- Xbox Project Helix was planned to feature a disc drive at one point.
- This would make it gain an edge over PlayStation 6.
- This decision would result in Xbox winning the majority of consumers as Sony heads in the opposite direction.
Physical media is slowly fading away, and Sony’s recent decision to end disc production by 2028 was the final nail in the coffin. This decision has sparked quite a debacle in recent times, and the PSN also going down at the same time period raised the question of whether an all-digital future is reliable.
Now, it’s unknown whether Xbox will follow in PlayStation’s footsteps. Still, a recent report has suggested that the upcoming Project Helix was supposed ot feature a disc drive at some point to gain an edge over the release of PlayStation 6.
Why it matters: Xbox has been playing catch-up to PlayStation for quite some time now. This is the last chance they’ll ever get in the hardware department, so they need to make the most of it to outpace Team Blue.
In the latest Digital Foundry weekly podcast, host John Linneman claimed that he heard from a few sources that Xbox Project Helix planned to include a disc drive to gain an advantage over PlayStation 6.
Linneman further added that Xbox wants all of its games playable on the newer platform and disc sales aren’t the driving factor behind this decision.
This implies that PlayStation 6 will be disc-less, even though previous reports stated that it would feature a separate disc attachment — that no longer seems to be the case, more evidenced by Sony’s commitment to an all-digital future.
Also, Project Helix’s plans to feature a disc were before Asha Sharma took over, and it’s likely that the plans may have changed by now. Still, judging by recent Xbox initiatives to preserve older games via a backward compatibility program and an Xbox 360 emulator on PC, it’s likely that they’ll stick with this decision.
However, we can’t rule out the fact that Project Helix is a PC-hybrid and is rumored to be an expensive machine, so adding the disc drive would raise the price a bit higher than expected.
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[Staff Writer]
Shaheer is currently pursuing a Business degree while also working as a part-time Content Writer. With his deep passion for both writing and video games, he has seamlessly transitioned into a role as a Journalist. Over the past two years, Shaheer has contributed as a freelancer to various websites and landed positions on acclaimed platforms like Gamerant. Currently, his role at Tech4gamers is as a Features Writer, but he also covers News occasionally. Shaheer’s favorite gaming franchises are Assassin’s Creed and the God of War series.
Get In Touch: shaheerzahid03@gmail.com
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