Physical game copies have had copy protection/DRM for decades —roughly since the late 1970s on computers, with some of the earliest notable examples appearing on disk-based releases like Microsoft Adventure.

What that means

  • Early physical DRM was often simple copy protection: code wheels, manual checks, disk signatures, or special media formats.
  • By the 2000s, many PC games shipped on discs with software that limited installs or required online verification, making DRM much more intrusive.
  • Console games also used disc-based protection, but the most controversial DRM often showed up in PC physical releases because the system was easier to modify and verify online.

Rough timeline

  • Late 1970s: early physical copy protection begins appearing in computer games.
  • 1980s–1990s: protection becomes common on boxed PC games.
  • 2000s–early 2010s: disc-based DRM gets more aggressive and more widely discussed.
  • Today: physical copies may still include activation, account linking, or online checks, depending on the publisher.

In plain terms, games have had DRM in physical copies for about 45 to 50 years.