When PlayStation announced earlier this month that it would be doing away with physical discs beginning in 2028, the gaming community’s response was swift and damning. (Well, not everyone thought it was the end of the world.) Based on rumors building for the last few months, it’s looking like PlayStation’s main competitor could take a much different approach to the future of digital media
Xbox has reportedly been testing a new program (codenamed “Positron”) that would allow users to digitize their Xbox One and Xbox Series X discs, linking them to an Xbox account by creating a digital license. This could allow players to then access their games through Xbox Cloud Gaming, if supported, while still allowing the game to be playable from its original disc
The digital licensing process would also still allow for gamers to buy and sell discs or lend them to friends, according to insiders familiar with the matter, The Verge reports. A disc inserted into another Xbox console would then be linked with that console’s associated Xbox account and removed from its previous owner’s
XBOX Insiders on console, as you have seen we paused flighting this week as we prep for week next
Thanks for being patient! The wait is worth the wait, I promise
— Brad Rossetti (@WorkWombatman) July 10, 2026
While early reports expected Positron to launch later this year, Xbox Insider lead Brad Rosetti noted late last week that flighting, the process of releasing new builds, is paused on consoles for Xbox Insiders as the company “preps for next week.” This could be a hint that Xbox Insiders may have the chance to test Positron sooner rather than later
It’s currently unclear whether or not the next-generation Xbox console, codenamed Project Helix, will ship with a disc drive, but it’s very possible Xbox will follow PlayStation’s lead in going for an all-digital future. A feature like Positron could be major in smoothing the way for a future console that does away with physical media entirely. Players who have been collecting physical games for years—and there are many of them—would be able to digitize their collection for use on a disc-less console while still being able to play said discs on previous generations.
The rumored digital license linking process also leaves open a ton of room for the secondhand game market. Players could still buy and sell used games even if Xbox stops manufacturing them down the line
Of course, the process does seem to have some caveats. Internal Positron testers noted to The Verge that not all Xbox One games will be supported, for example, depending upon when and how they were manufactured. And, of course, you’ll still need an old console to digitize those discs, if Project Helix ships without a disc drive
Overall, though, Xbox is a significant step ahead of PlayStation in preparing its customers for the potential of an all-digital next-generation console. It should soften the blow if (when) Xbox makes a similar announcement to PlayStation’s. A console-ation, if you will
