question: Whenever I buy a video game disc, (Xbox, Ps4, etc.) It says it needs to download the game into the console. Isn't the game already on the disc?
comment: On modern consoles it has to install the data from the disc onto the console's hard drive. That's because blu-ray drives are just too slow to load data for modern games, so it has to be installed on a faster (although still pretty slow to be honest) hard drive. Usually you also have to download patches, even if the game has just come out. The data that goes onto the disc has to be ready months before the game comes out. So in the time between that data being ready and the game actually coming out the developers continue to work on fixing bugs, tweaking the gameplay, maybe even adding features. So when the game actually comes out there is an update ready and waiting to be downloaded. In theory if the game is single player you can choose not to download the update and just play it anyway. But unfortunately some games are pretty broken without that day 1 patch.
passages: Xbox One games are distributed physically on Blu-ray Disc, and digitally as downloads through Microsoft Store (formerly Xbox Games Store). All Xbox One games must be installed to the console's storage: one can begin to play portions of a game (such as opening levels) once the installation or download reaches a specific point, while the remainder of the game is downloaded or installed in the background. However, for older titles (such as Xbox 360 games, see "Xbox 360 compatibility", below), one must wait until installation is completed to play.
   BULLET::::- Some game discs come with system software updates on the disc. This may be due to the game requiring the update in order to run. If so, the software may be installed from the disc.
   Where a normal software disc may allow its license sold or traded, DLC is generally locked to a specific user's account and does not come with the ability to transfer that license to another user. For instance, non-transferable DLCs were used in EA's "Project Ten Dollars" as mechanism to fight the used games market.
   Unlike Xbox 360's emulation of the original Xbox, games do not have to be specifically patched but need to be repackaged in the Xbox One format. Users' digitally-purchased games will automatically appear in their library for download once available. Games on physical media are not executed directly from disc; inserting the disc initiates a download of a repackaged version. As with Xbox One titles, the disc must be inserted during play for validation purposes.
   The Nintendo 3DS supports downloadable content as of update (4.0.0.7U), the first title to support it being "Theatrhythm Final Fantasy" in the form of extra songs. Other games to support DLC quickly followed, such as "", and "Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS".
  
  Starting with Apple's iPhone OS version 3.0 release, and Apple's iPhone 4, downloadable content became available for the platform via applications bought from the App Store. While this ability was initially only available to developers for paid applications, Apple eventually allowed for developers to offer this in free applications as well in October 2009.
  
  Section::::On-disc DLC.
   While some content is delivered exclusively through online services, other extra content may already be on the game disc. Extra content on a game disc is inaccessible until it is unlocked by an online service (named "disc-locked" content). Some criticism stems from the fact that many of the items sold on sites like Xbox Live Marketplace are not downloadable content at all, but are instead content keys used to unlock content already on the game disc. Because of this, many people feel as if they are paying to unlock content they already purchased when they bought the game itself. For instance, criticism arose over the downloadable characters for "Street Fighter X Tekken", which were found to already be on the game discs.
   If the game is removed from the catalog by Microsoft, or the player ends their subscription, access is suspended until the player purchases the game or renews their subscription, but their in-game progress will be saved in the interim. If the game is an Xbox 360 title, it will be back-compatible and must be used on Xbox One; it cannot be downloaded to a player's Xbox 360 console unless the player chooses to purchase it.
  
  Section::::Availability.
   Per Marketplace design, the digital rights management license for downloaded content is tied to both a specific user and to a specific console. This means that to access the content, the user either needs to be signed on to Xbox Live using their Gamertag, or be playing on the original console the content was purchased on.
   Controversy has arisen when games have charged the user for access to content that was in the game's original distribution. This originated the term "on-disc DLC".
   Certain items are provided for free. Providing free DLC can also provide revenue for game companies at the expense of users' convenience. For example, "" for the PlayStation 3 was shipped with certain features disabled. However, users can freely download packs to re enable the missing content from the PlayStation Store. Consequently, users are exposed to advertisements and potential purchases. There is also the additional marketing benefit that users may believe that there is continuing support for the product if there is an apparent flow of such patches. Some games have free DLC content to promote other games. The Wii U version of "Sonic Lost World" features crossovers with "Yoshi's Island" and "The Legend of Zelda" to promote Nintendo titles.
   As of September 2009, the entire "Fable II" game is available for download through Microsoft's Xbox Live Game Marketplace. When first released, the downloadable version of the game was broken up into 5 game episodes that play identical to the disc version of the game, and the first episode of the game was free to download, while Episodes 2, 3, 4, and 5 could be purchased within the game. Any player who purchased the disc version after the first episode can transfer all save data.
   Drive-by download
  
  Drive-by download means two things, each concerning the unintended download of computer software from the Internet:
  
  BULLET::::1. Downloads which a person has authorized but without understanding the consequences (e.g. downloads which install an unknown or counterfeit executable program, ActiveX component, or Java applet) automatically.
  
  BULLET::::2. Any download that happens without a person's knowledge, often a computer virus, spyware, malware, or crimeware.
   BULLET::::- The websites to which the application will go are under full control of the Content Provider. This control is guaranteed in two ways:
  
  BULLET::::- Only (disc) authenticated BD-J applications are allowed to run when the disc is played. The application controls the use of the network connection.
  
