Microsoft Patent Could Verify Physical Games for Xbox Digital Library

[Deleted member 93062]

NOTE: It's not clear if this is to convert physical games into digital entitlements. Brad Sams' (Guy who leaked the Series S amongst other things) thinks it is. The patent could also suggest disc verified through LAN. It seems like you could use an Xbox One as basically a network attached disc drive for your other consoles. Maybe when Xbox inevitably drops the disc drive entirely on future revisions, they'll sell a network attached disc drive so you can play all your old Xbox physical games on the new disc-less only consoles.

https://gamerant.com/microsoft-patent-xbox-physical-games-digital-verification/

The patent describes a system that allows an external disc drive to authenticate an Xbox game and allow the player access to the digital version of that game through the Xbox Series S Games Store.

Click to shrink...

It is unknown whether the patent would allow players to redeem a digital version of the game to add permanently to their digital library, or whether the patent would simply be the basis for an external disc drive Xbox Series S players could purchase if they wanted to play backwards compatible Xbox One games. It would seem unlikely that players would be allowed to duplicate their copy of a game if there were any chance the disc could then be sold and duplicated again, though perhaps the patent could identify whether the disc had been validated before like with the codes for redeeming digital games through the Xbox Games Store.

Click to shrink...

The patent description also seems to suggest that an Xbox One could be linked with the Xbox Series S and used as the external disk drive for authenticating the game, but whether they could be linked wirelessly or would require a connection is unclear.

Click to shrink...

I thought this was pretty interesting because I can see a few scenarios for this:

• Allow Series S owners to play physical copies
• The Xbox Series Pro or next gen Xbox will not have a disc drive and they will sell a network attached external disc reader so people with a big Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Xbox physical collection can move all their games over (I think this is most likely the case)
• This could allow for playing a physical game on other systems on the network without physically moving the disc. For example: you have a disc in your upstairs Xbox Series X but want to play on your Xbox Series X downstairs on the same network, as long as no one else is playing on the Xbox Series X with the disc, you can play on your downstairs Xbox Series X.

 

[Phawx]

This would be a killer feature for an Xbox Handheld

 

[Theorry]

 

[Zebesian-X]

This shit is so cool. I don't have any Xbox discs kicking around anymore but I do have a huge stack of PS2-3 games in my parent's basement lol. Hope Cerny is taking notes 👀

 

[Rndom Grenadez]

Physical collectors would be happy about this. It's not for me though unless the add on is dirt cheap.

 

[Jimnymebob]

That would be pretty cool. All like 6 of my physical One S games are first party and therefore on Game Pass, but it'll still be good to have.

 

[Deleted member 93062]

Click to shrink...

The GameRant article isn't sure if this is to convert your physical collection to digital or if its more of an external disc reader that still requires the disc present while playing. I wonder if they'll actually have a program to send in all your physical copies and get digital entitlements.

 

[TeraDax]

That would give a really good incentive to get the Series S, thats for sure.

 

[quail_lad]

I have a series s, so being able to use some of my old 360 discs would be cool. I have a feeling that the real reason this exists is so Microsoft can go all digital.

 

[ClamBuster]

got an old crusty disc wallet book with a hundred 360 games in it... never chucked it purely on the off chance this came around

 

[nihilence]

Would be the best of both worlds.

 

[Jroc]

They should start embedding RFID chips in the physical discs similar to a credit card. That would make it easy for non-disc devices to authenticate and use them. You could even use NFC on your phone with the Xbox app or something.

 

[LewieP]

Curious to what extent this would or even could apply to delisted games. Tbh I'd swap my disc copies of Blood on the Sand, Driver San Francisco, Pure and others for a digital copy in a heartbeat.

 

[Deleted member 93062]

This would be a killer feature for an Xbox Handheld

Click to shrink...

I need a dedicated Xbox handheld 🙏

 

[kodax_shc]

I am guessing this would make the disc useless after being converted into a digital entitlement?

