Doesn't even have to check online. A couple lines of code can prevent the game from loading before a specified date and time... Much like preloading and seeing the countdown until it's available to be played.
I haven't done preloading so I'm not familiar with it, but I said only one time online check because someone might be able to get around that by tweaking his system date? I'm not sure but I guess
And what is keeping me from getting that file in advance? One time activations have been defeated since the 90s, bro. All you've done is add another step to the play it early tutorial.
Because Sony or NRS doesn't release that file until release date, like day 1 patch?
These ideas have been tried many times for the past decade. Pirating continues to defeat all online DRM checks with DVDs. There is no point hoping for such a check.
When the day finally comes where game media is no longer physical and online connections are mandatory for any gaming use, then and only then will there be a way to prevent an early access scenario like we are seeing with this game. At that point internet access will be a utility like electricity and so losing the internet would be like losing power to your house, neither situation allows you to play your copy of the game.
I don't think that would be needed, again, I'm not sure but physical copies simply couldn't boot (since they are still incomplete) until they had that small piece of file downloaded (that would be released on official date like day 1 patch, or even to incorporate it into day 1 patch) that would allow the game to boot
This.
Could be done downloading a simple small dlc file, only available to download when release date arrives. No need to check more times after that.
Lol, credit to you bro for that small piece of dlc/file to download
I took it a step further for games that gonna have a day 1 patch to incorporate it into them, you like?
(But the ability to download the piece of file separately should still exist since if someone didn't want for day 1 patch to finish downloading, so they could unlock their games quicker)