Do You Think Microsoft Will Phase Out Physical Games?

[GameOn]

There is no doubt that digital games offer convenience and on top of that, you don't have to spend money on game hardwares. You can play your favorite in just a click of a button. But it lacks ownership as you might wake up one day and not find your favorite game again.

Recently, I heard a rumor that Microsoft is phasing out physical games. Is this true?

[killamch89]

You're absolutely right about the convenience of digital games, but the risk of losing access is a big issue. Ownership should be a priority for gamers, and I hope Microsoft finds a way to balance digital convenience with the rights of players. I also heard it mentioned somewhere but most companies are heading in that direction unfortunately.

[Ravenfreak]

If any of the big companies decide to switch to digital only, I will be done with them. I prefer physical copies, I only got a Series S since it was decently priced but I made sure to keep my Xbox One S so I could play my physical games. Sadly it does seem like the companies might be heading this way, that's what happened with PC gaming. It's rare for any new computer to come with a optical drive these days.

[The Blackangel]

Sooner or later, all platforms will phase out physical media and go entirely digital. We can already see it happening with the PS5 digital and Xbox Series S consoles. Nintendo is halfway there. A lot of titles are exclusively digital. AAA titles and Nintendo exclusives are still available either way.

For me personally, I prefer physical media. I still buy CD’s. And with the systems out now, I just don’t get the point of digital only. Even if you never use it, I think it makes more sense to get a console that can run discs. You may never need it, but to intentionally deny yourself the option just doesn’t make sense to me. For example I have RDR2 on disc, but if I was to buy a digital system, I would have to buy the game all over again.

[killamch89]

On 10/15/2024 at 8:52 PM, The Blackangel said:

Sooner or later, all platforms will phase out physical media and go entirely digital. We can already see it happening with the PS5 digital and Xbox Series S consoles. Nintendo is halfway there. A lot of titles are exclusively digital. AAA titles and Nintendo exclusives are still available either way.

For me personally, I prefer physical media. I still buy CD’s. And with the systems out now, I just don’t get the point of digital only. Even if you never use it, I think it makes more sense to get a console that can run discs. You may never need it, but to intentionally deny yourself the option just doesn’t make sense to me. For example I have RDR2 on disc, but if I was to buy a digital system, I would have to buy the game all over again.

Nintendo is almost there. I think they plan to phase it out by something like 2026? There was a rumor floating around in the last year that this was when Nintendo plans to full switch to all digital.