Xbox unveils disc-to-digital feature designed to digitize existing physical games

[Shawn Knight]

In a nutshell: Microsoft has formally announced a disc-to-digital feature aimed at giving players more flexibility in how they access their games. The feature, which first hit the rumor mill in early July, is scheduled to launch for Xbox Insiders later this month.

To claim a digital copy of a game, simply insert a supported disc into your Xbox One or Xbox Series X and launch the title. Once claimed, you'll be able to leverage the benefits of digital, including support for Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Cloud Gaming when applicable.

Jason Roland, VP of Next Generation, said the feature is part of Microsoft's broader commitment to game preservation. Most Xbox One and Xbox Series X disc-based games will be compatible with the feature, the executive added, with thousands of titles supported out of the gate.

Physical games that have been redeemed for digital copies will continue to work as they always have. Notably, disc licenses are tied to a user's Microsoft account, so you can't just swap games with friends to build a limitless digital library. When a physical game changes ownership, its digital license will go with it.

Sony ticked off consumers earlier this summer when it announced plans to stop making physical PlayStation games starting in 2028. The company said demand for digital media has significantly outpaced that of physical games, and that its new policy would better align with how the community prefers to access and play games. Given the enormous amount of pushback, one has to wonder if Sony is now reconsidering.

Microsoft hasn't officially chimed in on the matter. Initiatives like disc-to-digital certainly appear to put consumers first, and we wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft remains silent on the subject for as long as possible. Ultimately, however, Xbox will probably follow in Sony's footsteps and transition to digital-only releases – it's just a matter of when, not if.

Insiders can try out the new feature starting August 31. No word yet on when disc-to-digital will be available for everyone else.

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Xbox unveils disc-to-digital feature designed to digitize existing physical games

 

[Steveb8189]

This is a pretty nice feature. Shame you can't do it with Xbox 360 games too though.

 

[LordVile95]

This is a pretty nice feature. Shame you can't do it with Xbox 360 games too though.

Wouldn’t be surprised if backwards compatible 360 disks work if it’s doable

 

[NumberNine]

If someone could get in the middle of this they could spoof whatever data is keyed into the disk and get whatever they want.

 

[yRaz]

If someone could get in the middle of this they could spoof whatever data is keyed into the disk and get whatever they want.

No, there is a unique key on the disk. What they aren't telling you is that you have to disable the key on your account before you can transfer it to someone else's hands. So, say you're MS account gets banned or hacked, your physical disks won't work on other Xboxs that are connected to the Internet. This is walking a very fine line of selling you a physical box with a digital key in it. It's also most exactly like Nintendo is doing with their games on the switch 2. Instead of you entering the key manually the disk enters it for you

 

[PXAbstraction]

This is a pretty nice feature. Shame you can't do it with Xbox 360 games too though.

I thought I read somewhere that Microsoft said it could be possible later. Could be wrong though. 360 disc games would have to have the same unique identifiers as One/Series games and I'm not sure if they do or not.

 

[PXAbstraction]

Xbox continues to make a number of bafflingly reckless decisions to accommodate Satya Nadella's desperate need to keep feeding the AI bubble while also keeping Microsoft's earnings growing. This though, is a pretty great program and made at a very smart moment.

 

[AndreV]

This is a pretty nice feature. Shame you can't do it with Xbox 360 games too though.

In Xbox 360 console you can, its called RGH, Bad Avatar and/or Bad Update. The last two are quite easy. On Xbox One/Series console it will come at a later date.

 

[AndreV]

No, there is a unique key on the disk. What they aren't telling you is that you have to disable the key on your account before you can transfer it to someone else's hands. So, say you're MS account gets banned or hacked, your physical disks won't work on other Xboxs that are connected to the Internet. This is walking a very fine line of selling you a physical box with a digital key in it. It's also most exactly like Nintendo is doing with their games on the switch 2. Instead of you entering the key manually the disk enters it for you

Since the whole thing is always-online dependent, It could also be automatic - you digitized the game disc on your console/account and then give the disc your buddy, when he insert the disc in his console, the game digitized to his account and gets canceled in yours.

 

[yRaz]

Since the whole thing is always-online dependent, It could also be automatic - you digitized the game disc on your console/account and then give the disc your buddy, when he insert the disc in his console, the game digitized to his account and gets canceled in yours.

