• 2 min read
Xbox tests disc-to-digital plan as Sony drops discs
Microsoft is reportedly testing a way to turn Xbox discs into digital licenses, potentially easing a move to all-digital consoles.
Image: Gizmodo
Sony’s plan to end physical discs for PlayStation starting in 2028 drew an immediate backlash. Now Microsoft may be preparing a very different transition strategy for Xbox.
According to The Verge, Xbox has been testing a program codenamed Positron that would let players digitize Xbox One and Xbox Series X game discs by linking them to an Xbox account and generating a digital license. If a game supports it, that license could also enable access through Xbox Cloud Gaming, while the original disc would still remain playable.
The reported system would also preserve some of the flexibility of physical media. Insiders familiar with the matter told The Verge that players could still buy, sell, or lend discs. If a disc is inserted into another Xbox console, the license would move to that console’s associated account and be removed from the previous owner’s.
Last week, Xbox Insider lead Brad Rossetti suggested something new may be close. In a post on July 10, 2026, he said console flighting had been paused as the team prepared for the following week, which could hint that Xbox Insiders may soon test Positron.
“XBOX Insiders on console, as you have seen we paused flighting this week as we prep for week next. Thanks for being patient! The wait is worth the wait, I promise.”
It is still unclear whether the next-generation Xbox, reportedly codenamed Project Helix, will include a disc drive. But if Microsoft follows Sony toward an all-digital future, Positron could make that shift easier for players with large physical libraries.
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There are limits. Internal testers told The Verge that not all Xbox One games will be supported, depending on when and how they were manufactured. And if Project Helix ships without a disc drive, players would still need an older console to digitize their discs.
Even with those caveats, the reported feature would give Xbox a more consumer-friendly path into a disc-less future than Sony has outlined so far.
Culture Editor
Maya explores gaming, streaming, and the internet as a place where people actually live. From deep-dives into creator economies to the anthropology of digital communities, she tracks platform drama and cultural shifts so you don't have to. She believes the best tech stories are fundamentally about human behavior.
via Gizmodo