 

[DrScruffleton]

Oh yes please, I've double dipped just to have digital before also

 

[Phokal]

This would be great if I could claim delisted titles that I have on disc like Lego Lord of the Rings and Driver San Francisco or Mortal Kombat 9.

 

[Deleted member 93062]

I am guessing this would make the disc useless after being converted into a digital entitlement?

Click to shrink...

It's not entirely clear if this is for converting to digital entitlement especially because it suggests that an Xbox One could be used as an external disc reader for the Xbox Series S. I think it's likely that this is a patent for a network attached disc reader that you'll be able to buy separately from an Xbox Series S, Xbox Series Pro (with no disc drive), or next gen Xbox that likely won't have a disc drive to continue playing your physical collection.

 

[Deleted member 81119]

This looks like a way to use an external disk drive for what Xbox series X already does. Basically paving the way for them dropping disk based consoles, but with an option for physical BC using this.

 

[anexanhume]

There's two very distinct interpretations being given here. One is talking about permanent entitlements while the other is talking about disc being verified on a LAN.

 

[Deleted member 93062]

There's two very distinct interpretations being given here. One is talking about permanent entitlements while the other is talking about disc being verified on a LAN.

Click to shrink...

Yep. I'm leaning towards the latter.

 

[Ouroboros]

This would be amazing.

 

[cgpartlow]

This would be great for multi console households. I know several people with a Series X and a Series S console for travel or another room in the house. If they could play the games in their Series X disk drive that would be huge.

 

[EvilChameleon]

I like the idea of putting it in your One S/X and then letting that do the work of authenticating your copy, and then being able to download a digital copy on the Series S.

 

[vixolus]

There's two very distinct interpretations being given here. One is talking about permanent entitlements while the other is talking about disc being verified on a LAN.

Click to shrink...

Patent appears to be validating on a LAN so you can pop in a disc on a console and use it elsewhere within the home network.

Brad was hinting at trading in discs for digital but seeing as Microsoft closed their brick and mortar locations that plan is out. So this may be their alternative solution to a similar goal

 

[Hippopuncher12]

This is cool, and if it is something that happens I hope Sony does it as well because I have like 10 Xbox physical games but almost 500 PS4/5 physical games.

 

[TheChrisGlass]

Sony already did one-time entitlements from disc games. Only a few titles did it as a test, Ratchet & Clank All 4 One was one. I believe Playstation All-stars Battle Royale was another.

They never revisited it after the handful of PS3 games that supported it though.

 

[wwm0nkey]

Combo this with your entire digital library on XCloud and this is BIG

 

[Fisty]

Unless this is an actual disc-to-digital program (which is very unlikely tbh) then it seems like a really convoluted solution to a problem already solved with digital licenses

 

[Deleted member 93062]

Sony already did one-time entitlements from disc games. Only a few titles did it as a test, Ratchet & Clank All 4 One was one. I believe Playstation All-stars Battle Royale was another.

They never revisited it after the handful of PS3 games that supported it though.

Click to shrink...

I think this would be markedly different as this seems to be preparing for a future where no Xbox console has a disc drive. The way I see it is:

Next-gen Xbox will not have a disc drive and they won't produce physical games for Next-gen Xbox, however if you have old Xbox discs you can buy a separate network attached disc reader and play those old games that way.

 

[tapedeck]

Interesting, the dream for me would be to put my physical disc in my Series X once then be able to launch the digital version installed on my system without the disc, I still purchase most everything physical cause Im old and won't let go.

 

[RivalGT]

So a home network for physical games.

I can have gears 4 physical in the series X or one. And play it on the SS in the same network.

Seems useful for a home with multiple consoles and you use physical games a lot.

 

[ThisThingIsUseful]

This is fantastic.

 

[The Lord of Cereal]

This kind of sounds like an ideal version of the original Xbox One DRM, albeit made more complicated.

Still though, if I could use this to get digitally verifiable versions of my physical games, I'd be really happy. I've got stacks of physical games from the OG Xbox era to the early Xbox One era and it'd be great to get digital versions of those games or at least a way to play those games digitally

 

[GetDigitized]

Weren't they trying to do something like this with Xbox One, but it also meant all disc games were tied to accounts?

