Microsoft Will Launch Disc-to-Digital Feature for Xbox Games Next Week

Microsoft has confirmed its rumoured disc-to-digital program for Xbox games that will let users to digitise their physical game collections on the platform. The feature will bring digital benefits for Xbox Series X and Xbox One disc games, allowing users to access supported titles across the Xbox ecosystem. The disc-to-digital feature will be rolled out to Xbox Insiders next week.

In her announcement Wednesday, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said the new feature would initially support thousands of Xbox games, with more titles to be added in the future.

“Your physical game library is more than a collection of discs. It holds years of memories and stories worth preserving,” Sharma said. “Starting next week, XBOX Insiders can unlock a digital entitlement for supported physical games. We'll start with thousands of titles and add more as we can.”

The disc-to-digital feature will start rolling out to users enrolled in the Xbox Insiders program starting August 31.

How Will Xbox Disc-to-Digital Feature Work?

In an Xbox Wire post, Jason Ronald, vice president of next generation at Xbox, said that most Xbox One and Xbox Series X disc-based games support the new feature. To claim a digital entitlement for a supported game, players can insert their game disc into an Xbox One or Xbox Series X console and launch the game.

With the physical disc game converted to a digital entitlement, users will get all the benefits of digital titles. That means those disc-to-digital games will support Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Cloud Gaming where supported. The physical disc will continue to work in the same manner and can be shared, lent, or resold.

“While not every title will be available at launch, this is an important step toward a future where players can have greater confidence that the games they buy remain with them for years to come,” Ronald said.

The conversation around game preservation and physical discs gathered steam in July when Sony announced it would end physical disc production for new PlayStation titles starting January 2028. As the PlayStation parent presses forward with its plan for an all-digital future, it has received severe backlash from PlayStation users. A community-led PlayStation boycott, organised by game preservation group ‘Does it Play?', went into effect on August 23.

Sony is also believed to be working on a solution for PlayStation users to digitise their physical game libraries. The company hasn't yet announced its plans for a similar feature.