Gothic Remake’s Physical Copies Will Need an Update for Offline Play

Some players received physical copies of Gothic 1 Remake ahead of the official release, but their initial excitement quickly turned to frustration due to an unexpected online requirement. Even with a physical copy, an internet connection is necessary to download an update before you can play offline.

On May 22, a gaming-focused account shared that Gothic 1 Remake is unplayable without an internet connection. A player who obtained the game early from the THQ Nordic Store encountered a message stating, “Unable to check the state of the game. Please make sure you are connected to the internet and try again.” This was surprising, as no prior announcements regarding DRM had been made by the developers.

The official Gothic franchise account responded promptly, confirming that some copies were sent out early and that Gothic 1 Remake requires an internet connection to download a 5 GB launch-day update. Once that’s done, players can enjoy the game offline.

As expected, the community reacted critically to this requirement, viewing it as an unnecessary form of DRM that could make Gothic 1 Remake unplayable in the future. While it may seem like a minor inconvenience now, owning a physical copy doesn’t guarantee access if PS5 and Xbox Series X|S lose online connectivity down the line.

This restriction feels particularly frustrating for Gothic 1 Remake, given that it’s based on a 25-year-old game that had no such requirements and is primarily a single-player RPG meant for offline play. If you decide to grab a physical copy of Gothic 1 Remake, be sure to install or update it to avoid ending up with a potentially useless disc. For those purchasing digitally, be prepared to navigate some system-level DRM on PS5.

Gothic 1 Remake is set to launch for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on June 5.