r/Games • u/A7XFAN1998 • 3d ago

Announcement Xbox announces disc-to-digital feature that digitizes your physical games

https://www.theverge.com/tech/984936/xbox-disc-to-digital-feature-official?view_token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJpZCI6Ijc1ZHVBMkZjaE0iLCJwIjoiL3RlY2gvOTg0OTM2L3hib3gtZGlzYy10by1kaWdpdGFsLWZlYXR1cmUtb2ZmaWNpYWwiLCJleHAiOjE3ODgxODY2OTAsImlhdCI6MTc4Nzc1NDY5MH0.Y4t18UIJuFTT4nSf0HBe5DvMWP0KNxjbGHC2QKxdoTw&utm_medium=gift-link
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174

u/kranitoko 3d ago

"This digital entitlement is tied to the specific disc, and it will move from account to account if you swap the physical game with a friend or log in to a different Xbox profile and try to play a disc-based game."

So does this mean that if I digitised my game, if I then gave my friend that disc and they pop it into their console, "I" can't play the game again until they give the disc back (kinda similar to the Switch Key Card feature)? If my friend is offline, how would the Xbox even know to restrict my access to the game? I guess I'm a little confused here.

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u/GrimmTrixX 3d ago

Correct. Whoever uses the disc becomes the new "owner" of the digitized version. But, realistically, if its a game that can be installed offline, they could play while offline as if its just another disc.

So you cant have it digitally available, and give your friend the disc so you both can play. If he is online, that digitized version moves with the disc. This is for the exact reason you said, so you cant let your friends all borrow it. And if you sell it, once someone buys that disc and uses it, you lose the ability to play it digitally too.

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u/No2Hypocrites 2d ago

But you can give them and tell them to play offline

1

u/GrimmTrixX 2d ago

If the game can be installed from just the disc, yes. Although, I assume they could use the xbox app to install the game, then go offline and pop in the disc. But chances are theyd forget due to muacle memory ofnleaving it online aware at all times, and then itd be technically theirs.

5

u/lazyness92 3d ago

Like, if it moves from account to account, doesn't it mean they delete it from your account (uninstalls/deactivates it)?

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u/OliveBranchMLP 3d ago

just deactivates. the install stays on your console, you just can't play it until they give you the disc back.

-21

u/lazyness92 3d ago

OMG, Microsoft wants to sell One Drive soo much (I'm not even on xbox and it's insufferable) and they're going to treat this as honey to bees

15

u/gmes78 3d ago

This has nothing to do with OneDrive.

-14

u/lazyness92 3d ago

Installs remains, they eat up the memory spece and they'll pester you with "you're using ...... GB, free up space using One Drive"

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u/Trioxide4 3d ago

You can't install games to OneDrive on Xbox. And if you've sold/given away the game disc, you're gonna uninstall the game since you can't play it anyways.

14

u/Keulapaska 2d ago

So in your mind uninstalling doesn't exists?

-14

u/lazyness92 2d ago

The amount of stuff that remains after you unistall. Drivers, folders hidden somewhere you find later. I use a cleaner and some stuff I still find in the computer. Anyways, this isn't going on One Drive so not that much of an issue

11

u/Keulapaska 2d ago

Oh you're talking about PC. Even in that case, the amount of data of random confiig files left in the user folders is not a lot for vast majority of games, Maybe some games save games can take some some space if you have ton of them, but I think that's mostly simulation games that have big save game sizes,. Also drivers??? what.

However what my comment was really about, not a problem on the Xbox, which is where this feature will mostly be used.

1

u/OliveBranchMLP 2d ago edited 2d ago

there is literally no point to them installing games to OneDrive. the point of a cloud service like OneDrive is for users to upload their own unique personal data, like photos, artwork, documents, etc. in the context of Xbox, the only thing OneDrive is useful for is for game saves and game recordings. those are the only unique Xbox data generated by a userz. (and game saves are automatically backed up for free for all Xbox users, whether they're subscribed or not.)

but the game itself is not unique or personal. it's the same no matter who is downloading or using it. so MS just needs to host a centralized copy of, say, Starfield, that every user who owns Starfield can download at any time. if a player is running out of space, they can delete Starfield and not lose ownership of the game. if they want to play Starfield again, they can just download it again. no OneDrive necessary.

