Shortly after Sony announced its decision to stop manufacturing PlayStation discs starting in January 2028, a report from Windows Central suggested Microsoft is leaning toward the same choice for its next generation console, currently known internally as Project Helix. However, a new rumor shared on the DF Direct Q+A podcast by Digital Foundry’s John Linneman suggests Xbox may have been planning to continue supporting discs on its next console, at least before the recent Xbox reset led by new CEO Asha Sharma.
According to Linneman, sources indicated that Microsoft was very much considering continuing disc support, not because the company placed particular value on retail disc sales, but because it wanted to ensure existing Xbox game libraries remained playable on new hardware. One possibility discussed was offering an external drive or similar solution that would tie into broader disc-to-digital conversion options for players.
Linneman suggested this could give Microsoft a straightforward way to earn goodwill among hardcore gamers currently frustrated with Sony’s decision to move away from physical media entirely. He noted a possible future in which Microsoft continues supporting discs for users who want to retain access to their existing game libraries, while Sony cuts that option off completely.
Even so, the more financially sensible path for Microsoft may ultimately be to abandon discs altogether, following the same direction as Sony despite the backlash that decision has generated. Asha Sharma faces a clear mandate from Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella to return the Xbox division to growth in the next fiscal year, a pressure that could shape how the company approaches physical media support on its next generation hardware regardless of any goodwill a disc-friendly approach might generate among longtime console owners.
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