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Nightdive is reviving the iconic trapezoid big box for Thief: Remastered’s special edition… but only on console
Nightdive is bringing back the distinctive trapezoid packaging associated with the original Thief PC release for a special physical edition of Thief: Remastered. The edition is limited to console, leaving PC collectors without a version of the game in the shape that became a memorable piece of PC gaming history.
Preorders are opening for physical editions, with the trapezoid box offered for Nintendo Switch, Switch 2 and PlayStation 5 through Nightdive and partner Clear River Games. The remaster is due on 3 December. The article notes that PC physical editions are now uncommon, though some still exist, and points to GOG’s proposal for a service selling physical copies of games already in users’ libraries.
In short
- Thief’s iconic trapezoid box is returning for the remaster.
- The special physical edition is only for consoles.
- Thief: Remastered is due on 3 December.
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The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A console-only release may reflect where physical editions can be produced and sold most practically today, while still bringing the distinctive packaging back to a sizeable audience. With PC physical editions now uncommon, Nightdive may reasonably have prioritised the formats for which collectors are most likely to buy a boxed copy.
The case against
The trapezoid box is closely tied to Thief’s PC history, so leaving PC collectors out of this edition weakens the connection the revival is meant to celebrate. A physical PC edition could serve fans who value that history and show that boxed games can still have a place alongside digital libraries.
Explained simply
Thief is a stealth video game series that began on PC in the late 1990s. Its first release stood out for letting players rely on shadows, sound and careful movement to avoid enemies, rather than simply fighting them.
The original PC game also became known for its large trapezoid-shaped box, a style of packaging used for some computer games at the time. Nightdive is a studio that updates older games for modern systems, and Clear River Games helps publish physical editions.
Physical copies are now less common on PC as most games are bought and downloaded online. The packaging choice matters to collectors because it links a new edition to the history of the original game, while also raising questions about which platforms get physical releases.