Xbox's DRM Debacle Powers a Modern Disc-to-Digital Shift
Kotaku explains that Microsoft continued printing tracking-enabled Xbox One discs for the purpose of digital ownership, a plan born from a 2011–13 DRM push that faced backlash, which now enables disc-to-digital: inserting a physical disc can download a digital copy for play without the disc. Some early discs may lack tracking data, and Sony likely can’t replicate this, underscoring the irony that an old DRM failure is enabling a future where physical discs fade. The piece also raises wider questions about owning digital games and offline access as the industry moves toward more digital-only models, with potential legal considerations around ownership and preservation.
