According to reports, there’s a discless Xbox One S coming really, really soon. The rumour first gained traction when it was revealed by the perpetually reliable Thurrott in November last year. The rumour was given a second dose of validity when Windows Central corroborated those rumours last month, saying that it’d be called the “Xbox One S All-Digital Edition,” and would be available after a “near-global simultaneous launch” in early May.
Now a German site has not only confirmed the system’s release but also revealed that it’ll ship with Minecraft, Forza Horizon 3 and Sea of Thieves pre-installed. There’s also a picture of the thing, which looks…pretty much like an Xbox One S without the disc drive.
Image source: Winfuture
According to this report, Microsoft will officially announce the thing this week, with pre-orders going up tomorrow for a May 7 release date.
As we head into a future where games are streamed from the internet, a system like this makes sense, but it also makes sense right now. It’s an excellent companion to Microsoft’s Game Pass (which may soon be bundled with Xbox Live) allowing new console owners to download and play from a rotating list of hundreds of increasingly awesome games. It also makes a good value proposition as a Fortnite and Apex machine, especially if the lack of disc drive helps shave off some of the cost. Given that that’s all newer gamers seem to be playing these days, it’ll likely be the cheapest push into gaming – that when coupled with an affordable Game Pass subscription, means parents may never need to buy actual games ever again.
Last Updated: April 15, 2019
Kromas
April 15, 2019 at 09:07
My gaming pc has not had a disc drive in years. 😛
Kenn Gibson
April 15, 2019 at 09:26
Exactly all my PC games are on Steam, Epic, Battle.net etc. I do download games on my Xbox one too, but if they are going to go this way, they need to increase storage capacity on consoles.
Kromas
April 15, 2019 at 09:36
Problem is that they really need to do a SSD upgrade cause consoles are slow as hell. SSDs are not exactly known for their price/MB.
Gareth Lagesse (eXCheez)
April 15, 2019 at 09:26
Xbox One SAD Edition. 🙁
Fox1
April 15, 2019 at 10:24
This explains the Game Pass R15 for 3 months subscription.
Pieter Kruger
April 15, 2019 at 10:34
Great idea, more options! I’ve basically gone all digital with my games & mostly use my Disc Drive on the XB1X to watch 4K Blu Ray! I hope the Ananconda launches with this option.
G8crasha
April 15, 2019 at 11:44
I guess it is inevitable that disc drives will become a thing of the past! I invested a ton in a bluray writer a few years ago, and I’ve barely used it! Talk about a bad investment.
Gareth Lagesse (eXCheez)
April 15, 2019 at 09:26
Xbox One SAD Edition. 🙁
G8crasha
April 15, 2019 at 11:44
I guess it is inevitable that disc drives will become a thing of the past! I invested a ton in a bluray writer a few years ago, and I’ve barely used it! Talk about a bad investment.