After PlayStation 6, the next-generation Xbox may also be pushing players toward a more digital future, although the fate of its disc drive is not officially decided yet.

On July 1, Sony unexpectedly announced that no physical discs will be manufactured for new PlayStation games from January 2028. The announcement stirred up PlayStation fans because many interpreted it as a sign that PlayStation 6 could arrive as an all-digital system.

Sony did not state that directly, but the timing of its physical-disc transition naturally turns attention toward the next generation. Windows Central reports that Microsoft may be moving in a similar direction: the next Xbox, codenamed Project Helix, could reportedly be designed without a disc drive as well.

This is not an official Microsoft announcement for now. The report also claims the company may be exploring a disc-to-digital system called Positron, which could convert certain physical Xbox One and newer games into digital entitlements tied to a user’s Microsoft account.

If such a system becomes reality, inserting a disc could grant digital access to the game, although the service would also need to address issues around lending, transfers, and the second-hand market. Its exact details remain unofficial.

As painful as this may be for players who prefer physical games, the industry trend has clearly been shifting toward digital sales. Boxed-game sales have been falling for years while digital purchases account for an ever-growing share of PC and console spending.

Console hardware decisions also reflect that change. The PlayStation 5 Digital Edition has long been part of Sony’s lineup, while Xbox Series S launched without an optical drive from the start. Microsoft and Sony are not abandoning physical formats overnight, but are responding to a consumer shift that has been developing for years.

Price is likely to be another major factor. Rising costs for memory and storage components could make it harder to keep next-generation consoles affordable, and removing a Blu-ray drive is one hardware-saving option that may reduce manufacturing costs.

The counterargument remains powerful. People who still buy physical media usually know exactly why they do it. They include collectors, players with limited bandwidth, and consumers in markets where digital prices are less competitive.

Leaving that audience behind completely remains a serious decision even if the spreadsheets suggest that a digital future is more economical. It is no accident that physical games and the used market were already central points of debate around the heavily criticized original Xbox One plans in 2013.

Source: WCCFTech, Windows Central