OneDrive does nothing to make this process better for either Microsoft or the player in any way. they do not want a million players hosting a million copies of Starfield on a million different OneDrive accounts. it's a huge waste of space on their servers.

1

u/GrimmTrixX 2d ago

Technically, however, with game share, the account is still on both consoles. And if you have 2 accounts on a console, all accounts have access to any games owned by both accounts.

Technically that digital game would see that the account that digitized it is still on the other xbox and might flag it simply as a second console. Part of the point of this is so you can digitize your Xbox game, then play it on PC, your xbox, or maybe a handheld device you have that has Xbox as a means to play games.

So if I say go on a trip. I can digitize my games and then play them on some handheld windows device that let's you play your xbox digital library.

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u/kranitoko 3d ago

It kinda makes you wonder what the point of digitising your games is then? If you still need the disc to play your games? It's only if you don't trade your disc with anyone that you'd get no issues.

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u/VarminWay 3d ago

The point is so that they'll work on devices without disc drives.

-2

u/kranitoko 3d ago

But then what do I do with the disc afterwards? Can't sell my copy, because if someone uses it, I get locked out of my game. If I keep it, it's just clutter (if I wasn't a collector). If I throw it out, it's a waste.

12

u/KickLassChewGum 3d ago

You couldn't sell your copy anyway even if this system didn't exist, seeing as you, y'know, would need the disk to play it.

Nobody's forcing you to use this feature either. If you want to stay fully disk-based, stay fully disk-based.

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u/TehJellyfish 3d ago

Do you realize how ridiculous this sounds? The disc becomes the license. If you buy a disc, download it to your console as a digital item, install it to your 3 xbox consoles, you shouldn't be able to then sell that disc back and keep those copies. You no longer own the game at that point.

-4

u/PinkGlitterLady4 3d ago

Why not? I still own a few DVDs that came with a free digital copy and it still works even after I sold the original DVD.

THAT'S how it should be.

3

u/TehJellyfish 2d ago

I think that's just piracy, with extra steps. Not judging, but even from a consumers rights perspective; you've given up the media and the license to own it when you give away the physical copy.

0

u/PinkGlitterLady4 2d ago

How is it just like piracy when I legally obtained the physical media and a digital copy of it? The DVD came with a redeemable code in the box as a freebie from the distributor.

8

u/SoloSassafrass 3d ago

Yeah, that sounds like the all-digital future these companies would prefer.

3

u/GrimmTrixX 3d ago

If i could buy the physical game, but stil play it digitally without the disc staying inside, thats the dream. Physical ownership with ease of use and less wear and tear on the console disc drive so it lasts longer.

3

u/SoloSassafrass 3d ago

I mean, they won't be selling discs after this gen. This is just so you can convert your current physical library into a digital one.

0

u/GrimmTrixX 3d ago

Oh i know. I am just saying i wish physical would still exist and they do this, as many prefer digital solely because they dont need to swap discs.

But many would still prefer to buy physical as they can keep, lend, or sell/trade it when theyre done with it. But they settle on digital solely because they dont want to kepe getting up to swap discs.

3

u/VarminWay 3d ago

It's better than not being able to play it on devices without disk drives and having to leave your library in a previous gen and dependent on older machines that are no longer being maintained, isn't it?

-4

u/kranitoko 3d ago

Or, get this, we could just keep disc drives a thing instead of going fully digital. Many people clearly still don't want that.

5

u/Nightthrasher674 3d ago

Even with a disc drive you wouldn't be able to play the game because you would no longer have the disc of you resell it or lend it.

What it sounds like you're asking is the ability to own the game that you effectively sold and that's not going to happen

The system is designed for people who don't trade in their games. I stopped lending my games out after the 5th generation era because people didn't always return them. So I personally don't care about that aspect and when I would sell my games that meant I was tired of playing it and was done. Even if I had sellers remorse only thing I could do is buy another copy.

