Physical Copy only has download code (Confirmed for: Germany, swiss and austria)

Why would it? Most of the game would never have been on the physical disk in any case.

My expectation would be that a box copy disk would contain less than 10% of the game (the rest requiring download) so at least this is honest and not misleading.

Article translation:

---

Mass Effect: Andromeda: Box version for PC comes only with download code
SOURCE: BIOWARE

10.01.2017 at 15:55 

Publisher Electronic Arts has confirmed that the boxing version of the upcoming Mass Effect: Andromeda will only contain a download code for the PC. The offshoots for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are unaffected and will continue to be delivered with a disc.

The upcoming box version of Mass Effect: Andromeda for the PC will not contain any data carriers and will only be equipped with a download code. This is confirmed by a PR spokeswoman for EA Deutschland at the request of PC Games: "For Mass Effect: Andromeda [we can] confirm that the PC version in Germany, Austria and Switzerland as a 'Code in a Box' version Will be available. " The console offshoots for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are not affected by this change. In the past week the 23rd March 2017 was announced as a release date for Mass Effect: Andromeda.

Recently, the PC version of Titanfall 2 in the United States was only delivered with a download code. In Germany, Publisher Electronic Arts has still decided to use the physical data carrier in its packaging. Battlefield 1 has also been released in the US only with download code. BioWare's Sci-Fi Role Playing Game will not receive a season pass as General Manager Aaryn Flynn announced on Twitter.

Whether fans can still look forward to further story DLC, Flynn did not want to say yet. You can find further news and videos about Mass Effect: Andromeda on our theme page.

DOMINIK ZWINGMANN
author

---

More generally, decent broadband is something many countries really need to grapple with.
And predatory download limits and allowances need to be done away with.

I feel fortunate to have a >200mb speed, I realise many folk are a long way away from those levels.

Pre-Order downloads go some way toward addressing the wait, but that assumes you are happy to pre-order, and not everyone is.

Well I normally buy PC and PS4 copies, but without a physical disc I'll probably just get the one for PS4. No interest in tying up my internet connection for 10 hours. Their loss as I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking this.

yes, its not getting better with download sizes. And the PC market still uses DVD as a standard and not blue ray for some reason (with exceptions of course).

The other thing is that people with multiple gaming devices may switch to consoles due to this.

Games companies won't issue on Blu-Ray because they are a barrier to purchase if the customer doesn't have one.

At least they feel that mostly everyone can download, even if it is annoying.

seriously whats the point of packaging a box to just have a download code in it?

For the first time since DA2, I'm considering buying a physical copy. The price of the game in the brazilian's origin is totally abusive, so if they release a physical version (like they've done with ME3 and DAI) I could possibly find it cheaper somewhere. Still, I'd use a disk, I don't even have a driver anymore.

Sad for those that dig/rely on it, though.

It would be nice if they offered different ways to get the game if you wanted...such as ordering it for Blu Ray if you wanted to go that way.

But just about all PC's have USB ports of some kind. I'd get it on a thumb drive for sure and it would most likely install faster.

No it does not 

Same thing as Battlefield 1 so hardly a surprise considering the publisher, but understandably frustrating for people working with slow download speeds or monthly data caps.

Still a huge deal for retailers, casual shoppers and folk who see an attractive box in a supermarket.