Microsoft is reportedly going to follow Sony’s example with Project Helix and not include a disc drive with it, according to a new report. Microsoft is also said to be working on a way to grant digital licenses for games to people who already own a game on disc.
The new information follows yesterday’s bombshell that Sony is ending physical disc manufacturing beginning January 2028, which all but confirms the PS6 will not have a disc drive. Microsoft has not said whether it too will be ending disc production for Xbox, however.
According to a Windows Central report, Project Helix will skip having a disc drive. The report doesn’t offer anything more, but The Verge reports that Microsoft is working on a way to help digitise existing discs that you own.
The Verge’s report reveals that this disc-to-digital feature will allow players with Xbox Series X, and Xbox One game discs to obtain digital licenses for the discs they own. Once done, the disc will no longer be needed to play the game. This feature does not cover Xbox 360 or original Xbox discs, according to The Verge’s sources.
The interesting wrinkle here is that the digital entitlement is tied to the specific disc, meaning it’s possible for players to share physical discs. When a disc is shared, that entitlement would then travel from account to another.
While discs will continue to work after they’re digitised, the same disc cannot be used by two separate accounts. In essence, the point of the feature is to save you from having to insert the disc each time you want to play, without taking away the freedom that comes from owning a physical copy.
There are reportedly some limitations with certain Xbox One games, but the feature is currently being tested internally at Microsoft, so some of those issues may be solved by the time it comes to market.
Interestingly, The Verge said that Microsoft has not fully decided on whether or not Project Helix would ship with a disc drive. Like the PlayStation 6, we don’t know when Project Helix will launch, but Microsoft did reveal in March that alpha development kits will be rolling out in 2027.