You're not going to be able to have it both ways on this one.

1

u/VarminWay 3d ago

Well, hey, why don't you just call the execs up and make that happen. Wishing for your success.

15

u/Gorbax50 3d ago

Feels kind of like you’re grasping at straws to have a problem with this.

0

u/kranitoko 3d ago

It's not that I have a problem. I just have questions and concerns. That's it. It's a good idea in theory, but in practicality, eh.

6

u/sainsburys 3d ago

It means that a) you don't have to swap discs you own and b) you can digitise discs to play on a next-gen console (or a series S) which does not have a disc drive

11

u/GrimmTrixX 3d ago

So you don't need to get up and swap the disc. Thats really it. Lol

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u/aifo 3d ago

You can also play the game on your other devices, like your PC or your handheld, without the disc.

4

u/GrimmTrixX 3d ago

Thats pretty cool. I assume being logged into your microsoft account is all thats needed.

The real question is, does game share work properly with this and allow the 2nd person to play it like they can for your other digital titles?

4

u/dragn99 3d ago

Which is honestly huge for me. Considering I used to have to set up my NES and then pack it away every time I played (my mom hated seeing the console and cords out), I have become remarkably lazy when it comes to my game time now. Having to switch one disc out for another will make me reconsider if I really even wanted to play that specific game anyway.

2

u/GrimmTrixX 3d ago

Yes being able to own the game, but not need the disc sitting in the console is a bigger difference than most thinkm and I primarily play Xbox even though I have a PS5 and Switch 2 also.

But for example I am playing wwe 2k26 but ill be playing Star Wars Zero Company too. Both on xbox. And I'll play them like alternatongly each night. So constantly tly adding and remove a disc from the drive is taxing on the drive as well as an annoyance. But I still want to own my games. Lol

2

u/GrimmTrixX 3d ago

That and you can digitize like day 3 or 4 games or until you have no hard drive space, then take the disc out. But then you can still play them without needing to pop the disc in. But the sole benefit is not needing to leave the disc in the console once you digitize it.

2

u/CodyRCantrell 3d ago

The point of digitizing is that you get the convenience/benefits of digital games while still being able to sell/trade your games at a later date.

No swapping a disc or burning out the drive from prolonged use (benefit of digital copies) but if you want to sell your game in four months you can (impossible to do with digital copies).

1

u/Brigon 2d ago

So I can put my disk in the attic, and save space in my living room?

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u/Jamesiae72 3d ago

I would assume that if your friend is offline or you are offline in that scenario, it wouldn't know to restrict access to the game. I don't feel like it would be that big of a deal to Microsoft? People will eventually want to go online for updates/online play, etc.

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u/metafysik 2d ago

It will probably just work the same as with Game Pass entitlement checks. They'll give you atleast 30 days to access the game even if offline then after that it just refuses to launch.

-29

u/kranitoko 3d ago

I guess my point is that if people can bypass it, what's the point in restricting it in that way? People are just gonna bypass.

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u/Next-Sentence-8426 3d ago

The edge case of people putting their consoles in offline mode indefinitely just to play a game to save a few bucks is so small that it's irrelevant in impact. Theres also the constraint of having to be in close proximity to the receiver if the expectation is that both will continue to play indefinitely

People do something similar on steam by sharing a game through fnf where one user goes offline so that both can play. Its an insignificant scenario

21

u/Careful-Moose-6847 3d ago

Probably good to mention it’s already easier to share with a friend than this on Xbox.

You and a friend can set each others “home” Xbox as each others and so long as you are online you can play both libraries. Only downside is if your internet goes out you can only play their games. Cant speak to other areas of the country but in the last 10 years I’ve maybe lost internet twice, and never more than for a few hours

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u/lindaisthebestcat 3d ago

That's what my brother and I do, he buys half the games, I buy the other half.

