Under Microsoft’s “Disc to Digital” program, inserting a supported Xbox One or Xbox Series disc into a console with an optical drive would grant a digital entitlement tied to both the user’s account and that specific disc. The game could then follow the player to other Xbox devices, including hardware without a disc drive. Microsoft’s slide lists an Insider Public Beta in July 2026 and a wider launch in August 2026, with no publisher action required. Digital Foundry's John Linneman recently claimed that earlier plans pointed toward continued support for physical media, potentially through either an integrated optical drive or an optional external disc drive. That said, it will ultimately come down to publishers and their willingness to support older, often abandoned titles.