Why Xbox is digitising physical game collectionsThe key motivation behind the feature is preservation and flexibility. According to Jason Ronald, Microsoft’s Vice President of Next Generation at Xbox, players have spent decades building libraries that include both physical and digital games, and the company wants those libraries to move forward with them. Microsoft says the new system gives physical discs some of the advantages associated with digital purchases without making the original disc unusable.Once a supported disc has been used to claim its digital entitlement, players can access supported digital features such as Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Cloud Gaming. That could make selected games more convenient to access across the Xbox ecosystem, including on PC or through cloud streaming where those features are supported. The physical disc itself continues to work as before.The timing is also significant. Physical game media is increasingly under pressure as publishers and platform holders shift towards downloads and streaming. For players with large disc collections, a system that connects those purchases to digital access could reduce concerns about future hardware compatibility. Microsoft says it will begin with thousands of titles and add more over time, although not every game will be supported at launch.The digitisation process StepWhat players need to do1. Check compatibilityConfirm that the physical game is among the supported Xbox One or Xbox Series X disc-based titles. Not every game will be eligible.2. Insert the discPut the supported physical game disc into an Xbox One or Xbox Series X console.3. Launch the gameStart the game from the console while the disc is inserted.4. Claim the entitlementFollow the on-screen process to claim the digital entitlement associated with the supported disc.5. Use digital featuresOnce claimed, supported games can benefit from features such as Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Cloud Gaming.6. Keep the discThe physical disc remains usable and continues to work as it did before the entitlement was claimed.Microsoft says the process will be available first to Xbox Insiders from August 31. The company has not said that every Xbox disc will qualify, and its initial announcement specifically refers to most Xbox One and Xbox Series X disc-based games. It has also not confirmed support for original Xbox or Xbox 360 discs in this programme.What happens to the physical disc after conversionDigitising a game does not mean players have to give up the physical copy. Microsoft says the disc will continue to work exactly as it did before the digital entitlement was claimed. This distinction is important because the programme is effectively adding a digital entitlement to an existing physical purchase rather than replacing the disc altogether.However, the entitlement is tied to the specific physical disc. Reporting on Microsoft's announcement indicates that the entitlement can move between accounts if the physical game changes hands, meaning the system does not simply create a permanent, independent digital licence that can remain with the original account after the disc is sold or transferred. This makes the physical copy an important part of the entitlement relationship.