Interesting, the dream for me would be to put my physical disc in my Series X once then be able to launch the digital version installed on my system without the disc, I still purchase most everything physical cause Im old and won't let go.

Click to shrink...

Think this will only be for the disk less consoles, not for consoles in general.
It'll probably require re-authentication semi frequently. Otherwise you could rent/borrow games and have them all digitally.

 

[vixolus]

It could be useful for families too outside of Game Pass. Buy a disc version, put it in your series x and your kid on series s can coop with you

 

[spyroflame0487]

I had often wondered why there was never any system in place on the Xbox to allow you to put your disc in, register it to your account and then be able to download the digital version of the game. This would be fantastic as i've had a few problems with some disk based games, but then when they popped up on Game Pass, the digital version worked perfectly fine. (Red Dead 2 was one like that with online for whatever reason)

 

[Arn]

Fucking hell that would be incredible with features like Quick Resume.

 

[Levitates]

Combo this with your entire digital library on XCloud and this is BIG

Click to shrink...

Buy a disc, verify it and play it on every device that has a chromium-based web browser.

Huuuge.

 

[vixolus]

I had often wondered why there was never any system in place on the Xbox to allow you to put your disc in, register it to your account and then be able to download the digital version of the game. This would be fantastic as i've had a few problems with some disk based games, but then when they popped up on Game Pass, the digital version worked perfectly fine. (Red Dead 2 was one like that with online for whatever reason)

Click to shrink...

Well that Was the plan and then it quickly changed in 2013 lol

 

[Tigerfish419]

I would use this in a heatbeat.

 

[gothmog]

Seems kinda overcomplicated, but it would be nice to have options. I would love to see them just have a service where you send in your disks for conversion. They keep the disks and you keep the cases. Your library then gets the digital license for the title.

 

[SCUMMbag]

I guess this checks the signed in account + public IP. If both match up then you could assume the device with the disk and the device to play the game are owned and accessible by the same person.

 

[Deleted member 93062]

Seems kinda overcomplicated, but it would be nice to have options. I would love to see them just have a service where you send in your disks for conversion. They keep the disks and you keep the cases. Your library then gets the digital license for the title.

Click to shrink...

I think it's only really complicated because we don't have all the details and it's a patent.

I think all this is underlying the tech that will lead to a network attached external disc reader (or you can use your existing Xbox with a disc reader) that you can buy with your next gen Xbox to play your back catalog of Xbox physical games (Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Xbox). I don't think they'll make physical copies of next gen Xbox games.

I do agree that they need to do that program to convert your physical games to digital.

 

[quail_lad]

I assume you would need to put the disc in each time to verify. You can already download games without buying them, this would just let you launch the program. I don't know how they would known you were using a specific disc.

 

[Deleted member 93062]

After thinking on it more, I think we will probably see this tech before the Xbox Series Pro model. The Pro model will be disc less. This will get any negative pushback from this out of the way from The Pro model launch or next gen Xbox launch. Also launching it before the Pro makes it seem like a bonus feature for Series S owners instead of a required product (if you have a collection of discs) for Xbox pro model

 

[Faceless_Caesar]

This is basically what they were going to do in 2013 with Xbox One except the disc drive isn't in the console.

 

[Deleted member 93062]

This is basically what they were going to do in 2013 with Xbox One except the disc drive isn't in the console.

Click to shrink...

I don't believe this would remove your license from your disc and prevent you from reselling it. It uses your disc as a license rather than a one time activation. At least from how I'm understanding it.

 

[tapedeck]

Think this will only be for the disk less consoles, not for consoles in general.
It'll probably require re-authentication semi frequently. Otherwise you could rent/borrow games and have them all digitally.

Click to shrink...

Yeah you're right, I just wish there was some way to own the disc and not have to actually put it in the console after the first install, but I have no idea how they would handle the license verification.

 

[rokkerkory]

pro consumer if true