Sony announced it would end disc production for new PlayStation games starting in 2028, drawing backlash that led to a full-scale planned boycott and a "Don't Kill the Disc" petition that hit 120,000 signatures in four days. Microsoft appears to be taking notes and doing things differently.
According to images Power Up Gaming obtained from a since-deleted X post by @XBOXTIMDOG, Microsoft is running a survey through the Xbox Insider Hub app asking fans what features they want in Project Helix, the codename for the next-generation Xbox. Among the features listed is a question about whether users want the console to let them install games from a physical disc. Participants can rate each feature as Not Necessary, Nice to Have, or Must Have, with the latter effectively meaning they would not buy the console if that feature were absent.
Popular Now: New $308 Android gaming handheld has a 120Hz screen and 9300mAh replaceable batteryThe survey also touches on other ideas, including console lighting that changes to match the game being played and a system that automatically identifies and saves gameplay highlights. One Reddit user who took the survey noted that the disc question was framed as a priority choice between five features rather than a standalone yes or no. The other options included YouTube during gaming, cloud streaming, TikTok access, and keyboard-and-mouse support.
- Read more: Report: Sourcing disc drives becoming 'problematic' for Xbox amid diminishing disc supply chain
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- Read more: Rumor: Next-gen Xbox may get disc-to-digital option to convert physical media into virtual games
The survey does not confirm that Project Helix will have a disc drive, even if the results favour physical media. A disc drive on Helix could allow backwards compatibility with older Xbox physical games without necessarily meaning new releases would ship on disc. Xbox's track record with physical media has not been strong, with many of its own first-party titles not shipping complete on disc and several third-party publishers skipping Xbox physical releases entirely.
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That said, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has spoken publicly about listening to fan feedback and has reportedly gone undercover to help resolve support tickets directly. Xbox has also taken a similar approach with its disc-to-digital program, which digitises the rights associated with a disc copy of a game and adds them to a user's digital account.
