Microsoft Surveys gamers about Physical Discs for next-gen consoles
Microsoft wants to know if Xbox Insiders think Physical Disc support is a “Must Have”
Microsoft is reportedly running a survey on its Xbox Insider Hub to help determine the feature set of its next-generation “Project Helix” console. One question is about installing games from Disc, with users being asked if the feature is “Not Necessary”, “Nice to Have” or a “Must Have”. Will Xbox Helix support game discs? This survey may help decide that.
This survey comes after the launch of Xbox Disc-To-Digital to Xbox Insiders, and Sony’s confirmation that it plans to kill Physical media for its PlayStation platform in 2028. In January 2028, PlayStation will stop making physical game discs for new games. This will give PlayStation a digital-only future.
With Project Helix, Microsoft has the opportunity to release the only next-generation console that supports game discs. If Microsoft maintains its current level of backwards compatibility, Helix will support games from the original Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series generations. That means that the console may support four generations of Xbox game discs, five if you include Helix itself.
EXCLUSIVE:
Microsoft is asking fans whether they want the next-generation Xbox to support physical media, Power Up Gaming understands.
A survey that has recently gone live on the Xbox Insider Hub app suggests that the company has yet to decide if the next Xbox will have a disc… pic.twitter.com/b86DcARj9f
— Power Up Gaming (@PowerUpGamingUK) September 21, 2026
While digital media has its advantages, losing game discs will affect gaming culture and the retail environment. Used games could become a thing of the past, and a single entity could set game prices. Boxed games may still exist, but only in a “game code in a box” format. If Xbox doesn’t choose to support game discs, this future feels certain.
If Project Helix doesn’t support discs out of the box, many long-time Xbox fans will be disappointed. Hopefully, disc support will be built into the console or available as an optional add-on. Either way, it would help keep physical media alive and give Xbox a clear advantage over PlayStation.
Join the discussion on Xbox surveying gamers about Disc-based Project Helix consoles on the OC3D Forums.
