Analyst Predicts: Next Xbox to Ditch Discs, Sony to Follow
With the continuous advancement of gaming and internet technology, digital games have become increasingly popular. For instance, the recently released “Hellblade 2” no longer offers a physical edition. For game developers, releasing purely digital versions can significantly reduce costs, leading many industry experts to believe that an all-digital era of gaming is inevitable. Recently, according to a report by Tech4Gamers, analyst Mat Piscatella boldly predicted on social media that the next generation Xbox is likely to be a purely digital platform, with Sony expected to follow suit.
In discussing the decision not to release the collector’s edition of Tomb Raider Remastered on Xbox, Piscatella pointed out that players should soon become accustomed to a market without physical editions for Xbox. He further elaborated that Sony’s next-generation PlayStation platform will adopt a similar approach, while Nintendo may continue to support physical games for the next two generations of its consoles.
Attentive readers following the console market may have noticed that Xbox has been aggressively pushing its digital agenda recently. This began with strong support for the Xbox Game Pass (XGP) service and continued with the release of purely digital consoles during the Xbox One generation. Although Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, has expressed a desire for Xbox consoles not to become purely digital platforms, Tech4Gamers argues that the Xbox team often contradicts their statements through their actions, positioning Xbox as the platform most actively embracing change.
At the Xbox Showcase held earlier this month, Microsoft unveiled three new Xbox series consoles, two of which are purely digital platforms. These include the 2TB storage Xbox Series X black disc version, the 1TB storage Xbox Series X white digital version, and the 1TB storage Xbox Series S white version. Notably, the Xbox Series X white digital version has undergone internal modifications, featuring a custom SoC manufactured using a 6nm process, reducing power consumption by 15%, and is equipped with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2.
