The good, the bad, and the ugly of an all-digital disc-less Xbox One S

Rumors are circulating that Microsoft is prepare to unveil a disc-less Xbox One Southward panel in 2022, aimed at condign the cheapest Xbox console nonetheless. The removal of the disc drive volition help Microsoft reduce the manufacturing costs of the panel even farther, making the Xbox ecosystem even more than attainable.

Microsoft attempted to foster a digital-focused future with the Xbox One back in 2022, creating a significant backlash. The Xbox One was supposed to be an always-online console with regular online DRM checks, where concrete games came with a license attached, limiting the repeated resale potential of the title in question. But participating retailers would have been able to "unlock" the disc from your Microsoft account for the sake of resale. Microsoft kicked its plans into bear on after the community rejected Redmond pushing too difficult on digital, contributing to the lead Sony has now with PlayStation 4.

With the by behind it, Microsoft is in one case again exploring the prospect of a digitally-focused console, only is now the right fourth dimension?

Manufacture trends towards digital

NPD compares the physical games market to the digital online i over time.

It's no longer forrad-facing to focus on digital games, because we're already at a signal where digital gaming is the norm. The vast majority of gaming acquirement beyond the board comes from the sales of digital games and associated digital purchases, with physical retail seeing its market place share wane. Last twelvemonth, Activision revealed Destiny two'south sales were more digital, than physical, and that trend has only continued equally we caput towards 2022. Anecdotally, I tin can say that I've used the disc drive inside my Xbox One consoles fewer than xx times total since 2022, and that was almost entirely for Blu-ray.

Building a disc-less SKU is a full no-brainer, and Microsoft volition have telemetry data to suggest few people are really utilizing the bulldoze. The issue has ever boiled downwardly to upsetting brick and mortar retail stores, which remain a powerful forcefulness for the distribution of game sales and, indeed, consoles. Gamestop could turn effectually and cold-shoulder the disc-less Xbox One S if information technology chose to do and then, as they can't scrape actress cash from reselling digital versions of games.

It sounds as though Microsoft may be offering them an olive co-operative with a disc-to-digital program, via participating retailers. The writing has been on the wall for some fourth dimension for brick and mortar outlets similar Gamestop (and GAME in the UK), which have seen failing revenues from boxed sales for what feels like forever at this point. Every bit global internet speeds increment and bandwidth caps grow, the convenience of digital is winning over millions of gamers.

Additionally, cut out the middleman, in this case, brick and mortar retail should see more profits go back into the creative aspects of the gaming industry. More money for publishers and more money for platform holders like Xbox and PlayStation would, in theory, lead to improved quality across the board. Or possibly they'll pass on the savings to the consumer, as we've seen happen with the shift to digital on PC where digital games are far cheaper. Or, execs may just use the savings to purchase themselves a new yacht or two, who knows.

Disc-less should exist an option, not the new dominion

The chief criticism from shifting towards a digital future is that information technology ultimately trends away from consumer agency. If Xbox holds all the digital fries for its games, in that location's less competition, and thus, less capacity to store around and notice a good deal. This is also looking away from the used games market place, which as well allows you to get games far cheaper in some circumstances.

The disc-less Xbox 1 S would exist an selection, not the rule.

If (and it actually is an if) Microsoft's vision is for a fully digital ecosystem, i.e. Steam, Google Play, and the iOS App Shop, they'd take to sell some of us on the value that brings. For some, simply owning concrete games is function of the hobby, having a collection cycling back generations on brandish can be fun (and one I participate in myself).

Thankfully, the disc-less Xbox I Due south would be an option, not the rule. Microsoft isn't going to stop producing concrete games in the nigh term, or fifty-fifty the long term, for the reasons outlined above. Some merely don't take access to proficient cyberspace packages to switch to all-digital, some simply don't want to for sentimental reasons, and some prefer to purchase games used for less. All are valid, and in a way, Microsoft has an opportunity to explore ways to add value for these sorts of gamers likewise.

Microsoft has already vastly expanded its refund program for digital games, for case, to offset some of the limitations inherent with digital purchasing. And as vinyl record sales defiantly continue to grow despite the downtrend in physical music retail, there's certainly a thriving market place out there for people who only want to own a matter and not a packet of data.

It should be an X, non an S

Perhaps the near annoying aspect of this reported panel is the fact it'll be an South, non an Xbox One X, and that's something we've verified with our own sources. The S is the weakest console of this generation disregarding the portable Nintendo Switch, and as we move throughout the generation, information technology is increasingly starting to bear witness its age.

This is a play to meliorate accessibility to the Xbox ecosystem.

Fallout 76 and Battlefield V both suffer immensely on their Xbox One Due south version, compared to other platforms, with squished level-of-particular, and crushed textures. Every bit the panel SKU with the smallest footprint, it feels increasingly as though developers are ignoring total QA testing their games on the S, instead opting to place their resources on the far more powerful Xbox Ane 10.

Ultimately, it boils downwards to price. I have no thought how much greenbacks Microsoft intends (or is able to) shave off the RRP by simply removing the disc drive, simply clearly, this is a play to improve accessibility to the Xbox ecosystem. The cheaper the box becomes, the wider your potential audience becomes, particularly when you throw in Xbox Game Pass, which comes with around 200 high-quality games for just $x per calendar month. A disc-less Xbox One X would provide a better experience for newcomers into the ecosystem, and that'due south where I'd focus my efforts on driving down costs personally, just perhaps we'll see a discless Xbox 1 10 in the time to come too.

Weak digital media store

A disc-less Xbox Ane panel could compete with the likes of an Apple tree Television receiver, Amazon Burn down Stick, and other smart habitation digital media devices, depending on how small it becomes as a result of losing the drive. And while the situation is improving, Microsoft's digital media offering remains weak compared to the competition.

Despite pushing 4K the hardest with a UHD bulldoze in both the Xbox One S and Xbox I 10, Microsoft's own movies and Tv shop remains barren for 4K content. The US shop has the most 4K shows and movies, but the UK has, quite literally, ii movies with a 4K option. Users opting for an Xbox One Due south without a Bluray drive are effectively sacrificing the power to ensure they'll have 4K movies available to watch, with piffling commitment seen on Microsoft'south side when it comes to improving the situation, specially outside the US.

It's a minor gripe though if you don't use Microsoft Movies & TV as Prime Video and Netflix can oft more than make up for it, just information technology'southward a far cry away from the offering Apple consumers savour through iTunes.

More questions than answers

Ultimately, the way Microsoft positions the disc-less Xbox One Southward, if information technology even comes out, is unknown for now. Its popularity will hinge on its cost, its blueprint, and the policies surrounding it. People are withal sore about the mode Microsoft attempted to button an always-online console into people'south living rooms, despite the fact hardly anyone has their Xbox One consoles disconnected from the net for any serious length of time. At that place'southward no reason to recall the discless Xbox One won't follow the same protocols every bit the current consoles, with a local license available to apply offline, and a cloud license available to utilise on other consoles while online, just who knows?

Information technology seems probable that Microsoft volition unveil the discless Xbox One Southward before E3 2022 in June side by side year, where Redmond will instead probably focus its efforts on the quality of its first party games lineup. The earliest prove we've seen of the disc-less Xbox One S dates back to summer 2022, and then it seems like it's been baking for quite a while.

Microsoft is focusing hard on expanding the reach of the Xbox platform, exploring things like deject streaming to phones and tablets, pay-per-month contract options for consoles, and equally we can run across here, cheaper, more than affordable versions of the existing boxes. It's prophylactic to expect to run into further innovations aimed at improving access to the Xbox platform as time goes by.

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