Retail discs that are basically prototypes...

[TreblaYevrah]

I came across a topic on GameFAQs where people are claiming that the "Spyro Reignited Trilogy" disc has been reissued with all content on disc:

Spyro Reignited Trilogy reissued with all content on the disc. - PlayStation 4

For PlayStation 4 on the PlayStation 4, a GameFAQs message board topic titled "Spyro Reignited Trilogy reissued with all content on the disc.".

gamefaqs.gamespot.com

I'm somewhat skeptical of this... In my experience, games will always be "Version 1.00" from disc, and the original poster claims that his copy said version "1.03" after installing, which would lead me to believe he just didn't realize that the update downloaded while he was installing. My PS4 library isn't massive, so I could certainly be wrong about this version 1.00 thing.

The original poster, "Crosby," says this later in the topic:

"The reissue is out there in Europe too. A guy on reddit posted about it and that version also has the same boxart as the initial release but the disc has just a 2019 copyright on it and it removes the "download required" line.

https://gamefaqs1.cbsistatic.com/user_image/7/5/4/AADiDdAAAAba.jpg"

It would be very interesting if this was true, but I'm probably not going to be buying one of these reissues anytime soon to test myself (I already have the first release). It would be great for this to exist, though!

 

[Tokimemofan]

I’d probably have to say Xenoblade Chronicles X, has about 10GB of major patches to fix performance problems

 

[cta]

Unless that's a shipload of low-fi models and textures to replace what used to be there because it overstressed the system, I'd be hard pressed to see how they could blame 10GB on "performance problems"

 

[Kuriatsu]

does sonic 2006 count?

 

[TreblaYevrah]

^I was more thinking games that had a disc release with an early/unfinished version, but eventually got patched to a more complete product.

Having said that, it is interesting to wonder if Sonic 06 might've had more patch support if it had been released nowadays. I can't recall if it had any patches whatsoever back when it was released.

 

[TreblaYevrah]

Recently I bought the Japanese disc version of Conan Exiles for PS4. It was released roughly three months after the North American/European discs, and was re-branded "Conan Outcasts." Of course, PS4 is region free, and the disc runs perfectly well on any console. This version even retains full English language support.

Now, the reason I wanted to get it was because I wondered if a later (and more stable) build might've been burned to these discs. My theory was right! The NA/EU discs contain what is basically an unfinished prototype of the game without updates, but the JP disc is at least finished with a lot less issues (the biggest thing being less random crashing). The original NA/EU discs install at roughly 38GB. The JP disc installs at about 46GB. That's a pretty significant difference, but not so much when you compare it to the current updated version of the game, which is a whopping 91.68GB (version 1.50, at time of writing).

For anyone curious, here's how much stuff was different/broken in the original NA/EU disc release, without patches. These are just the things I can think of off the top of my head:

-Completely different thumbnail in PS4 dashboard/different image on boot screen
-Frequent crashing (happens less on outskirts of the world... thankfully autosave is also frequent)
-"Journey Steps" end after chapter 4, with "COMING SOON!" following after in the menu (additional steps will display in the HUD list, but cannot be fulfilled)
-An option to "Allow First Person Combat" exists (very cool with a bow)
-Purges are not implemented
-Players cannot define spawn location upon death (you will spawn at the last point selected, or the desert if no bed/bedroll exists)
-Certain options, such as learning emotes/recipes from NPCs, cannot be selected (yes, it's straight up broken)
-Alternate jump animation
-Derketo religion does not exist, nor does the armor set. Jhebbal Sag religion also doesn't exist, and there are two empty slots on the religion selection wheel for both of these (when Jhebbal Sag was eventually implemented, it could not be selected during character creation anyway)
-Stygian Raider armor set does not exist, among others
-Stat perks are somewhat different
-Temperature is different across all regions (colder in the desert, for example)
-No named landmarks/few enemies in volcano and jungle biomes
-Landmark discoveries award much more XP
-Cannot enter volcano interior (can teleport there via admin panel, however)
-Cannot enter the Palace of the Witch Queen
-Stamina replenishes while swimming
-Many types of animal pelts/resources do not exist (hyenas drop only hide, for example)
-Obsidian nodes cannot be mined (neither obsidian nor the weapons created from it can be spawned)
-Everyone in Sepermeru is hostile
-The bar where players can talk to Conan in Sepermeru does not exist
-Players suffer constant corruption within The Unnamed City
-Hyborean Slaver armor set is "medium" type instead of "heavy." Also, the loincloth and chest piece are one item
-Food resources have a much shorter shelf-life (roughly half)
-Obelisks cannot be attuned, and the map room doesn't exist (can't be spawned, either)
-Fish captured in traps can rot, and individual traps stop working (not sure of exact cause... possibly server reset, or based on amount caught)
-Money does not exist
-Black and white dyes do not exist
-Inputting custom text on signs doesn't work (if you load a save from a later build that had text inputted on signs, it will actually display in a different font from the current one in use)
-No "Fly" mode option in admin panel. However, there is a movement speed modifier (it's amazing)
-Player will punch/crouch every time they place an item/building piece (depending on control scheme)
-The Abyssal Remnant is damn near impossible
-Warpaints can be equipped/unequipped, and only through the radial menu. They also only display on legs when wearing the slaver armor

The version on the JP disc does have some unique issues of its own, but most of the major bugs/clearly unfinished things listed above are fixed. Unfortunately, first person combat was already removed at the time of this disc's release. Also, for anyone concerned about it... the JP disc is fully censored. No partial nudity option (like the NA release), and the breast slider was even removed. The EU version on PS4 has full nudity for both men and women.

Either way, kind of neat that a less broken version was released physically in some capacity. To be fair, Conan Exiles is treated almost like an MMORPG in terms of its updates/support, and the online communities/servers are a huge part of it. So, the fact that the game has changed isn't shocking. Since the game can be played completely offline, though, the unpatched discs are pretty fascinating time capsules, if nothing else.

 

[pato]

There are GaaS that were released to a mixed reception due to lack of content that got way better over the years, such as Warframe, Sea of Thieves and No Man Sky