Xbox Goes Fully Digital: Release Dates, Features, and More

As games and other media continue to evolve, so does the way we purchase them. Long gone are the days when the few copies of a popular game would quickly sell out, forcing you to try another location or wait to play the game. Today, downloading digital editions of games is becoming much more common, so popular that Xbox just announced the release of new digital consoles that won't even have a disk drive. Keep reading to find out when they will arrive and what other features they will have.

When Will the New Xbox Consoles Arrive?

According to the Xbox website, the new digital consoles include a new Robot White digital Xbox Series S and a Robot White version of the Series X. They will be available on October 15th, 2024, in time for the holiday season, and you can pre-order either of the new consoles right now.

Digital Edition Features

Xbox Series S

• No disc drive

• It is smaller and lighter than the Series X, making it easy to fit into any gaming setup.

• Supports up to 1440p resolution with 120 FPS, optimized for digital gaming.

• Fast load times with 512 GB of custom NVMe SSD

• Fully compatible with Xbox Game Pass, cloud gaming, and other digital services for instant access to a wide range of games.

Xbox Series X

• Fully digital, no disk drive

• Includes the same powerful 12-teraflop GPU, 4K resolution, and up to 120 FPS support as the standard Series X.

• Offers a high-speed 1TB custom SSD for faster load times and storage for digital titles.

• Comes with a new Xbox Wireless Controller featuring improved ergonomics and haptic feedback.

• It integrates with Xbox Game Pass, cloud gaming, and other digital services to provide instant access to many games.

Benefits of a Digital Console

A digital console has several benefits over the disk drive counterparts. They are more affordable, so you can start playing sooner, and without the drive, they are smaller, making it easier to fit into a crowded gaming setup. They also use less energy, which helps you save even more over time and is good for the environment. A reduced demand for physical media also benefits the environment.

Cons of a Digital Console

Unfortunately, digital consoles have a few downsides. For one thing, you will need to download all of your games before you can play them, and depending on the speed of your internet and the size of the game, you may have to wait a while to start playing. The size of your hard drive also determines how many games you can have ready to play. You will constantly be deleting games to download new ones, and you may even find yourself downloading the same game several times if you like to revisit old titles.

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