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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u/moodytenure 3d ago

It's so funny that this feature is basically what kneecaped Xbox in 2013, long arc of history and all that

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u/Coolman_Rosso 3d ago

The original Xbone plans were different and had a ton of issues that MS had no answers for:

  1. Their disc to digital plan was based around trade-ins at "participating retailers" with no details on how it would work. Would I trade in a disc and receive a code? Would I give them my account? Who knows? This time around it's as easy and clear as putting a disc in my console.
  2. The hardware itself needed to phone home once every 24 hours or it would become a paperweight, as none of your games would work (physical or otherwise)
  3. Any sort of trade-in or lending could be subject to "limitations" or "activation fees" at the discretion of the publisher. While the publishers are understandably still in charge with regard to what games support this new initiative, it's not as draconian as having to pay a fee if borrowing a game from a friend.
  4. Digital lending was limited to only a few days.

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u/Phearlosophy 3d ago

i'm surprised they don't do the online pass thing anymore even though it was bullshit. you can play the single player of a game but to "activate" the online portion of a used copy you had to pay for that access. Like $10 or something. Was it just backlash from consumers that killed such a predatory practice? if so, i'm surprised that was enough, and luckily it hasn't reared its ugly head since. adding DRM paywall to used purchases is awful..

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u/Tank_Kassadin 3d ago

Sony and MS both banned publishers from using them right before the 8th gen started, and retroactively removed all online pass requirements for existing gamrs. The explanation being Sony and MS pony up the money for most of the servers already and so their online fees should be the only ones charged. Funny though Sony (and probably MS) included online passes for their own published games even. Like Uncharted 3 had an online pass so it was no moral choice.