Physical media enthusiasts initially welcomed news of Square Enix’s Life is Strange Collection for PS5, anticipating a comprehensive retail release for the beloved narrative series. However, upon discovering the package’s compromised physical offering, this excitement quickly faded. Given the project’s legitimate status as a true “physical collection,” how can Square Enix keep interest up when barely a third of its content actually resides on the included disc?
Game Preservation Crisis Worsens With Corporate Indifference
For $60, players can get this $60 bundle, which contains the complete core franchise:
- Life is Strange
- Before the Storm
- Life is Strange 2
- True Colors
- Double Exposure
- All DLC and pre-order bonuses
Despite the bundle presenting seemingly significant value, the Blu-ray disc itself holds only True Colors and Double Exposure. Due to this decision, owners are forced to redeem the remaining three titles (Life is Strange, Before the Storm, and Life is Strange 2) via separate download codes that expire, eliminating true ownership. Additionally, the preservation expectations driving physical media purchases are fundamentally contradicted by this approach.
Moreover, Square Enix compounds this disappointment by exclusively including the widely criticized remastered versions of the original game and its prequel rather than offering the preferred original releases. Even more, collectors failing to deliver meaningful physical preservation while locking essential content behind temporary digital licenses is causing issues as well. Specifically, this deeply flawed product renders the “collection” label functionally misleading for archivists and fans seeking lasting access.
Life Is Strange “Complete” Bundle Relies on Expiring Codes
Despite fan backlash, Square Enix justifies their decision to include Life is Strange: True Colors and the latest entry, Double Exposure, within the new PS5 collection. The company pointed to prior release patterns as to why these were the sole franchise entries receiving standalone physical editions for that platform. Yet, preservation-focused collectors weren’t satisfied with this logistical rationale; instead, they expected a comprehensive disc-based anthology.
While Life is Strange had a PS4 disc release at the time, it shipped incomplete, requiring a mandatory download for its crucial fifth episode. At the same time, the original Life is Strange and Before the Storm games received physical PS4 editions that predated their controversial remasters. Ultimately, this history of fragmented ownership experiences would compound with Square Enix’s frustrations by locking three major titles behind expiring digital codes in a product explicitly marketed as a definitive “Collection.”
Furthermore, Square Enix’s recent pattern aligns with this approach, particularly how they antagonize physical media advocates. The company accomplishes this strategy through decisions like distributing anticipated Switch 2 titles (Bravely Default, Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake) on key cards rather than cartridges. In contrast, the release of Dragon Quest highlights their baffling inconsistency: while the older Switch 1 has a traditional physical version, its lack of cross-save functionality or upgrade paths makes it a struggle for the Switch 2 edition. As a result of this instability, the player experience across hardware generations is deliberately fractured.
No True Ownership: Why Physical Media Advocates Feel Betrayed
Ultimately, Square Enix demonstrates that these choices are a recurring disregard for the core expectations of physical collectors: permanent ownership, platform independence, and archival integrity. With the publisher’s persistent prioritization of short-term distribution convenience, maintaining lasting preservation loses focus. Due to this significant shift in views, the Life is Strange Collection transforms from a celebratory anthology into a stark symbol of missed opportunity.
Square Enix’s failure to deliver a truly complete, disc-based archive of this beloved narrative series for the first time has repackaged existing compromises while adding new layers of digital dependency. Consequently, preservationists are left disillusioned in an era where such disregard for tangible media grows increasingly normalized yet remains deeply disappointing.
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