Next Xbox Will Have No Disk Drive?

According to European site MCV, Microsoft has been telling partners that the next Xbox will not include a disk drive. The information itself has been issued under, what their source is calling, "the strictest non-disclosure agreement they've ever seen".

Instead, the console will read games off of some sort of "interchangeable solid-state card storage", although the exact details are cloudy at best.

Microsoft has chosen to comment on the news stating that, "Xbox 360 has found new ways to extend its lifecycle like introducing the world to controller-free experiences with Kinect and re-inventing the console with a new dashboard and new entertainment content partnerships. We are always thinking about what is next for our platform and how to continue to defy the lifecycle convention. Beyond that we do not comment on rumors or speculation."

With the inevitable extinction of physical games quickly growing on the horizon, you really have to think about the massive blow it would deal to the retail gaming sector. A console without a disk drive sort of signals the start of a new era in gaming; one where everything is available from your couch and there is no longer a reason to go outside...oh dear God!

What do you think? Do you like the idea of a being able to download everything straight to your console from home or would you rather have a physical copy of all your games? While I hate dragging myself off the couch to remove the disk, only to toss it into the case of one of several other games I have on my crowded shelf, I do enjoy the feeling of actually having something physical to show for why I won't be paying the hydro bill this month.

Article By Travis Shuman
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