Microsoft May Launch Xbox One Without a Disc Drive

Console gaming is more complicated than it used to be. Time was, you’d slam a new disc or cartridge in your machine, and you’d be playing in moments. Today, most games you purchase on disc have big patches to download and online features to set up, so why not do away with the discs entirely? Microsoft is reportedly planning to do just that. The future disc-less Xbox One could be the most affordable yet, but there are naturally some drawbacks.
According to a new report, the disc-less Xbox is due next year, and it’s separate from the next-gen console. The new console is expected in 2020, and there’s no word on whether that one will have a disc drive. Since the updated console won’t have a drive for discs, you’ll only be able to purchase digital downloads to play on it.



This would be a significant shift for Microsoft’s Xbox division, and many will complain about the added time it takes to download everything. So, why bother with this? Microsoft will supposedly be able to drop the cost of the console considerably by ditching the Blu-ray drive. Currently, the base model Xbox One costs around $299 when it’s not on sale. Microsoft believes it can trim $100 off the price, getting in just under $200. That’s a very attractive price for a full-featured game console. It’s just the sort of thing that keeps a console going in its twilight years.
The success or failure of this idea may influence the final design of the future Xbox console, currently codenamed Scarlett. Microsoft is still trying to decide if that console will have a Blu-ray drive at all. If the launch of the disc-less Xbox One goes well, Scarlett may launch without a drive as well. We might see the updated Xbox One as soon as spring of 2019. A second cheaper Xbox may launch later next year, but this one would still have a disc drive.
Continue reading

Xbox Series X Launch Is Microsoft’s Biggest Ever, Causes ISP Traffic Spike
Microsoft claims the Xbox Series X is its most successful debut in history and specifically calls out the Xbox Series S for bringing new players into the fold.

Microsoft: Bethesda Games ‘Either First or Better’ on Xbox, Not Exclusive
Microsoft's Tim Stuart doesn't think the company will try to cut PS5 gamers out of future Bethesda titles. The company wants Xbox to be the best destination for its games, but not the only one.

Microsoft: Pluton Chip Will Bring Xbox-Like Security to Windows PCs
Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm are working to make Pluton part of their upcoming designs, which should make PCs more difficult to hack, but it also bakes Microsoft technology into your hardware.

Apple: ‘It’s Up to Microsoft’ to Get Windows Running on New ARM Macs
According to Apple, the question of supporting Windows on the M1 is entirely in Microsoft's court.