Xbox Testing Disc-to-Digital Feature Days After Sony Announces End of PlayStation Discs
Microsoft is testing a new “disc-to-digital” feature for Xbox, allowing players to convert physical discs into digital entitlements linked to their accounts. The program supports Xbox One and Series X discs, includes Cloud Gaming and Play Anywhere compatibility, and raises questions about whether the next-gen Xbox will ship with a disc drive.
Microsoft has been testing a new "disc-to-digital" feature for Xbox since May, according to a report from The Verge. This comes around the same time Sony announced it will stop producing physical discs for PlayStation games released after January 2028. .
How the feature works
Under the program, a player inserts a physical game disc into an Xbox console and plays it as usual. The system then grants the player a "digital entitlement" for that game, linked to their Microsoft account and tied to the specific disc used.
The digital copy can be transferred between Microsoft accounts and Xbox profiles along with the physical disc. This means a player can still lend the disc to a friend or resell it, and the digital entitlement moves with it. A single disc cannot be used to activate multiple digital copies for different accounts at the same time.
Which discs are eligible
Only Xbox One and Xbox Series X discs will be supported. Xbox 360 and original Xbox discs are not included in the program. Not all Xbox One games are expected to work either. Microsoft has told testers that eligibility depends on how and when a disc was manufactured.
Additional features
Games compatible with Xbox Cloud Gaming can be streamed under this program for Game Pass members. The feature is also said to support Xbox Play Anywhere, extending compatibility to PC and handheld devices.
Next-generation console plans
It remains unconfirmed whether Xbox's next console, known as Project Helix, will include a disc drive. According to the report, Microsoft has not finalised this decision. Windows Central reports that its sources indicate the next-generation Xbox will not include a disc drive.
The Xbox Series S currently ships without a disc drive, and an all-digital version of the Series X is also available.
Announcement timeline
Microsoft has not yet made the disc-to-digital program public and may officially announce it in the coming months. The report notes that Xbox is currently expecting mass layoffs within the division.
Published By : Priya Pathak
Published On: 2 July 2026 at 11:44 IST