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Microsoft Works On Xbox Without Optical Disc Drive

llien

Member
Microsoft is working on the first major game console to lack physical game media, targeted at markets where downloaded content is prevalent. The console could be a variant of the existing Xbox One / Xbox One S, but will be slightly cheaper for lacking the roughly-$25 optical drive. For those stuck with physical copies of games, Microsoft could roll out a "disc-to-digital" programme that converts your physical disc ownership to a digital ownership.

The way "disc-to-digital" works is you take your physical games to a participating brick-and-mortar retailer, who will verify that the disc is authentic (you probably wouldn't need to provide proof of purchase). Once a disc is deemed authentic, the authorised retailer will keep the physical copy in exchange to adding the game to your Xbox account. To play the game, simply download it to your console's hard drive and play. You can also download to external USB storage devices if your hard drive runs out of space. For some regions, there could even be "mail-in" services. Microsoft could target very specific markets with the console, in which Internet access is both affordable and fast, and in which there already are many customers with large digital libraries. The company is unlikely to stop selling consoles with optical drives, but those will be slightly pricier.

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Techpowerup
 

Pagusas

Elden Member
Very excited about this. I know a lot of people fear the digital future, but I'm glad to declutter my entertainment area.
 

TeamGhobad

Banned
its a gamepass machine. cool concept but you are at xbox's mercy with a system like that. whatever the price they want to charge you gotta pay.
 

Ridaxan

Member
Whilst I doubt it, I really hope there's an option for a PS5/Xbox Next without a disc drive. I never use mine and it's footprint is a waste. The actual hardware could be quite a bit smaller.
 

MetalRain

Member
I haven't really bought disk games for I guess last 5-7 years. While cost savings are neglible, I am more interested in physical size of upcoming consoles.
 

CeeJay

Member
slightly cheaper for lacking the roughly-$25 optical drive.

Hang on, it went from a $100 in the other article to a $25 saving in this one. That went down pretty quick! For a good discount I would definitely go discless, for just $25 I probably wouldn't. I know how much a drive costs physically but wouldn't there also be savings on Blue Ray licencing as well to consider?
 

Ma-Yuan

Member
MS and i were not on good terms this generation so time to depart finally the next generation. Saves space under my tv. Same would go for a ps2 thats digital only...
 

onQ123

Member
I don't remeber 1tb gdd's being on a mobile device either. But if you're still going to compare AAA sized games to mobile, I'm in for a laugh


Laugh away but Disc are simply being used to transfer the games onto the consoles now so it can easily be replaced by downloads & a kiosk that you stick a USB drive into & save a game to transfer onto your console when you get home.
 
Why the hysteria over these kind of news announcements? It's only going to be a variant of the 'S' model, not even the 'X'. Microsoft in this generation is all about choices. They will not 100% eliminate the disc slot until 10th generation, 10 years from now. By that time it will be literally zero controversy about it. Seems to me that some people just like stirring the pot.

Frankly I think Microsoft is now too conservative with their platform moves. Where is the digital lending program? Where are game refunds? Where is the store wishlist? All we get instead are more Gears Pop news... So infuriating!
 
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Imtjnotu

Member
Laugh away but Disc are simply being used to transfer the games onto the consoles now so it can easily be replaced by downloads & a kiosk that you stick a USB drive into & save a game to transfer onto your console when you get home.
Which comes back to my original post that said "I pray this thing comes with a huge hdd" or did you not see that part?
 

onQ123

Member
Which comes back to my original post that said "I pray this thing comes with a huge hdd" or did you not see that part?

1TB is the standard right now so unless they are coming with flash drives that's a given. but even if it didn't come with a huge hdd USB harddrives can be plugged into consoles now.
 

Imtjnotu

Member
1TB is the standard right now so unless they are coming with flash drives that's a given. but even if it didn't come with a huge hdd USB harddrives can be plugged into consoles now.
So you're implying playing the games directly off the flash drive?
 

mckmas8808

Banned
Why the hysteria over these kind of news announcements? It's only going to be a variant of the 'S' model, not even the 'X'. Microsoft in this generation is all about choices. They will not 100% eliminate the disc slot until 10th generation, 10 years from now. By that time it will be literally zero controversy about it. Seems to me that some people just like stirring the pot.

Frankly I think Microsoft is now too conservative with their platform moves. Where is the digital lending program? Where are game refunds? Where is the store wishlist? All we get instead are more Gears Pop news... So infuriating!

Because some forum posters and some in the video game's media keep saying the digital only future is coming. Lots of us hate the thought of that will keep pushing back!
 
Because some forum posters and some in the video game's media keep saying the digital only future is coming. Lots of us hate the thought of that will keep pushing back!

What makes you think that in 10 years you will still care about discs? By then you will have 2 options - keep your old hardware around or go digital. If you still think in 2028 that you will have this attitude...
 

Nacery

Neo Member
The PSP-GO was too soon. The level of comfort for digital games wasn't there.
Totally, not only PSP lauched with some launch titles missing (Crisis Core was one example of a new release missing digital), but also Sony didn't build the infrastructure to release digital games and also the WiFi protocol it used wasn't standard (I never managed to connect mine to the router).
 

