ⓘ Anthony / Unsplash
Sony wants to phase out physical games, while Nintendo is sticking with them for now. Microsoft, meanwhile, has yet to clearly outline its future plans for physical game releases. However, a new clue suggests that Sony could end up going it alone with its planned move away from discs.
Marius Müller (translated by Marius Müller), Published 🇩🇪
Microsoft is looking for an Xbox Games Supply Strategist to join its supply chain team. According to the job listing published on October 14, the successful candidate will be responsible for coordinating physical Xbox game releases across multiple platforms, planning global inventory supply and overseeing distribution and retail execution, among other duties. This suggests that Microsoft may continue releasing physical games in the future. However, there's also some uncertainty.
ⓘ Microsoft
While PlayStation reportedly plans to stop offering physical games starting in 2028, Nintendo has already announced that it has no such plans. There have also been indications that the next Xbox could feature a disc drive, although this has yet to be officially confirmed. The latest clue from Microsoft's job listing likewise suggests that physical media could remain part of the company's strategy, but it leaves some questions unanswered.
For one thing, the wording "across multiple platforms" doesn't make it entirely clear which systems Microsoft is referring to. It doesn't necessarily mean the planned Xbox ecosystem and could instead refer to physical releases of Xbox games for PlayStation or Nintendo consoles. On Reddit, many users see the job listing as a positive sign, but some point out that Microsoft could simply be filling an existing position, meaning the listing might have nothing to do with its future strategy. Until Microsoft or Xbox provides official information, however, all of this remains pure speculation.
As a child in the 90s, my Gameboy was my steady companion. After school, the PlayStation was fired up. When I finally got my first PC, I was completely hooked. My passion for gaming has never waned since. For me, writing for Notebookcheck means reporting on topics that are really close to my heart - in addition to gaming, I also like to write about e-mobility, photovoltaics and innovative gadgets. When I'm not sitting at my computer, I'm probably on water rescue duty on the Baltic coast or trying to counteract the downsides of my geek life - namely sitting for long periods - at the local swimming pool.