Microsoft could be planning to offer a new gaming console under its Xbox lineup that would come without an optical drive. In other words, it could be planning to launch a digital edition of one of its existing Xbox consoles. This would help it stand in line with Sony, who is also offering a similar variant for its PS5.
The news comes from Shpeshal Nick of XboxEra Podcast, who stated that sources close to the development have revealed to him that Microsoft will soon launch an Xbox Series X Digital edition console that doesn’t employ a disc drive. This would make it similar to the PlayStation 5 Digital edition which came out alongside the standard model back in 2020.
Nick claims that the brand is working on this model as a “lot of people have wanted it for a while”. Apart from this, he added that Microsoft also has plans for other hardware in 2025. However, he didn’t share any further details regarding these upcoming products. What we can expect though, is that the digital edition of the Xbox Series X console should be price cheaper than the regular variant, which currently sells for Rs 54,990 in India.
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Sony already has the PS5 and PS5 digital edition selling at a gap of Rs 5,000. Microsoft also has a Series S console which is entirely digital-only but that’s actually less powerful than what Series X can offer. For those not aware, a digital edition console doesn’t house an optical disc drive where you can put the game CDs, however, they will have to be downloaded via the company’s game store that comes pre-loaded on the console.
Digital Edition consoles have their own advantages, including a cheaper price tag and a smaller form factor. However, at times, the price factor for the games comes into play, as one can often see discounts on the game CDs available for purchase via retailers such as Amazon or Flipkart, while it is being sold at a higher price point on the online game store. Apart from this, Sony seems to be planning a PlayStation 5 Pro which will be the console’s mid-cycle refresh that is slated to go official next year according to leaks.
