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Microsoft is reportedly asking a select group of Xbox Insiders how important physical game discs will be for its next-generation Xbox console. The survey, delivered through the Xbox Insider Hub, asks whether the system should let players install games from physical discs, according to findings from Power Up Gaming reported by TechPowerUp.
A question for insiders
The survey presents physical-disc support as a matter of priority, with responses ranging from unnecessary to essential. Microsoft is collecting the feedback for later analysis, so the questionnaire does not confirm that a disc drive or disc-install feature will ship in the next console.
Digital licenses change the trade-off
The survey arrives after Microsoft launched its disc-to-digital program. Under that system, a player inserts a game disc and Microsoft scans its unique key to create a digital license. The resulting license cannot be activated on a third-party console, and the original disc can no longer be rented, lent or sold to another player for activation.
Possible link to Project Helix
Microsoft has described disc-to-digital as part of a broader game-preservation effort, while the report frames it as a possible test for Project Helix. That console is expected to offer full backward compatibility despite reportedly lacking a physical disc drive. The survey could indicate that Microsoft is reconsidering physical media for Helix, or considering it for only some versions, but the source does not establish a final hardware plan.
Ubisoft has reportedly joined the disc-to-digital program, adding another publisher to the digital-license model. The report contrasts Microsoft's direction with Sony's continued reliance on physical discs for a significant share of revenue from exclusive games, but gives no comparable Xbox revenue figure.
Source: Microsoft Surveys Insiders About Physical Discs for Next-Gen Xbox Console
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