Microsoft changing the game with the launch of the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition.
As the name implies, the video game console doesn’t have a disc drive. Otherwise it functions exactly like a regular Xbox One S: Users can play in 1080p Full HD and stream video in 4K, just without fussing around with physical copies.
The 1-TB system also costs $50 less than its predecessor and comes with three games—Minecraft, Forza Horizon 3 and Sea of Thieves—pre-installed.
Also included with purchase is a special, unspecified deal on Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft’s Netflix-like streaming service for games. Alternatively, there are thousands of titles available for digital download in the Microsoft Store.
Jeff Gattis, general manager of platform and devices marketing at Microsoft, promised that the company isn’t trying to prematurely usher in the disc-less age of gaming, though that certainly seems to be where we’re headed.
“The Xbox One S All-Digital Edition is about providing choice,” Gattis said in a prepared statement.
“We’re not looking to push customers toward digital; it’s about meeting the needs of customers that are digital natives that prefer digital-based media and providing value with the most affordable Xbox One console.”
Out may 7, the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition is available to preorder now for $250.
