Microsoft has made its Disc to Digital feature available to every Xbox Series X and Xbox One owner, letting them convert eligible physical game discs into digital licenses tied to their profile. Players can then install and run those games without inserting the disc, though not all titles qualify and eligibility can shift due to licensing or publishing changes. Microsoft says losing, selling, or giving away the qualifying disc can limit or revoke the digital license.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-09-30
Microsoft has expanded its disc-to-digital licensing program beyond Xbox Insiders to all users, letting owners of physical Xbox Series X and Xbox One games convert them into digital licenses. Players simply insert a disc while signed in, and a pop-up confirms when a digital license has been created for that title. The feature does not yet support Xbox 360 or original Xbox discs, and Microsoft has not specified how many current-gen titles qualify.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-30
YouTube modder Devran Cosmo Uenal demonstrated an experimental Xbox port of KytyPS5, an open-source PlayStation 5 emulator, playing titles like Quake 2, Gex Trilogy, Hellboy Web of Wyrd and Marvel Cosmic Invasion on a Series X. He also showed the PS5 interface running with an option to launch the PS5 version of Grand Theft Auto 5, though he says compatibility remains limited.
cnet.com
· 2026-09-28
Current-gen consoles including all PlayStation 5 models and the Xbox Series X and Series S are engineered to operate in either vertical or horizontal orientation. The key consideration is airflow, along with placing the units on stable surfaces, away from walls, and out of cramped cabinets to avoid overheating and dust buildup.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-26
Microsoft has begun testing several new Xbox features with Insiders, including the option to select startup animations from Xbox One through Xbox Series X/S consoles, though not the original Xbox or Xbox 360 boots. The update also adds a local search tool for games and achievements, higher-resolution Remote Play, background downloads during cloud streaming, and a Voice Clarity feature to reduce background noise in chat.
theverge.com
· 2026-09-09
Microsoft announced it will end unlimited Xbox Cloud Gaming access, replacing it with monthly hour caps tied to subscription level: 15 hours for Ultimate, 10 for Premium, and 5 for Essential, beginning in November. The company says rising cloud gaming costs are driving the change, and about 4% of subscribers will be affected, with an option to buy extra hours—also available to non-subscribers.
cnet.com
· 2026-09-03
Microsoft will end unlimited cloud streaming for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, replacing it with monthly hour allotments: 15 hours for Ultimate, 10 for Premium, and 5 for Essential. Users who want more can buy extra cloud playtime hours through the Xbox Store, a feature now open even to people without a Game Pass subscription, including Xbox One owners wanting to try newer titles.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-03
Netflix's unusual decision to premiere an extended Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer drew such heavy traffic that both Netflix and Twitch experienced access and bandwidth problems on Thursday. Take-Two Interactive shares climbed in premarket trading following the reaction, with analysts describing player sentiment as largely positive. The game, set for a November 19 launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, has already generated an estimated $260 million in global preorders.
cnbc.com
· 2026-08-28
Microsoft is rolling out a new feature, starting with Xbox Insiders on August 31, that lets players convert eligible Xbox One and Xbox Series X discs into permanent digital entitlements simply by inserting the disc and launching the game. Once claimed, the game becomes playable without the disc and gains access to Xbox Play Anywhere and Cloud Gaming, though the physical disc still works as before. Each disc carries only one revocable license, meaning reselling or lending it can transfer the digital entitlement to whoever uses it next.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-08-26
Microsoft confirmed a new feature launching for Xbox Insiders on August 31 that lets players claim a digital entitlement for eligible disc-based games by inserting the disc and launching the title. The digital copy unlocks benefits like Xbox Play Anywhere and Cloud Gaming, while the physical disc still functions normally and remains tied to that license.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-26
Microsoft has begun early preorders for select fans of its translucent green 25th anniversary Xbox Series X bundle, priced at $900 and including a matching controller and a digital copy of Halo: Campaign Evolved. Wider preorders open August 27, with shipping set for November 15, close to the original console's 2001 launch date.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-26
Microsoft has officially introduced a disc-to-digital feature that lets Xbox One and Xbox Series X owners convert physical game discs into digital copies by inserting the disc and launching the title. The feature rolls out to Xbox Insiders on August 31, supporting thousands of titles at launch, and unlocks digital perks like Xbox Play Anywhere and Cloud Gaming access.
techspot.com
· 2026-08-26
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