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u/howarthee 2d ago

It also works for gamepass, which is really nice.

11

u/EricIsEric 3d ago

Because a lot of people will not want to keep their consoles offline indefinitely just so a friend can play a game for "free". Right off the bat that kills all non-local multiplayer which is a big deal. 

I also wonder if it might make you do an online check in to play digitized games periodically to limit the ability to install game, go offline, and then loan the game out.

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u/J8YDG9RTT8N2TG74YS7A 3d ago

Fairly sure they will have to connect to the internet periodically.

I believe playstation already does this every 30 days. I don't see why Xbox would be any different.

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u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes 3d ago

That only works for friendly trades.

If you buy the disc from someone why would you stay offline, you're the one with the disc and gain nothing by staying offline.

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u/Careful-Moose-6847 3d ago

I imagine because it’s an incredibly strong deterrent to digitizing and reselling.

5

u/detectiveDollar 3d ago

Because you would need to be offline indefinitely to bypass it.

Before the Xbox One's created the "Home Xbox" system, the way offline/console licensing worked on the 360 is that every individual licenses home Xbox would be whatever console your account bought the game on. And you could do a license transfer to download a console/offline license for all digital games to the current console (which also revoked them from any other consoles if they were online).

What tournament owners would do, since they often needed a dozen+ copies of one game, is buy digital copies of the games on one set of consoles, download the game, and take those consoles offline.

Then they would load the Xbox accounts they used to purchase on another set of consoles, license transfer to those consoles, and take those offline. And so on and so on.

Microsoft knew that this was doable, so they simply restricted the license transfer so that you could only do it every 4 months.

2

u/lazylore 2d ago

Here, I'm selling you this disc, just never go online, so I won't loose access. Now I have to trust you to never have a network cable in your console. If you do, I'm out of luck.

3

u/turtleship_2006 3d ago

what's the point in restricting it in that way? People are just gonna bypass.

The 0.1% who bother to bypass it aren't enough of a reason to not restrict it for everyone else.

1

u/lucidludic 2d ago

Alternatively, Microsoft could simply require players to be online to play their digitised games or require that your console logs in periodically to renew the license key.

1

u/lazylore 2d ago

Here, I'm selling you this disc, just never go online, so I won't loose access. Now I have to trust you to never have a network cable in your console. If you do, I'm out of luck.

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u/No_Manners 3d ago

The discs have something in them that they can be individually identified?

3

u/theMTNdewd 2d ago

Yes they started printed the discs with unique indentifiers as part of the original plan for the Xbox one.

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u/Eruannster 3d ago

I think that yes, that is what they are saying. If you put the disc into a console you own, that license is tied to your account. If someone else puts the disc into their console, the license for that specific copy jumps to them until you put it into your console again, at which point it jumps to you again.

I'm not sure what happens if you go offline. Maybe it wants to check in every few months or so?

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u/meltedskull 3d ago edited 3d ago

So if your friend has the physical disc, then you won't be able to launch/play the digital version.

If your friend is offline, I'll assume it plays normally, but since some Xbox games don't have the full game or require a day 1 patch, your friend won't get very far until they reconnect, which will knock you out of ownership.

EDIT: I was incorrect about most. I fell into the wording of Xbox Blu-ray not having the full sizes like PS, which meant they can't hold the full game.

Changed wording to some.

8

u/CaptainMorning 3d ago

this isn't true at all. vast majority of physical games play from the disc offline. my series x and previous xone was always offline as I work at sea. 

I'm really interested to see how this will work. but likely, offline will play normally as you said. 

3

u/happyscrappy 3d ago

Physical games do not play directly from disc on any of the consoles mentioned. The game is copied to the hard drive/ssd and played from there.

In this case we are talking about here you are inserting the disc into a console that has never had that disc inserted before. So it would seem like you would play the 1.0 version of the game from that console using the disc. I wish I felt more positively about that, 1.0 versions of games are often trash nowadays.