Night.Ninja

Banned
It’s a good move but they need to revamp the whole digital ownership issue

I shouldn’t be having issues playing the games I own if there is a problem with Xbox live, i know it’s just to do with the whole 24 hour check that was baked in to the Xbox system but I can’t be dealing with them issues with the next gen consoles
 

Norse

Member
It’s a good move but they need to revamp the whole digital ownership issue

I shouldn’t be having issues playing the games I own if there is a problem with Xbox live, i know it’s just to do with the whole 24 hour check that was baked in to the Xbox system but I can’t be dealing with them issues with the next gen consoles

Set your Xbox into offline mode and that should clear up your problems when live is having issues.
 
It’s a good move but they need to revamp the whole digital ownership issue

I shouldn’t be having issues playing the games I own if there is a problem with Xbox live, i know it’s just to do with the whole 24 hour check that was baked in to the Xbox system but I can’t be dealing with them issues with the next gen consoles

I wonder if one of the core things in XBox Live is DRM checking. I wonder why because if the game installs that should be with DRM baked in, there shouldn't need to be a 'check-in' every single time. Maybe Microsoft secretly put that in and didn't tell us? If I were Sony, I would scream to the heavens about this!
 

onQ123

Member
So you're implying playing the games directly off the flash drive?

I'm implying that every game gets saved to the Console's internal or external hard drive either way so what's the big difference of how it get there? If MS was to place kiosk in stores that let people plug in a USB stick or HDD & save the games to transfer to your console when you get home it wouldn't be much different from transferring your games from Disc.
 

Night.Ninja

Banned
Set your Xbox into offline mode and that should clear up your problems when live is having issues.

That doesn’t always work

I wonder if one of the core things in XBox Live is DRM checking. I wonder why because if the game installs that should be with DRM baked in, there shouldn't need to be a 'check-in' every single time. Maybe Microsoft secretly put that in and didn't tell us? If I were Sony, I would scream to the heavens about this!

Its from the 24 hour check they never got rid of it, just found a way to patch it. They should just allow games to be registered to that console and keep it at that.

I don’t think Xbox one has been hacked like the PS4 has if I’m correct
 

onQ123

Member
I'm all digital BUT to save $25? I'd rather pay the $25 and have a "just because drive"

If the Disc drive is $25 taking it out of the design wouldn't be just to save $25 , they will also save money because the size is going to be smaller.
 

mckmas8808

Banned
What makes you think that in 10 years you will still care about discs? By then you will have 2 options - keep your old hardware around or go digital. If you still think in 2028 that you will have this attitude...

How am I going to be able to borrow or rent games?
 

brett_me

Neo Member
Microsoft is working on the first major game console to lack physical game media,
This is already a thing, it's called my Xbox.

In all seriousness though; this Disk-to-digital could open so many opportunities. For people like me that own a couple thousand dollars worth of disk games and can't play them. It'd also maybe incentivize them to lower the price of digital games.
 

Dokku

Member
As a connoisseur of physical media this does not appeal to me at all, but I think offering gamer's a choice in the current market where a wholly digital library is viable is excellent. Now if Microsoft took this a few steps further and made their digital pricing competitive and encouraged some form of extended free trials or limited play refunds then I think I could see myself going digital as well.
 

Roitorb

Member
The only issue for me is cost. Retail games drop like a brick in price. Digital? Not so much. It eliminates competition as you can only buy on Xbox live as well.
 
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mckmas8808

Banned
Microsoft will add a lending program as their original intent in 2013. Re: renting that's Game Pass. I doubt any company will offer individual game rentals.

Which is why I will always want the option to have discs. I don't "want" to rely on internet connectivity just to rent games all the time. And like Roitorb Roitorb said game prices for going all digital will mean the "people" can't set the market price for used games.
 
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gspat

Member
If the Disc drive is $25 taking it out of the design wouldn't be just to save $25 , they will also save money because the size is going to be smaller.

Exactly how much smaller do you really think it would be?

The drive itself is fairly small. Maybe about as thick as your thumb.
 

cryptoadam

Banned
If you want Game pass then this is a no brainer, especially with MS 1st party going day 1.

The only reason someone would buy a base Xbox today is because they want MS 1st party, if not just buy a PS4. So if you don't want an X and want MS 1st party, then GP is the best option and you don't need a disc drive for GP.

But this thing needs to be 149 or less.
 

Three

Member
Pay per month. Hardware is free. You can't play used games. The cost of including an optical drive is 18$ in the BOM. Is $18 dollars worth not being able to buy a used game?
This is no doubt a way of offering subscription hardware. Because at least that way you are sure to make money on giving the hardware away.
 

onQ123

Member
Exactly how much smaller do you really think it would be?

The drive itself is fairly small. Maybe about as thick as your thumb.

Going to 7nm & removing unneeded parts could get them somewhere in between Xbox One S & Nvidia Shield / Apple Tv



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