RUMOR MILL: Hot on the heels of the historic announcement that Sony will cease printing physical PlayStation game discs in 2028, reports indicate that Microsoft might follow suit. However, the Xbox manufacturer is also rumored to be developing a method for accessing old discs in an all-digital future.
Sources recently provided The Verge with new details regarding Microsoft's previously leaked attempts to tie physical copies of Xbox games to digital entitlements. The rumor has reignited speculation over whether Microsoft will follow Sony's decision to stop selling physical games.
The feature, currently in testing, would allow users to register an Xbox One or Xbox Series X disc to a digital license on their Microsoft account after inserting it into a console. The disc remains functional and does not need to be inserted again unless someone inserts it into a console logged into a different account, which will transfer the license.
Additionally, the process enables any features normally tied to a digital Xbox game. If the game is available on Xbox Cloud Gaming, Game Pass subscribers can stream it from other devices, and Xbox Play Anywhere titles will enable access to the PC version. However, certain Xbox One discs might not work.
