What if it would soon be possible to play its physical games on the Xbox Series S? Microsoft is obviously looking into the matter. A patent shows us how the manufacturer intends to proceed.
While the DRM issue has been making waves again lately, with Xbox Live services crashing badly and many players losing their solo games, Microsoft seems set to move to a fully dematerialized model in the future (remember the original Xbox One promise?). The Redmond company has actually filed a new patent aimed at supporting backwards compatibility, but not only.
Do you play physical games on the Xbox Series S?
Microsoft could be a game changer for its discless consoles. The Xbox Series S quickly found its audience thanks to its lower price. An attractive price that is explained by the lack of a Blu-Ray player, which can put off more than one. Nevertheless, the American manufacturer seems to be looking for a solution that satisfies everyone. gamerant has indeed spotted a recent patent filed by Microsoft, to say the least.
The Redmond company is actually working on an external player that will be able to read physical games and then download and play them on their Xbox. The perfect accessory for the Xbox Series S that would also be backward compatible. For example, it could allow owners of the fully dematerialized console to enjoy all their physically purchased Xbox One games.
On the way to a 100% dematerialized future?
However, the patent gives no indication of the possibility of exchanging one’s physical Xbox game for a dematerialized copy on the Xbox Series X, for example. There are also no details on how it actually works. Would it allow the scanned copy to be kept for life or is it limited to a specific period of time? It’s hard to imagine Microsoft going for the first option, as simply renting a game would be enough to keep it.
If this patent really gives life to a new accessory, it could be a new step towards 100% dematerialized. With such a mechanism, Microsoft could in the future offer models without a drive, while offering an alternative so as not to lose its collection. Keep in mind that the manufacturer spares no effort when it comes to cloud gaming, so Xbox Game Pass will soon be integrated into TVs.
