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Xbox to offer digital licences with physical disc purchases

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In the wake of Sony's shift to a digital-only ecosystem within the next year, Xbox have today announced a surprising scheme. Aiming to offer physical buyers the same benefits as digital ownership, including Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Cloud Gaming, the company is set to hand out digital licences to owners of physical Xbox One and Xbox Series X discs. Details are a little slim at the moment, but what we do know is that thousands of title will be supported out of the gate, with each disc providing "one revokable digital licence". It is also confirmed that redeeming this digital licence will not affect your ability to use the physical disc, with it continuing to function as normal.

The press release makes a point of stressing this as a part of a broader commitment to game preservation, potentially suggesting a continued support for physical media in the coming console generation. This new feature is set to go live for Xbox Insiders on August 31st, with sign ups for the programme possible via the Xbox Insider Hub app.

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The potential problem I have with this is now there is incentive from Microsoft to "protect publishers" by enforcing internet connection. They wouldn't be able to block a second user from launching the disc while the console is offline, what do they do? make everyone connect to the internet to launch the disc.
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BigOnYa said:
https://www.purexbox.com/features/x...-the-most-common-questions-were-seeing-so-far
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If this is official, it may address my concerns.
 
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The disc has always been a digital license in a way that installs the game straight to your Xbox. And back then, any games installed from the disc requires it to be always inserted so that it will launch. It's still a form of DRM, and until now, Microsoft has made all disc-based installs to launch straight from the console without needing it.

Since most games require online play, it doesn't make that much of a difference if you buy and download a game from the Microsoft store. Once the servers go offline, you don't own that game anymore, so there's absolutely no point in making that minor change since you still don't own anything on an all-digital platform.
 
ShintaiUS said:
The potential problem I have with this is now there is incentive from Microsoft to "protect publishers" by enforcing internet connection. They wouldn't be able to block a second user from launching the disc while the console is offline, what do they do? make everyone connect to the internet to launch the disc.
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If this is official, it may address my concerns.
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Realistically how many people are permanently offline lol. And you need to go online to download data for games to make them playable most of the time these days
 
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purple_bandit said:
Realistically how many people are permanently offline lol. And you need to go online to download data for games to make them playable most of the time these days
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My N64 and Gameboys are permanently offline. I don't even own a Randnet cart or Mobile Adapter GB.
Games work pretty well.
 

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