Microsoft announces new Xbox – without a disc drive
A new ‘digital native’-intended model of the Xbox One won’t play discs, but comes cheaper as a result
Microsoft has announced a new model of its Xbox One console, a digital-only version that will not be able to play discs and costs less than its siblings.
The Xbox One S All-Digital Edition is functionally and visually identical to the existing Xbox One S console, apart from the absence of a disc drive. It’s aimed at “digital natives”, according to Microsoft’s Jeff Gattis – primarily teens who grew up without the discs and cartridges that older games relied upon. It is out on 7 May, and will cost £199 in the UK and $249 in the US, significantly cheaper than the other Xbox One models. It will come with Minecraft, Forza Horizon 3 and Sea of Thieves pre-installed on it s1TB hard drive, and a discounted subscription to Xbox Game Pass, which offers a library of more than 100 games for a monthly fee.