Nintendo has already started account locking some physical media under piracy concerns. They don't have the market share that Xbox currently has but remember, it will always be one update away that you never consented to

 

[NumberNine]

No, there is a unique key on the disk. What they aren't telling you is that you have to disable the key on your account before you can transfer it to someone else's hands. So, say you're MS account gets banned or hacked, your physical disks won't work on other Xboxs that are connected to the Internet. This is walking a very fine line of selling you a physical box with a digital key in it. It's also most exactly like Nintendo is doing with their games on the switch 2. Instead of you entering the key manually the disk enters it for you

Where there's a CDN, there's a way.

 

[airbornex]

This is actually a pretty clever bridge between physical ownership and an increasingly digital ecosystem. The important part is making sure the system doesn't eventually turn into Sorry, authentication servers retired, your disc is now a coaster.

 

[The Talking Tech]

While a "nice" feature... Microsoft is not telling you yet the restrictions you will face by doing so.

 

[Subset6]

This is a nice way to go. Should take it a step further and have game developers upload official box and disc art with digital purchases. Heck why Sony is not just selling a “PS printer” specifically for this debacle is beyond me /shrug.

 

[PXAbstraction]

While a "nice" feature... Microsoft is not telling you yet the restrictions you will face by doing so.

When it was first "leaked" in testing, you were only able to bind each disc to one account (duh) but you could unbind or reassign it to another account at any time, so you could lend the game, sell it, trade it or whatever. I assume that's still the case. If not then yeah, this isn't worth much.

 

[The Talking Tech]

When it was first "leaked" in testing, you were only able to bind each disc to one account (duh) but you could unbind or reassign it to another account at any time, so you could lend the game, sell it, trade it or whatever. I assume that's still the case. If not then yeah, this isn't worth much.

As long as the physical game license can be transferred allowing it to be resold, or gifted then it will be fine otherwise as you said...No Thank You.

 

[Steveb8189]

In Xbox 360 console you can, its called RGH, Bad Avatar and/or Bad Update. The last two are quite easy. On Xbox One/Series console it will come at a later date.

That’s not remotely the same thing though. RGH/Bad Avatar/Bad Update are exploits used to mod a 360 and run unsigned code. They don’t magically turn your physical disc into a digital license tied to your Microsoft account.

So saying “you can do it on 360” because you can hack the console is comparing apples to a hacked Xbox. The new Xbox feature is an actual licensing system, not “install an exploit and hope for the best.”

 

[PXAbstraction]

As long as the physical game license can be transferred allowing it to be resold, or gifted then it will be fine otherwise as you said...No Thank You.

Definitely. I mean, letting people who have physical games continue to use them on future hardware that will inevitably have no disc drive is a good thing regardless but it shouldn't bind the disc to you indefinitely and it doesn't look like that's the case.

 

[mbrowne5061]

Wouldn’t be surprised if backwards compatible 360 disks work if it’s doable

I would imagine that if the game is offered digitally at this point, it can be technically made to work - and pretty much every 360 game had a digital version, AFAIK. The main challenge is probably hammering out licensing deals with whomever the current IP holder is.

"spend a bunch of billable hours with your legal team so we can implement this new feature with a game you no longer make any money on" is going to be a tough sell to most rights holders.

 

[LordVile95]

I would imagine that if the game is offered digitally at this point, it can be technically made to work - and pretty much every 360 game had a digital version, AFAIK. The main challenge is probably hammering out licensing deals with whomever the current IP holder is.

"spend a bunch of billable hours with your legal team so we can implement this new feature with a game you no longer make any money on" is going to be a tough sell to most rights holders.

I think the issue is have the licences work and if 360 discs have identifying licence codes. If the disc doesn’t have a licence you can’t transfer it over to digital. Otherwise you’d just be able to grant as many licences per disc as you’d like. You also can’t write a code to the disc as the Xbox drives are read only

 

[mbrowne5061]

I think the issue is have the licences work and if 360 discs have identifying licence codes. If the disc doesn’t have a licence you can’t transfer it over to digital. Otherwise you’d just be able to grant as many licences per disc as you’d like. You also can’t write a code to the disc as the Xbox drives are read only

I had always assumed each disc had a unique license on it, even in the 360 era. Without some kind of unique identifier, I would imagine it would be almost trivial to copy the discs for piracy reasons.

 

[LordVile95]

I had always assumed each disc had a unique license on it, even in the 360 era. Without some kind of unique identifier, I would imagine it would be almost trivial to copy the discs for piracy reasons.

You have other methods of DRM. Also the 360 didn’t start life as an always online console so they didn’t design it to phone home to play a game