a Microsoft patent that challenges physical games?

If many observers remain convinced that the future of video games will necessarily go through 100% dematerialized, in the meantime, the PS5 and the Xbox Series X are indeed equipped with a Blu-ray player. That said, Game Rant realized that Microsoft had recently filed a potentially game-changing patent for its upcoming consoles. More concretely, the American manufacturer is studying the idea of ​​using an external player capable of reading a physical game so that its owner can then enjoy it on a console without a Blu-ray player. While Xbox One and Xbox One S All-Digital Edition are shown in the diagram that describes the concept, the concept may apply to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.

Of course, this patent raises some questions. For example, we do not know if the recognition of a physical game via this external player would be permanent, or if the manipulation would have to be repeated with each new game. For our part, if this track were to materialize, it is hard to see Microsoft not putting in place a safeguard preventing you from buying a physical game, authenticating it, and reselling it in stride. In any case, this patent recalls the importance taken by the dematerialized these last years. Just take a look at the financial results of the various players in the industry to realize that the figures generated by digital are now higher than those from physical games.

At the same time, it would be unfair to deprive players of part of their toy library. This hybrid solution envisaged by Microsoft would therefore allow it to satisfy everyone, or even to market in the future only consoles oriented exclusively towards the dematerialized such as the Xbox Series S. Afterwards, let us remember that it is only a question of a patent and that nothing says that Phil Spencer and his teams will go further in this intention.