Xbox will soon allow players to convert physical games into digital ones next week as part of its “broader commitment to game preservation.”
The program begins on Aug. 31, but it will roll out only for testing by Xbox Insiders (for now), but Microsoft says the program is starting with “thousands of titles” and it will “continue to add more over time” as it evolves and expands.
“Players have spent decades building their Xbox libraries,” Microsoft said. “Some games were purchased on disc. Some were purchased digitally. Many span multiple generations of hardware. Our goal is to make it easier for those libraries to move forward with players.”
The announcement has been met with a mixture of skepticism and enthusiasm, but I think that this is a solid change for those who still buy physical games. Having the ability to also play the game digitally without needing the disc is a net positive, but I am curious what limitations will be put in place.
“Most Xbox One and Xbox Series X disc-based games support this new feature,” the company explained. “Players can claim a digital entitlement by inserting a supported disc into an Xbox One or Xbox Series X console and launching the game. Once the entitlement is claimed, you can experience the benefits of digital, including Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Cloud Gaming where supported, while your physical disc continues to work exactly as it always has.”
One of my main questions is, if I use my physical disc to get the digital license, can I then lend the disc to someone else to do the same, or sell the disc? Will the digital license be tied to each physical disc, and will that render the disc useless on another Xbox console or profile?
Either way, for now, Xbox One and Series X|S games now have a bit more flexibility than before. If the program eventually includes Xbox 360 and original Xbox games, well, then we’re really talking about some serious preservation that must be applauded. But at the same time, this is another symptom of the “all-digital” future we’re headed towards (including Sony’s abandonment of physical discs altogether), so it appears that path is set in stone.
