Besides support for 8K, up to 120fps, and ray-tracing, the next-gen 'Project Scarlett' Xbox console will have a disc drive, Microsoft has confirmed to Eurogamer.
The disc drive stays
Despite launching a disc-less Xbox One, which made some wonder if the next generation console would also be disc-less, Microsoft will remain committed to physical media. The company confirmed as much in an interview.
- "Yes, Scarlett will have an optical disc drive. I still have films at home on physical media - not many, but a few of my favourites. We know people have an attachment to buying games on disc, to building a collection," Matt Booty, Head of Microsoft Game Studios, told Eurogamer.
Also read: Next-gen Xbox: 8K graphics, 120fps, SSD & ray-tracing - launching in 2020
The disc drive was not highlighted at the official press conference so Microsoft is seemingly not seeing it as a key pillar of its next console. No further details were provided either but we assume that it will be capable of spinning UHD Blu-ray discs considering that the Xbox One S and One X are capable.
Sony has also confirmed that its next-generation game console, likely to be called PlayStation 5, will have a disc drive but it is not clear in which form. The current PlayStation 4 consoles lack the capabilities to play UHD Blu-ray discs.
Samsung and Oppo may be leaving the disc market but optical discs will survive at least another console generation. This is obviously good news for anyone invested in physical media as these console tend to stay around for quite some time.
- Source: Eurogamer