
I can sell a disk. I can’t sell a digital license.

[wade_says]

Keep up the great work man, you're one of my favorite channels.

[PearlJam]

As someone who has all three, Microsoft isn’t going to change their overall DRM but they seriously need to tweak it to avoid the problems of when Live goes down. Have the DRM check once a week and be able to play offline if you are offline until the next weekly check.

[tommydplayskeys]

Thanks for the video. Also worth mentioning that later reprints of physical games will often include patches on disc. I think that's worth having if a game was buggy at launch.

[Manjawline]

One of the main advantages of physical copies is when the digital storefronts shuts down, you have a way of accessing and playing games on the older consoles

[ddp]

Xbox just ignored all this and has still not made an official statement about their console having strict drm even for physical disc after they said drm was gone years ago

[ViribusX]

One small extra advantage worth noting that only exists on Switch as far as I'm aware is that Nintendo still gives developers the ability to print revision cartridges without making a seperate SKU, meaning that if you buy a game a while after its release, there is a decent chance it's gonna already have updates on cart. This can be useful for games that had performance issues on launch that have been fixed since or games that had content added later on. Not all games do this, this is not a mandate that Nintendo has for developers, but at least majority of Nintendo's first-party games are still committed to putting latest patches on cart. Personally I think this is really positive thing for preservation.

[jdbarrera]

Hard to imagine Blu Ray's will suffer from Disc Rot. CD's from the 90s are still going. Cheap CD-Rs are the ones that fall apart.

[Armataan]

Pretty well rounded video, as I’ve come to expect. I really do love your content.

[HipRapBlack]

I don't like anything about Xbox or Microsoft... But I appreciate how they push Sony to be competitive.

[mohammedmbega]

Loved this video, saved it in my library. Thank you.

[Farukhan]

Great Video! Really, I mean it. i really appreciate the work, that has gone into researching all of this. it is something, which has bugged me for a long time, not really knowing, how much control, and therefore real 'ownership' one has over the games, we all buy in todays times.