The next Xbox, codenamed Project Helix, is currently surrounded by questions. We have an idea of how the console-PC hybrid will work, but confirmed details are scarce. One question is how the next Xbox will handle physical games.
There’s a good chance that the next Xbox won’t have a disc drive, although that hasn’t been officially confirmed yet. If so, Microsoft will need to find a way to make discs from previous consoles playable on the next Xbox.
Out of nearly 800 votes, a combined 79% of participants expressed interest in the idea.
42% of voters said “Yes” when asked if they would replace their discs. Another 37% said “Maybe” while noting that they would need to learn more about how the system works.
15% of voters said they would not convert their discs to digital licenses. Another 7% said they don’t own Xbox discs.
I remember when Microsoft first mentioned the possibility of a disc-to-digital system. At the time, many were outraged by this idea and fought passionately for the importance of virtual media.
It’s interesting to see how opinions change over time. Many get upset when laptops ditch disc drives. Laptop makers can be laughed at now for including a disk drive, except for the worst categories.
On the Windows Central subreddit, gamers are sharing their thoughts about the potential disc-to-digital system.
“That’s cool,” said Reddit user LionAlhazred. “I’ve been fully digital for many years now because I play on Xbox, PC, and mobile PCs. A program that allows you to convert mobile games to digital licenses would be great for me.”
Comment on our original post by fatpunkslim make a disc conversion case:
“It’s a good idea to be able to convert physical games to digital versions for the simple reason that they’re easy to use and because physical media also have a limited lifespan. Depending on how well you take care of your discs (scratches, exposure to light), a disc may become obsolete after 5-10 years.”
If Microsoft allows gamers to convert discs into digital licenses, there are questions about what will happen to the original discs. Microsoft will need to prevent people from converting the discs and then selling the discs, which will effectively make a copy of the game.
On the other hand, selling games is an important option, so Microsoft will need to have a way to close the digital license. Since Microsoft has considered having a disc-to-digital system for several generations, much of the groundwork has been done.
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