We should see Xbox's "Positron" disc-to-digital system materialize this month if things go to plan. It's a no brainer to me, this is how it should've always worked. I am curious if Helix will have some facility for discs ... given the PlayStation backlash. What do you think?

Jez do you think Microsoft will offer any type of seprate accessory for physical discs drive that i can plug in my digital console? I have quiet few physical games i bought in 2015/16

hard to say for sure, i hope so.

They'll offer an optional disc drive. It won't ship with one.

If the disc-to-digital program launches, there will need to be a solution for people who own Xbox game discs but no longer have a working Xbox console. This issue would become even more pressing if Project Helix is released without a disc drive.

It should have a USB disc optional add-on What is the argument against this?

none from me, but it's unclear if there'll even be a supply chain willing to facilitate OD drive manufacturing

I wouldn’t say “permanent” I would say persistent license as long as you had the disc. But what I never really understood is if you had to have the physical disc to download the game why didn’t they just implement that as a digital copy earlier?

I have no idea

@Tha__PROdeuca Because it's going to mandate that games not be fully installable from the disc and your library will require internet checks for licensing. ie. The "Always online" fiasco that blew Xbox One up. There's no other way to do this feature without duplication of games.

Well, the reason I brought this up was because of the backwards compatible titles. I understand that the Xbox one - Series game discs are like this, but the backwards compatible games had the full contents on the disc.

@WinC_Gaming So Project Helix needs to have an optional disk reader. Ignore any new games getting printed. There are 25 years of existing physical games already released on on the market. And Backwards Compatibility has been one of the brightest points of Xbox since 2015.

@WinC_Gaming A brilliant system that was just way ahead for its time but as you say it’s perfect for now. With the PS situation right now, Xbox has an open goal and an opportunity. Imo they should have a disc drive for Helix

The system makes me very, I have a bunch to transfer over. Hope it works on delisted games like Deadpool or Immortal Unchained as well. That would be the cherry on the top.

Why not? That could be the answer from Xbox to that infamious video about lending games on PS4 opossed to the Xbox One strategy. Sure people from PS are not going to come to Xbox but why not let at your comunity more options than less?

It seems illogical to me to put a Blu-ray player in the future Xbox console. The Positron project is precisely there to anticipate the problem that Sony is creating for itself. Xbox is taking the lead by allowing physical games to be transferred, thus avoiding the problem of a physical library on the next console. And I think that's why they're going to launch this new system soon; it gives people time to prepare for the future disc-less Xbox. And a reader would increase the cost of the console for Microsoft and especially for us. And lastly, if Xbox wants to get closer to the PC world and have an opening to other stores with perhaps some deals, they have every interest in people not playing on physical media. And head towards the blinds

What a trojan horse to get people into their all digital future also!

We need discs! Physical media forever!

I completely stopped purchasing physical disks. But this now would completely change my buying habits and instead of purchasing my usual 10 to 20 games a year I could easily see that number double with this feature.

I feel like PlayStation has to have some kind of program for it. They seem to have learned a hard lesson on backwards compatibility, and it would be outright idiotic of them to move backwards on that front while also creating more friction for their all digital transition

minor issue would be getting the msg "No license found yet for this game disc. cannot play game disc while offline,. initial license transfer check required. please sign in to microsoft"

I wish it came out back when rumored on Xbox one.

If Helix ever launches. Not a single chance.

@WinC_Gaming Helix needs a disc drive and physical games. So many PlayStation players would switch to Xbox. It'll grow their platform faster than Elder Scrolls 6 being exclusive.

I'd bet your life on helix having a disc drive or at the very least an external drive similar to the PS5 Pro. Otherwise it's false marketing, claiming the helix will play " ALL your Xbox & PC games" when half of them aren't available digitally.

I think it's too late to save the brand, but we'll see. I think Xbox could almost pitch a perfect game and still be forced to shut down at this point.

Do you think we will see more Capcom games with Play Anywhere? Most of their games seem to be skipping it at the moment.

Xbox would win massive, massive favour with gamers, if they gave use the license to do what we wanted with the games we buy, not rent. If they could give you FULL OWNERSHIP of our games, it would be a huge win for them. However, will/can they do it?

POSITROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNN!!!!!!!!!!

There's no actual point to the disk to digital program.

Full digital xbox future.

it would be kinda crazy if helix supports disc from 5 generations and ps6 supports none.

They need to role out positron asap so I can play Forza horizon 3 on my series s.

What happens if you lose that disc somehow in the future and Xbox servers are down? Will we be able to play it offline in it's digitally converted state without needing to use the same disc again? My guess is no unless Microsoft or Asha Sharma says otherwise.

@WinC_Gaming #Xbox #BleedGreen Tried inserting my original Xbox Ghost Recon: Island Thunder disc on Series X and it won’t read/recognize it. Thought XSX Backward Compatibility covered original Xbox games. Hoping Positron / Helix improves disc handling for legacy titles.

kinda hope it works for the 360 game also

What is the point of disc-to-digital if the Helix doesn't come with a disc drive to use it? Are we then back to "we have a product for disc-to-digital....it's called SeriesX/S" already?

If they want a win, its simple, xbox has to keep the discs. Many consumers will prefer xbox if this happens. But you know, its xbox. They will do the thing that the fan base do not want

I kind of doubt it, because I don't see them wanting to support discs for Helix games (which would be the expectation.) I could see them rolling it out to work on PC though. Having a PC app that can read the the necessary info off a disc to give a digital license.