More Next-Gen Microsoft (MSFT) Xbox Chatter Emerges: No Optical Drive Playability? (GME)
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GameStop (NYSE: GME) was active Wednesday afternoon following reports that the next Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) Xbox gaming console might not be as friendly to the used game market as previous versions.
According to CNET, which cites a VGLeaks document, Microsoft plans to have enough memory on board to store games and play from an optical disc won't be supported.
Current Xbox models allow for the downloading of games to the system's hard drive, though a disc still needs to be in the console for the game to be playable. This document suggests that Microsoft will require that games be loaded onto a hard drive, maybe stored in a cloud, or donwloaded directly from Xbox Live, but you won't be able to just insert a disc and start shooting bad guys.
Other sources have said that VGLeaks' document is from last year and changes might have been made since then.
Hopefully, Microsoft changes its mind, given that billions in optical disc games will become obsolete if replay on the new console isn't allowed.
In any case, this isn't the first time it has been mulled that discs will be phased out. With mobile games picking up steam and no external hardware needed to run them, not to mention the type of control Microsoft, Sony (NYSE: SNE), and others could have with a game stored in the cloud, it's a proposal we're sure to see in the future. Those investing in GameStop should always be on alert.
Just, maybe not on the next Xbox.
Shares of Microsoft are up 0.7 percent Wednesday.
According to CNET, which cites a VGLeaks document, Microsoft plans to have enough memory on board to store games and play from an optical disc won't be supported.
Current Xbox models allow for the downloading of games to the system's hard drive, though a disc still needs to be in the console for the game to be playable. This document suggests that Microsoft will require that games be loaded onto a hard drive, maybe stored in a cloud, or donwloaded directly from Xbox Live, but you won't be able to just insert a disc and start shooting bad guys.
Other sources have said that VGLeaks' document is from last year and changes might have been made since then.
Hopefully, Microsoft changes its mind, given that billions in optical disc games will become obsolete if replay on the new console isn't allowed.
In any case, this isn't the first time it has been mulled that discs will be phased out. With mobile games picking up steam and no external hardware needed to run them, not to mention the type of control Microsoft, Sony (NYSE: SNE), and others could have with a game stored in the cloud, it's a proposal we're sure to see in the future. Those investing in GameStop should always be on alert.
Just, maybe not on the next Xbox.
Shares of Microsoft are up 0.7 percent Wednesday.
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