The announced end of physical video games is getting closer. Microsoft adds another stone to the building following numerous layoffs within certain dedicated divisions.
The future of video game will be dematerialized or will not be. A statement that would have raised a mocking smile a few years ago, but which rather makes one cringe today. It has been a long time since the question of end of physical media in the video game sector comes up regularly. And it doesn’t come out of nowhere. With the success of platforms like Steam to name just one, sales of dematerialized games have exceeded physical sales. Console manufacturers have noticed this and that is why Sony is offering a version without a disc drive of its PlayStation 5. Its competitor Xbox could also quickly follow.
It is exactly Microsoft which reignites the debate. It all started when journalist Jez Corden announced on X (Twitter) that according to its sources, Microsoft is laying off an entire internal customer support team. This isn’t good news already, but then he adds that “Microsoft has also closed the departments dedicated to the physical marketing of games Xbox“. He goes on to say that “if you’ve seen the leaks about a digital-only Xbox […]you can get an idea of where Microsoft is going here.”
Microsoft closes services dedicated to Xbox games in physical media
There is no need for more interpretations to arise, especially since the information follows that announcing that Walmart stores were going to get rid of physical copies from Starfield. Which ultimately turned out to be half true. The shops only go replace their copies with a more recent version. But we must not forget that the phenomenon is real: recent games like Alan Wake 2 or the future Senua’s Saga Hellblade 2 do not have a physical version.
Despite everything, it is too early to bury discs and other cartridges. As Jez Corden himself points out, “reducing retail teams doesn’t mean Microsoft is abandoning physical retail for Xbox games, they can outsource.” In the meantime, keep your copies safe, some can be had at a high price.
Microsoft has also shut down departments dedicated to bringing Xbox games to physical retail … which if you’ve seen the digital-only Xbox console leaks … well, you can get an idea of where Microsoft is going here.
— Jez (@JezCorden) January 25, 2024