There were a lot of questions about the Xbox strategy but the brand didn’t answer any of them during its special podcast. While we know that a new Xbox console is planned, the question of physical gaming has been put aside, and it is once again on the sidelines of the event that Phil Spencer spoke on the subject.
Physical on Xbox hasn’t been abandoned (yet).
It was on Gamefile that the Xbox boss was questioned on the subject of physical gaming on the Xbox, when the brand is undoubtedly the most criticized on the subject.
Leaked internal Xbox documents have revealed a new 2TB Xbox series Microsoft has neither confirmed nor denied the project, but only suggested that certain items are no longer necessary and that plans have changed. We don’t know if this console is still planned at this point, but Xbox plans to talk about the new hardware later this year. While Phil Spencer didn’t want to discuss the leak with Gamefile, he hinted that the brand wants to go “where the customers are.”
We support physical media, but we don’t need to expand it disproportionately with customer demand.
We deliver games physically and digitally, and we only follow what customers do. And I think our job in running Xbox is to provide the things that most consumers want. And right now, most of our customers buy games digitally.
The future of physical on Xbox is clearly in jeopardy
Phil Spencer also hinted at some economic concerns today, citing some of the tensions surrounding disk drive manufacturers:
Gaming consoles have somehow become the last consumer electronic device with a player. This is a real problem, if only in terms of the number of manufacturers making drives and the associated costs. When you think about the cogs you’re going to put into a console – and because there are fewer suppliers and fewer buyers – the price of the player is affected.
But I would say that our strategy is not entirely based on going digital. Getting rid of material means is not strategic for us.
The question of disk drive manufacturers seems a bit far-fetched when we see how many devices still offer this type of element today. Remember that Microsoft was the first manufacturer to release a console without a disc drive in 2019 with the Xbox One S All Digital, and we know that digital gaming generates more margins than physical games that must produce the box, disc and all the associated logistics. .
For the moment, Phil Spencer says he wants to continue supporting the physical game, but his words sound pessimistic about the format’s future. If the brand really wants to ensure continuity between generations of consoles and is committed to “conserving games”, physical support cannot be ruled out.
