- Microsoft once tested true digital ownership before the Xbox One era, but it discarded the idea.
- The features would have included digital gifting and recycling digital titles.
- Xbox users could also have had the ability to swap discs at retail stores for digital versions instead.
As digital games dominate, Xbox is joining other major conglomerates that are pulling away from physical media. The brand is now testing a disc-to-digital program, which lets you convert physical discs into digital licenses to help users transition.
However, a reliable insider reveals that Microsoft was even testing true digital ownership in 2011. Before the Xbox One console came out, the conglomerate was exploring several features that would have given gamers more control over their bought digital titles.
Why it matters: Microsoft had pretty nifty ideas for the Xbox One digital ecosystem that would have given gamers true digital ownership. With the emergence of the disc-to-digital program, Microsoft may recreate some of these other scrapped ideas over time.
As revealed by industry insider Tom Warren in The Verge report, Xbox was tinkering with features like digital gifting, recycling digital titles, and letting users swap discs at retail stores for a digital version instead.
However, the shaky Xbox One launch with its always-online requirement made the company scrap these ideas. That controversial requirement was a part of Microsoft’s attempt to allow for digital game sharing and trading at a time when the market was just unprepared.
These details have also made users argue that Microsoft was quite ahead in terms of its plans for digital gaming. Regardless, Xbox has now revisited one of these features in the form of its disc-to-digital program.
Xbox users have praised the new program, especially since Sony has done nothing similar despite announcing its decision to end disc production of first-party titles starting in 2028.
Therefore, Microsoft could also revive some of the other features that it had to scrap in the past to make digital gaming more transparent.
Do you think Microsoft will bring true digital ownership to the Xbox ecosystem as it moves away from physical media over the coming years, or is that just a pipe dream? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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