Microsoft has made its Disc to Digital tool available to all Xbox users after a month of Insider beta testing, letting players convert physical Xbox One and Series X game discs into digital licenses tied to their account rather than their console. The feature does not require an Xbox Game Pass subscription and is triggered manually by selecting 'Claim Digital License' from a game's menu rather than automatically on disc insertion.
wired.com
· 2026-10-19
A new emulator called PS5X lets Xbox Series X hardware run PlayStation 5 games, but only through Microsoft's Developer Mode, which restricts games to 5GB of memory versus the 13.5GB available to retail Xbox titles. The cap only lifts when software runs via the Visual Studio debugger, a developer-testing setup, and consoles in Developer Mode cannot load retail games until switched back. Microsoft banned emulators from retail Xbox mode in 2023 and has reportedly suspended players for 15 days for circumventing that policy.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-18
Rockstar Games published the launch trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 on Thursday, featuring a new track from Justice with Tame Impala, SZA and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. The trailer introduces protagonists Jason, a former soldier with a troubled past, and Lucia, whose phone call sets the story in motion. The game is set to launch Nov. 19 on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.
cnet.com
· 2026-10-15
Citing sources, GamesBeat reports that Rockstar Games plans to launch Grand Theft Auto 6 on PC in the first quarter of 2027, a few months after its November 19 debut on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. That gap would be far shorter than the roughly 19 months between GTA 5's 2013 console launch and its 2015 PC release.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-13
A GamesBeat report citing unnamed sources says Grand Theft Auto VI could arrive on PC within the first three months of 2027. The console version launches November 19 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with no official PC date yet confirmed by Rockstar Games.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-10-13
The Xbox Series S is cheaper than the Series X mainly because it lacks a disc drive, offers less storage, and uses significantly weaker hardware. The Series S has 512GB of base storage versus 1TB on the Series X, only 4 teraflops of processing power compared to 12, and caps out at 1440p resolution versus 4K on the Series X. Both consoles share similar CPU and GPU architecture but differ in clock speed, compute units, and RAM bandwidth, with the Series X outperforming across the board.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-11
Circana analyst Mat Piscatella reported that US retail sales of Xbox consoles fell 33% year-to-date through August 2026, marking an all-time low since the brand launched nearly 25 years ago. PlayStation 5 sales fell 25% over the same period, their weakest showing since 2013. Both Microsoft and Sony have raised console prices multiple times in the past two years amid chip shortages.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-10-11
The Xbox Series X, released in 2020, continues to run current and upcoming major titles like GTA VI despite rising component costs pushing up Xbox hardware prices. Microsoft's new disc-to-digital conversion feature and rumored next-gen console, codenamed Project Helix, raise questions about the console's remaining lifespan and an eventual shift to all-digital gaming.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-05
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
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