A new Xbox is in progress. It will be available before E3 2019. No, we are not talking about the Xbox Two or the machine called the next generation of Microsoft. Instead, we're on the all-digital version of the Xbox One S.
Yes, you read that, all digital. As in, there are no disks. Without physical support. All downloads.
It's scary, isn't it?
Of course not. We've been seeing the gun barrel dubbed "Discless Future Gaming" for years now, and Microsoft made the leap at a time when gamers are finally ready to embrace it. This does not mean that the players are feliz The defense of physical media is one that has been reduced to nothing for years, to the point that, for players other than collectors, it is anything but relevant.
Aside from the love of owning a physical object, the modern evolution of game distribution, for better and worse, has made physical media virtually obsolete. We used to be able to add a new game to a console and start it almost as soon as it was out of its cellophane wrapper. But now, there will be an inevitable fix to download from 3am 20gb a day one fix for all the bugs that the developers haven't fixed before the shipping time is up. has been respected.
The same goes for bringing a game to a friend: unless you're ready to go through a lengthy download screen the first time, you're better off sticking with your own libraries.
Attention to recovery.
The disc's only value remains on the used market, where you can trade or sell games to support your next purchase. But even then, with the gradual rise of games as a service, you may have lost unique content codes containing new games, or you'll have to invest in continuous content loss for downloadable content. that keep games like Destiny 2 alive.
The Division 2 was a huge success with only a fraction of the physical sales of its predecessor. Image Credit: Ubisoft
And remember, if you really want to help the developers of the games you play, the upsell market is deadly - they don't get any reduction in sales of a downsell game.
Digital distribution also has advantages, of course. A pre-order can be pre-loaded on console before going live so that, unlike physical media, year Play a game at the time of publication.
You can switch from one downloaded game to another without getting up to change the disc. And, for smaller developers, the digital distribution route is a more cost-effective way to bring their products to your console without the cost of physical media. While digital discounts are common, digital downloads unfortunately cost the same as their physical counterparts, if not more.
If you really want to support the developers of the games you play, the opportunity market is deadly for them.
All taken into account, while you may want to make a case for the existence of physical game media, it's really just a defense born out of nostalgia for a way of playing that no longer exists.
The numbers make it easier for players to switch from physical preferences to digital preferences. The Division 2 was one of the great successes of the year in the field of games. It was number one on the UK charts for the week beginning March 11. But he only managed to move 20%. Physical copies managed by the first title. Does this mean that the British player base has gone elsewhere? Of course not, they just migrated to digital.
The key is Game Pass
We've been talking for a long time about an Xbox Discless console, rumors of which date back to the launch of the Xbox One itself. But where neither Microsoft's public nor its services were ready for the transition in late 2013, both are now well positioned to accept or even accept changes.
Microsoft's fantastic Xbox Games Pass is the key to this equation. For a reasonable monthly price, gamers have access to more than 100 Xbox One titles (nearly 200 at the time of writing), ready to download on their consoles. And that also comes with the promise that all Microsoft games will be available via Game Pass the same day they hit stores.
Paired with a cheaper hardware option in the form of the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition, it lowers the barrier to entry for new and non-gamers alike, with a ready-to-play library of games.
The new Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is an all-digital package, combining the benefits of Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold (which unlocks online games and offers a handful of digital download games to subscribers each month) in one cold month , which is more affordable at a rate of 25% than paying for both individually.
It's recurring revenue for Microsoft, much more than betting gamers to buy a game every month. This is especially true when considering the "inactive" subscriber: the person who signs up for a service and leaves payments in the background, regardless of whether the offer is .
Does this mean that the Xbox Two will also remove a disc drive? This is unlikely, especially in light of the recent PS5 specs. Sony's console will always have a disc drive, and not just to support their upward compatibility program.
Blu-ray discs are still a useful way to transfer data, as they minimize the initial download a game needs when it's opened. A disk can also be used to stream additional resources. That's why Red Dead Redemption 2 comes with an installation disc and a playing disc.
But the record's death is almost assured and the last nail in its coffin will flow. Sony, Microsoft and even Google with their Stadia service are investing in a future where even downloads will be a thing of the past, not to mention the box you can host them in on your TV.
All you need is an input device, a screen, and the willingness to leave the physical world.