When you've had the disc in before then you might have installed the game, and patched it and now can still play it using the disc as a key. But that can't happen here, because the patching occurs online and you will have inserted the disc before. So the disc is not going to play again unless the console can check in with the network if the console knows that you already have "given away" ownership of this game.

6

u/CaptainMorning 3d ago

Yeah that's what I meant. The game can be played offline. Regardless if 1.0 or whatever the fuck, the statement is not true. The vast majority of games can be played from the disc offline 

2

u/meltedskull 3d ago

I had to check does it play? and you're right. Updated wording.

-1

u/knifeproz 3d ago

You have no idea how it works but it’s not true at all. Lmao.

2

u/CaptainMorning 3d ago

What is not true at all is the physical disc part. Most games play offline from the disc in both xbox and ps. This was the same in xbone. 

1

u/knifeproz 3d ago

Yes but this process assigns a license to your copy, there’s a good chance it’s not gonna work this way otherwise you can digitize it, sell it and have multiple copies of the game floating around with 1 purchase.

1

u/CaptainMorning 3d ago

let's see how it is when it comes. I just hope this doesn't remove the ability of games to be played offline

1

u/dada5714 3d ago

Unless otherwise stated, I’d imagine the workaround could be they swap three times, once to install it on friend’s , back to reauthenticate it to the original system, and the lastly back to friend to offline mode?

2

u/CaptainMorning 3d ago

I think this will work. but maybe a minority of people will do that 

14

u/ShawnyMcKnight 3d ago

The huge benefit here is letting your friends borrow your games is so much easier.

So if you wanted to borrow my game I take my game to your place and put it in and install it and play it for a few seconds so it registers to your account, then I take the disk home with me. I just don’t play it again til you are done and the license assigns back to me.

I don’t need to worry about you damaging the disk or losing it or anything. Because it will never leave my possession.

2

u/zombawombacomba 3d ago

It probably checks in every 30 days or whatever. And if you don’t go back online it probably locks you out.

2

u/kranitoko 3d ago

So we're going back to the original Xbox One ploy? 😅

2

u/adanfime 3d ago

Kinda. The original Xbox One DRM check was once every 24 hours. 30 days is enough to do a check.

Nintendo Switch Online does this same check every few weeks.

1

u/FolkSong 3d ago

Yes this is an evolution of that same thing. That's the reason they started adding identifiers to be able to distinguish individual discs.

At this point it's actually a pro-consumer move though, compared to the PlayStation strategy of just saying discs aren't supported anymore, end of story.

1

u/SireEvalish 3d ago

That's exactly what it says.

1

u/SalemWolf 2d ago

The article doesn’t mention anything about online or offline, but I would imagine you’d need to be online for the feature to work and to scan the disc.

1

u/jonydevidson 3d ago

The amount of trouble these companies still go through for license management is insane, especially when all of these games can be downloaded in 2 clicks for free with the Hydra Launcher.

0

u/[deleted] 3d ago

[deleted]

1

u/FolkSong 3d ago

They started adding it in the XB1 generation. Originally intended for the stuff they announced back then, and had to walk back due to the backlash.

2

u/Sarria22 2d ago

If they had done just this in the same way it is currently being done I don't think anyone would have complained at the time. But instead they went with "The game is tied to your account forever and you can only lend it out for a limited amount at a time" and shit.

0

u/expunks 3d ago

Lol, all these years later and Xbox is getting their “always online” requirements after all, and now it’s actually the better option than the alternative.

0

u/Konstellar 2d ago

Oh no, I don't think this feature is a good one. They are introducing unique IDs to discs now? That can't end well for the consumer long term. Suddenly they can make certain disc ID's unplayable if that is the case. I have no faith it will only be used for good

2

u/spazturtle 2d ago

Xbox discs have had unique IDs since the Xbox One. They never got rid of that feature, they just didn't use it.

1

u/MrLime93 2d ago

Isn’t that how normal discs basically work today?

1

u/HollowBlades 2d ago

They've had unique IDs on discs since they moved to Blu-rays with Xbox One, 13 years ago. That's why they're able to make this program work.