  BULLET::::- In addition, permissions defined on the disc can restrict the use of the (TCP/IP) network connection to certain sites.
   Since the popularization of microtransactions in online distribution platforms such as Steam, the term DLC has come to be incorrectly popularized as a synonymous for any form of paid content in video games, regardless of whether or not they constitute the download of new content.
  
  Section::::History.
  
  Section::::History.:Precursors to DLC.
   While already available via backwards compatibility on the Xbox 360, Microsoft announced on April 10th, 2018 that backwards compatibility would be supported for "Breakdown" on Xbox One from April 17th 2018. Physical discs will be playable on the system, while available on the Xbox Live Store as a digital download.
  
  Section::::Reception.
   When the iPod Classic and iPod Nano third generation were released, games which were bought formerly could not be synced to the new iPods. This made many consumers angry due to losing their investment.
  
  It is also notable that after a download had been made for a game, it couldn't have been downloaded again unless a separate purchase was made for the same item. This is different behavior than applications downloaded on the App Store, which can be downloaded multiple times. This issue was later fixed, making it possible to install any single game on any number of iPods.
   Once a test is completed, the program removes the unpacked application from the hard drive.
  
  For security reasons, none of the test applications can be installed from the WorldBench CD.
   Sony adopted the same approach with their downloadable hub, the PlayStation Store. With "Gran Turismo HD", Sony planned an entirely barebones title, with the idea of requiring the bulk of the content to be purchased separately via many separate online microtransactions. The project was later canceled. Nintendo has featured a sparser amount of downloadable content on their Wii Shop Channel, the bulk of which is accounted for by digital distribution of emulated Nintendo titles from previous generations.
   In order to use the backwards compatibility feature on Xbox 360 a hard drive is required. Updates to the list were provided from Microsoft as part of regular software updates via the Internet, ordering a disc by mail from the official website or downloading the update from the official website then burning it to a CD or DVD. Subscribers to "Official Xbox Magazine" would also have updates to the backwards compatibility list on the demo discs included with the magazine.
   Microsoft initially announced a different game licensing scheme for Xbox One than what was used upon its release: all games, including those purchased at retail, would be bound to the user's Xbox Live account. Users could access their purchased games from any other Xbox One console, play games without their disc once installed, and allow users to "share" their games with up to ten designated "family" members. Users would trade games at "participating retailers", and could also transfer a game directly to any Xbox Live friend on their list for at least 30 days, but only once. To synchronize licenses, the console would be required to connect to the internet once every 24 hours; if the console could not connect, all games would be disabled until the console was connected again.
   One copy of each game for each Xbox console is required to use System Link. Each game must be an identical release with or without identical bonus and/or downloadable content. Some Platinum Hits discs will not link with non-Platinum Hits discs.
   Although discs scratched by the Xbox 360 are not covered under its warranty, Microsoft's Xbox Disc Replacement Program will sell customers a new copy of discs scratched by the Xbox 360, if they are published in countries where the Xbox was originally sold, at a cost of $20. The published list of games that qualify, however, is limited. "Halo 3 Limited Edition" was replaced at no cost until February 1, 2008 according to the Xbox Disc Replacement Program's main site. Other publishers can be contacted directly for a disc exchange, but it is unclear whether they will replace discs at no cost. Game publisher Electronic Arts details a specific program for this problem which requires the disc and original receipt, also the game must be purchased within 90 days of the request for a replacement disc, or will request a replacement charge of $20 or $25.
   Section::::Console standards.:Xbox.
  
  Xbox releases are by convention in the XISO format, a slight modification of the DVD ISO format. DVDRips of Xbox games were released so they could fit on a single CD. A lot of the first Xbox games were released by the group ProjectX on May 3, 2002. These first releases worked on a developer Xbox, but if it would be playable on retail versions was unknown at the time because no modchips existed yet.
  
  There are more than 4400 Xbox releases released in the scene.
  
  Section::::Console standards.:PlayStation 2.
   PlayStation 2 releases must be in standard DVD ISO format. PARADOX was the first group to do PS2 and PS2 DVD rips, but later on they were the ones motivating the scene to release full DVD ISOs.
  
  Section::::Console standards.:GameCube.
  
  On June 12, 2003, the first game for the Nintendo GameCube, , was released by "STARCUBE".
  
  As of May 2016, there are more than 3100 NGC releases released in the scene.
  
  Section::::Console standards.:Xbox 360.
   Through use of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection users can download DLC to the Nintendo DS handheld for certain games. A good example is "Picross DS", in which users can download puzzle "packs" of classic puzzles from previous Picross games (such as "Mario's Picross") as well as downloadable user generated content. "Professor Layton and the Curious Village" was thought to have "bonus puzzles" that can be "downloaded" using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, however connecting to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection simply unlocked the puzzles which were already stored in the game. Similarly, "Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2" had hidden costumes that were unlocked using DS Download Stations for a limited time.
  
presuppositions: Game should be ready to go from the disc. A video game should already be on the disc.
corrections: Consoles install the game from the disc to let the game run better during play.  A video game's data needs to be installed onto a hard drive faster than the disc.
raw_presuppositions: Game should be ready to go from the disc. A video game should already be on the disc.
raw_corrections: Consoles install the game from the disc to let the game run better during play.  A video game's data needs to be installed onto a hard drive faster than the disc.