Microsoft reportedly tests Xbox disc-to-digital feature for Xbox One and Series discs
Microsoft is reportedly testing a new Xbox feature that would allow users to convert physical games into digital entitlements. The system is said to support Xbox One and Xbox Series X discs, but not Xbox 360 or original Xbox discs.
According to The Verge, the feature works by inserting a compatible disc, installing the game and playing it on an Xbox console while signed into a Microsoft account. This process would grant a digital entitlement for that physical copy.
The license would remain tied to the disc
The report claims the digital entitlement is tied to the specific disc. If the disc is sold or used with another Microsoft account, the digital access would move with it. This would avoid a simple one-time conversion model where users could claim a digital copy and then resell the disc. It also means the physical disc would still act as the proof of ownership, even after the account receives digital access.
I’m told that Microsoft’s disc-to-digital feature will work on Xbox One and Xbox Series X discs only, and not those for the Xbox 360 or original Xbox console.
Getting a digital copy of a game works simply by inserting a compatible disc and installing and playing the game. This will require a Microsoft account on an Xbox console and will grant a digital entitlement for physical games. This digital entitlement is tied to the specific disc, and it will move from account to account if you swap the physical game with a friend or log in to a different Xbox profile and try to play a disc-based game.
— Tom Warren, The Verge
The digital version would behave like a normal Microsoft Store purchase in some cases. If the game supports Xbox Play Anywhere, it could also be available on PC or handheld devices. If the game is part of Xbox Cloud Gaming and the user has the required Game Pass subscription, it could also be streamed.
The Verge reports that bundled discs and multi-disc titles should also be supported. However, Microsoft has reportedly warned internal testers that some older Xbox One discs may not include the required manufacturing data for the program.
Project Helix may not include a disc drive
Windows Central reports that the program has been referred to as “Positron” and says Microsoft has been looking at this system as the company weighs its next Xbox hardware plans.
Microsoft has not confirmed whether Project Helix, the reported next-generation Xbox platform, will include a disc drive. However, both The Verge and Windows Central report that Microsoft has not finalized this decision, while Windows Central says its sources suggest Xbox is leaning away from discs.
This follows Sony’s announcement that physical disc production for all new PlayStation games will end in January 2028. Sony said new games released after that date will be sold through PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital formats only. That policy does not affect games already released on disc, or games that release on disc before January 2028.
Microsoft’s reported system would take a different route. Rather than leaving existing physical libraries behind, Xbox could provide a way to attach newer disc-based games to a user’s digital account. The main limitation is backward compatibility for older physical games, since Xbox 360 and original Xbox discs are reportedly not supported by this feature.
Source: The Verge
