Microsoft is looking to hire someone to oversee the 'launch of physical Xbox games,' a move that appears aimed at gaining a public relations advantage over Sony. The job listing, posted on LinkedIn over the weekend, is for an Xbox Games Supply Strategist who would coordinate the launch of physical Xbox games across all platforms, lead development and oversee execution of global supply positioning strategies, ensure inventory meets working capital, cost, and service goals, and oversee sales and channel execution.
This comes after Sony's decision to abandon physical games after 2027, which surprised many despite the growing popularity of digital releases. The backlash against Sony's plan has not been enough to change their mind, but Microsoft appears to be capitalizing on the discontent.
Project Helix and Physical Support
The Project Helix line of consoles is expected to include at least one model that supports physical games, according to the job listing. The listing explicitly mentions that physical games will continue to launch 'across all platforms.'
However, the promise of continued physical support seems largely symbolic, as Xbox owners have historically favored digital over physical more than PlayStation fans. Microsoft's attempts to promote a primarily digital console date back to the Xbox One reveal in 2013.
Questions About Discs
The job listing does not specifically mention game discs, leading to speculation that "physical games" might only refer to codes in a box. Disc drives are reportedly on their way out, and earlier this year, Microsoft announced a feature to convert Xbox game discs into digital licenses. This was billed as game preservation, but it could be seen as an admission that future consoles will be digital-only.
Xbox currently sells the least physical games among platforms, partly due to Game Pass, which gives Microsoft more reason than Sony to ditch physical releases. Despite this, demand for physical games remains, as shown by the performance of the PlayStation 5 exclusive Wolverine game.
