Quantum Break on PC requires internet connection to stream all cutscenes

The version of Quantum Break that is coming to PC next month appears to be one of the most restrictive major game launches on the platform in some time. The game not only requires Windows 10, due to its use of DirectX 12, but also a consistent and reasonably fast internet connection.

Quantum Break requires an internet connection because the game's live action cutscenes are not included with the rest of the game's locally stored assets. In other words, the cutscenes are not downloaded to your hard drive along with everything else during the Windows Store installation process, and instead will be streamed from the cloud.

The reason why the cutscenes won't be downloaded (or included on the physical disc) is pretty straightforward: there are simply too many cutscenes, shot at a 4K resolution, to download and store in any sort of reasonable way. As explained by the game's narrative designer Greg Louden:


"We have 40 different variations of the show in total where basically your choices get to make it evolve and change... Then combined with that, the show length can change based on your decisions because some episodes are longer as a result and some episodes are shorter."

With 40 different variations of the live action cutscenes, all shot in 4K, you can see how it mightn't be feasible to store all these video files locally. Instead, the cutscenes will be streamed to gamers' PCs at up to 4K resolution, which will require a pretty decent internet connection depending on the quality that's being delivered.

Gamers in countries with decent fibre or cable internet connections without bandwidth or data caps won't be troubled by streaming cutscenes. On the other hand, anyone with a bad internet connection or low data cap might be annoyed at this requirement, and anyone wishing to play the game offline won't be able to do so.

Only some cutscenes will be included on the Xbox One version's disc, with the majority of cutscenes also being streamed, albeit at 1080p. Quantum Break will be released on both platforms on April 5th.

http://www.techspot.com/news/63981-quantum-break-pc-requires-internet-connection-stream-all.html

 

Welp, any australian users or Comcast users will get f*cked over.

 

This makes no sense to me. If they are using compression to stream it then use compression to store it. And they MUST be using compression to stream it.

Then it goes on to say that xbox will also be streamed but @ 1080p. :3eyes:

This isn't the first time MS have done something like this. They tried to make Xbone require a constant internet connection initially.

 

Hahahah this is hilarious :infinity: MS windows store should die same as GFWL junk. They are too greedy and trying to lock dx12 gaming industry to their crappy store,unbelieavable :3eyes:

even games are more taxing because of this unecessary windows store :3eyes:

 

MS is out of their mind. This is getting worse and worse...

 

What was wrong with 1080p, why did 4k become the must have for these cut scenes, i am scratching my head at this one.

The skeptic in me would say this was more a silly piracy measure than anything else.

 

This must be some excuse many games have massive cutscene videos and working fine..MS is probably hiding something :3eyes:

 

the new drm

 

Why they keep fighting a useless battle...even latest denuvo is defeated, with shared accounts ,start game,and then go offline in origin,steam,or uplay and games working.. thats useless pirates will always find a way

 

Thats why im so happy google fiber is in town. They are laying the fiber cables daily in my city.
Only a month or 2 and Ill have it. No more data cap or using crapcast!

 

I have wifi 5 mb here in Serbia...unlimited no caps...9.6 eur per month :3eyes:

 

This is an allright idea, but it's not been done right.

It should be an option in the menu, and the game should include standard definition (360p or something) as a back up in case your internet it not up to snuff

Or making an optional 4k download pack.

 

I have 40mbps and still cant watch 4k videos on YT due low bandwidth how do they expect me or any other user to stream this 4k cutscenes? They nuts?

 

Not to mention, on release day, how are they expecting their servers to cope at all?

The game must have a SD backup, surely they can't be this stupid to overlook this

 

Microsoft is desperate to take dx12 market...i would like to see another windows 8 Balmer fiasco they well deserve it...horrible corporation :3eyes:

 

That is ******* hilarious

 

Yeah I agree, there should be an option for people who just want to download it and play offline. I personally like the streaming option but then again I have 150/150 Fios and a 500GB SSD that I'd rather not waste the space on.

 

say what? we need interent to "stream" cut scenes now? that the most anise thing i heard i years

 

x264 fullHd compression -> profit.

 

I think Microsoft just want us to buy an Xbox One.