XBOX boss Phil Spencer has responded to ongoing inquiries about Microsoft’s position on physical media, particularly after last year’s leaks regarding a potential “adorably all-digital” Xbox Series X refresh.
Spencer emphasized that Microsoft remains “supportive” of physical media, stating that “getting rid of physical, that’s not a strategic thing for us.“
Or at the very least, it’s not a strategic thing for Microsoft, as they alongside Sony slowly but surely drive away physical games in favor of digitalized game sales which not only raise profits but easily incorporate DRM restrictions effectively killing any and all options to share your games freely or even sell them at a later date.
A new all-digital design for the Xbox Series X, featuring a distinctive cylindrical shape, was initially revealed as part of a massive leak of official Microsoft documentation during last year’s court battle with the FTC regarding its Activision Blizzard acquisition plans.
However, when Phil Spencer addressed the leak later on, he referred to its contents as “old emails and documents,” emphasizing that “so much has changed” but I genuinely doubt that.
It’s only natural that these corporate tyrants shift towards a digital only console ecosystem, with Sony themselves offering a digital only rendition of the PlayStation 5 at a slightly lower price point, that particular console remains quite lucrative on the market despite the fact that the PlayStation 5 as a whole has been deemed a flop by analysists and rational thinkers.
The amount of consumers buying digital media versus physical media has only skyrocketed in recent times, with so many consumers already transitioning into buying $70 games they do not own or cannot resell it’s only a matter of time before Microsoft and Sony make that choice for us all and force us to comply with a DRM laced digital only platform.
However, it remains intriguing to witness high-ranking corporate figures intentionally lie to consumers and their brand’s fanbases, especially in light of recent reports about significant layoffs within Microsoft’s games retail teams.
“We are supportive of physical media,” Spencer told Totilo, “but we don’t have a need to drive that disproportionate to customer demand”. Elaborating more plainly, Spencer said.
“We ship games physically and digitally, and we’re really just following what the customers are doing. And I think our job in running Xbox is to deliver on the things that a majority of the customers want. And right now, a majority of our customers are buying games digitally.”
Although Microsoft may not intend to launch a digital-only version of the Xbox Series X, as previously indicated in their FTC documentation, it’s evident that the future of XBOX will inevitably lean towards digital. Microsoft appears to be aligning with consumer trends, as more individuals are embracing digital media and service subscriptions, thereby enabling a shift towards corporate dominance.
A fully digital future for XBOX seems inevitable, if not immediate. Spencer noted that the reduced number of suppliers and buyers for disc drives affects their cost, as gaming consoles are among the last consumer electronic devices to still incorporate them.
“I will say our strategy does not rely solely on transitioning to an all-digital model,” Spencer concluded. “Getting rid of physical media is not a strategic priority for us.”
It’s evident that if Microsoft or Sony were to suddenly push consumers towards a digital-only ecosystem, it would likely cause panic and hysteria, reminiscent of the backlash the XBOX ONE faced with its initial plan to impose DRM restrictions on game “owners,” which significantly damaged the XBOX brand’s reputation.
Today’s consumers are often characterized as passive and apathetic compared to those from previous decades. Many seem to lack introspection and willingly turn a blind eye to corporate tyranny, instead embracing their anti-consumer practices.
They continue to support corporations like Netflix and Disney through ad-laden subscription services, companies like Crunchyroll hold a virtual monopoly on anime streaming in the West. They’ve solidified their dominance by terminating Funimation, raising subscription prices, and completely wiping out Funimation subscribers’ digital libraries.
Consumers aren’t just spineless, they’re genuinely retarded. With the immense popularity of online only Games as a Service, and with so much consumer spending trending towards digital media, it’s only a matter of time before major console manufacturers abandon physical media as a whole.
