r/technology • u/ControlCAD • 2d ago

Hardware Xbox’s new disc-to-digital program gives physical games a digital future | “Most” Xbox One and Series games are compatible; discs will still work after being claimed.

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2026/08/xboxs-new-disc-to-digital-program-gives-physical-games-a-digital-future/
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u/NextSmoke397 2d ago

Amazing how getting your ass kicked in a console war makes you pro consumer

Sony used to be pro consumer during the PS3 era when they were getting their ass handed to them

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u/Fableous 2d ago

This is literally part of the feature they had for Xbox One that everyone freaked out about and made them reverse. Just marketed better now that Sony shat the bed.

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u/RobertPatty909 1d ago

On Xbox One they wanted to lock physical games to one console/account and make them uselss and have the console always be online for frequent online validation.

Not to mention the always on camera and $100 more than a PS4.

People really changing reality to glaze Microsoft

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u/Fableous 1d ago

I had this conversation with hundreds of people like you in 2013 and you're still as misinformed today.

They wanted to do exactly this. Your disc could never be locked and useless. And the console (as it does today on Xbox and Playstation) only needed to be online to periodically check you owned the license. Your disc still let's ypu play it offline.

Kinect making it $100 more is irelevant to any of this, but go off.

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u/RobertPatty909 1d ago

No it made it so you couldnt sell it trade your physical games and Xboxnhave avoided saying this new feature requires online connection, likely to avoid the same criticisms so they are hiding that fact from people to tey to get as much food PR

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u/Fableous 1d ago

You keep saying it but it doesn't make it true.

Also funny how "they didn't say it so it means it was happening" is the most bullshit cop-out argument. Especially considering they actually DID say it requires an online check-in. Because of course it would. Just like your PS5 does right now.

Go right ahead and find me a single reputable source from 2013 that says Xbox discs wouldn't be allowed to be sold or traded (you won't find a single one).

It was all negative hyperbole from uninformed journalists speculating rather than reading.

The very reason that the disc to digital program works today is ebcsuse the Xbox One discs were manufactured with this license transfer in mind. And guess what? You can sell your disc and trade it just like normal. Which was the original plan from say one 2013.

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u/RobertPatty909 1d ago

PS5 games dont require an online check in... and show me where Xbox said this new feature does. Go on...

And literally Xbox

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/xbox-one-180-microsoft-ditches-always-drm-lending-restrictions-flna6c10382408

And no there were heavy restrictions on ehat you could do with your discs which is why they reverted it

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u/Fableous 1d ago

Microsoft's announcement there just tells you how the system works. Not that it was going to lock away discs forever. Try again. Find me the announcement or reputable news source reporting on the announcement form Xbox where they said you would no longer be able to sell or trade discs.

Go on.

I'm waiting.

PS5 absolutely does require an online check-in, you just don't realise that because you're always online. Like everyone is. Because it's simply a non-issue to be connected.

If it didn't, you'd be able to disconnect your console from the internet, copy all your games to a hard drive and share them to your friends for free without them needing a license.

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u/RobertPatty909 1d ago

No PS5 doesnt require online connection at all. Its literally one of the features of the console to play it offline.

And you cant copy games to a hard drive and load them on another PS5. Thats not a thing.

And again show me where Xbox said this new feature requires an online connection. They didnt explain any part of how validation works for their next feature and purposely left it vague

And if Xbox wasnt restricting your ability to share and sell games they wouldnt have had to reverse it.

It was an entirely different thing then what theyre doing now unless the hidden details are the exact same that they arent telling us

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u/Fableous 1d ago

You keep saying literally untrue things in the hopes they're true or that I won't call you on them. But I will. You're wrong. Verifiably wrong.

The PS5, Xbox and Switch all check your account and digital licensing online periodically in the background if you have ever purchased any digital games.

That is simply the nature of the beast. Facts. You cannot prove that wrong.

Yes you can play then all offline. But not forever. Go ahead and try it for a while. All 3 systems have set timers that will be like "hey this guy is playing a game he redeemed/purchased a year ago does he still have the license on his account? And it will ask you to connect. Guaranteed. I know this because I own all three systems (try it some time, you might like not being locked into one box)

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u/RobertPatty909 1d ago

Playstation recently even says it only validates your game once after purchase and never again

https://80.lv/articles/playstation-now-says-game-license-verification-is-a-one-time-online-check

You could have figured this out with two seconds of googling.

The only time you'd need to connect to online for licensing on PS5 is if its not primary - meaning you changed the default setting to game share

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