Microsoft unveils the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition

Microsoft welcomes the newest and probably most unique Xbox One console with the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition. As the name suggests, this Xbox One system does away with a physical drive, so only digital game purchases are possible. The Xbox One S All-Digital Edition is up for pre-order right now and costs $249.

We reported about the rumors of a discless Xbox One console a month ago and it turns out those were exactly on the money. Just as the leak back then suggested, Microsoft is now offering a discless, fully-digital Xbox One S to the masses. Furthermore, even the purchase date as of April was correct.

So, why would Microsoft even make such a risky move? It’s simple, while physical medium isn’t going away anytime soon, the future wholeheartedly belongs to digital. Just take a look at the PC market where physical purchases have long become a rarity. Consoles always trailed the PC trend several years behind but with the advent of ever-improving broadband internet connectivity, the future on consoles looks to be the same.

Of course, there are still huge areas with millions of people not being able to enjoy fast and reliable internet but who would argue that the trend is not towards better and wider connectivity. Microsoft is simply looking towards the future here. Even today there are many console users who prefer to buy their games digitally. For those, the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition makes a ton of sense.

Having no Blu-ray drive also reduces the systems parts and costs which lead to the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition costing only $249. As an icing on top, three great games – Minecraft, Forza Horizon 3 and Sea of Thieves – are included with each Xbox One S All-Digital Edition console. Nonetheless, it’s an interesting device and no doubt a sign that next-gen consoles will likely offer digital-only console variants from the start.