When it comes to consoles like the PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, gamers have the option of choosing between purchasing physical or digital games. There are benefits to both, where some might prefer physical for its collectibility and artwork, while others prefer digital because it’s easier to manage.
However Microsoft could soon take those choices away from gamers, at least according to a report from Thurrott in which apparently Microsoft will be launching an updated Xbox One console in 2019, with the main kicker being that it might be disc-less. This means that this particular console update will only support digital games.
So the question is, what about gamers who have bought mostly physical titles? If the report is true, Microsoft could also be launching a “disc-to-digital” program where you take your games to a participating retailer, and they will let you exchange it for a digital version of the game. The goal here is to launch a potentially cheaper version of the Xbox One, where Microsoft could shave off as much as $100, making it just under $200.
It is unclear if this will be how Microsoft treats all future Xbox consoles moving forwards, but with digital downloads on the rise, we suppose a future where all game releases are purely digital wouldn’t be out of the question, but until then take this report with a grain of salt for now.