Xbox’s Future: Physical Games Aren’t Going Anywhere, According to Xbox Head Phil Spencer
During a recent interview with Windows Central, Spencer addressed the topic of Xbox’s future and whether the company plans to release a console without a disc drive.
Xbox Following Consumer Trends, But Physical Games Aren’t Out Yet
When asked about the possibility of an all-digital Xbox console, Spencer stated that the company will continue to follow consumer trends. Currently, many gamers opt for digital purchases. However, Spencer emphasized that physical games won’t be completely phased out of Xbox’s future despite the challenges of manufacturing and cost.
“Gaming consoles themselves have kind of become the last consumer electronic device that has a drive,” Spencer said. “And this is a real issue, just in terms of the number of manufacturers that are actually building drives and the cost associated with those.”
“But I will say our strategy does not hinge on people moving all-digital. And getting rid of physical, that’s not a strategic thing for us,” Spencer added.
The Impact of Discs on Console Design and Cost
“But I will say our strategy does not hinge on people moving all-digital. And getting rid of physical, that’s not a strategic thing for us,” Spencer continued. He explained that console designs have come to include drives as they are one of the last consumer electronics devices still utilizing them. The impact on the cost of manufacturing consoles with disc drives is significant, especially when considering the shrinking number of manufacturers and buyers.
Will the Next Xbox Console Have a Disc Drive?
At present, both Xbox and PlayStation provide consumers with the choice to purchase consoles with or without disc drives. It seems this trend is not about to change anytime soon.
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