Xbox reportedly testing a way to digitize physical games in the wake of PlayStation killing game discs — feature said to go back to Xbox One-era games
Microsoft is reportedly working on a feature that would enable the digitization of disc-based titles, according to the Verge. This would assist players in playing older games on newer consoles, especially if Microsoft follows Sony's PlayStation in abandoning physical game production.
According to the report, employees at Xbox are testing the "Disc2Digital" feature, which will work on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S discs, but not the original Xbox or Xbox 360. This restriction is likely due to Microsoft's plans to move more games online with the Xbox One.
Discs will continue to work after you've enabled the digital entitlement, but you'll lose your digital rights to the game if you transfer the disc to someone else by loaning it or selling it. The digital games will also reportedly be able to be streamed if they're part of Xbox Play Anywhere.
The Verge also claims that some Xbox One games may not have the feature, quoting a Microsoft warning to testers: "It all depends on how and when the disc was manufactured and it may not have the features we need for this program."
But reporter Tom Warren says Microsoft hasn't made a final call on whether Project Helix, the next-generation Xbox, will come with a disc drive. On the Series X, Microsoft has options with and without the disc drive, though it had one at launch. If Microsoft does opt to go all-digital, this might help soothe some wounds for Xbox players who rely heavily on a physical collection and want to play on the new system.
It would still be a step back from backwards compatibility on the Xbox Series X and Series S, however, which includes most Xbox One games, many Xbox 360 games, and over 50 original Xbox games, many of which you can play with the original disc.
Project Helix is also heavily rumored to play PC games from third-party launchers.
Sony's announcement this morning that it would stop producing first and third-party discs for the PlayStation in 2028 drew vocal opposition from fans who prefer physical media or preserving console games. PlayStation has previously detailed (PDF, see page 10) that approximately 8 out of 10 PlayStation games are bought digitally on the PS4 and PS5 (78% for the fiscal year 2025, but as high as 85% in Q4).
The PlayStation maker's plans have led some analysts to believe the PS6 will launch in 2028.
Some developers and publishers aren't waiting for the change. Take Two Interactive and Rockstar Games is set to launch Grand Theft Auto 6 on November 19, and it will not sell the game on a disc. If you buy a box at retail, it will have a download code.