PlayStation ending disc manufacturing in 2028 has ruffled more than enough feathers in recent weeks, but despite Project Helix reportedly not having a disc drive, Xbox seems to be taking a different route. Earlier this month, it was reported that it’s looking to allow disc owners to convert to digital licenses, and it’s apparently entering testing this week for Xbox Insiders.
Brad Rossetti, who heads up the Insider program, recently tweeted about pausing flighting on consoles to prepare for this week, and promised it would be “worth the wait.” Jez Corden of Windows Central then chimed in with, “Positron commeth.”
That’s apparently the code name for the feature, and when asked if it would allow Xbox Play Anywhere titles to go from disc to digital on PC, he responded, “Yes, this is how it will work.”
Positron reportedly creates digital licenses from one’s discs, though it’s only for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S titles, not Xbox 360 or OG Xbox. And even those games have “specific conditions” that dictate whether they can be converted.
Regardless, it could be a worthwhile solution for those who want to carry their libraries forward if Xbox ever stops supporting discs. The situation around Helix remains unknown, but games like Halo: Campaign Evolved will ship with discs if you purchase them physically.
