Sony and Microsoft are seemingly locked in a farcical battle to sink their own ship first. Just today, the PlayStation fired its most damaging salvo yet by cancelling physical games starting 2028. Not to be outdone, the Xbox is going pound-for-pound through an experimental disc-to-digital feature to digitize physical games.

According to The Verge, Microsoft is currently testing a feature which will allow users to completely digitize their collection of physical games on the Xbox One and the Series X. Upon inserting the disc, the Xbox will create a digital copy attached to the physical disc.

Being attached to the disc means that the digital copy can move from console to console. Once the disc is inserted to another console, the digital copy transfers with it.

The feature will prevent more than a single person from using the disc at the same time. It sounds similar to Nintendo’s Virtual Game Card but without the ability to lend games out to friends and family.

It’s still an experimental feature, so there’s no schedule for a global rollout yet. Still, the disc-to-digital feature sounds like an eerie prelude to Microsoft similarly eliminating physical discs for the future. If it’s any consolation (but it’s probably not), Nintendo already got the ball rolling by introducing the Virtual Game Card feature, but the Switch 2 mercifully hasn’t removed physical cartridges.

SEE ALSO: Xbox CEO admits Game Pass is too expensive right now

Sony PlayStation will stop producing physical game discs for all new PlayStation titles starting January 2028.

The company says the move reflects changing consumer habits. More players now buy games digitally instead of on disc.

Games released before January 2028 will not be affected. Those titles will continue to receive physical editions as planned.

After the transition, all new PlayStation games will launch in digital format only. Players can buy them through the PlayStation Store or from retailers selling digital game codes.

Sony says the shift will help it focus on digital distribution. It also wants to give players more ways to purchase games while continuing to improve the gaming experience.

The move also signals a major change for the industry.

Players will no longer be able to buy physical copies of new PlayStation games after January 2028. That could reduce the second-hand game market since digital purchases cannot usually be resold.

Collectors may also see fewer special editions that include game discs. Future collector’s editions could instead bundle digital download codes with physical merchandise.

The transition also makes reliable internet access more important. Every new game will need to be downloaded, and players may need to upgrade their storage as game sizes continue to grow.

For Sony and game publishers, the move could lower manufacturing and shipping costs. It also gives them greater control over pricing, distribution, and digital sales.

While the company did not mention game preservation, some players may also raise concerns about long-term ownership. Unlike physical discs, digital games depend on online storefronts and account access.

Sony thanked players for their continued support and said it remains committed to delivering a world-class gaming experience as the industry continues its shift toward digital.

Is there a Marvel franchise more doomed than Blade? On the big screen, Mahershala Ali’s much-awaited depiction has fizzled into obscurity. Now, the videogame might follow suit.

If you haven’t heard (or have forgotten) about Marvel’s Blade, then that’s not on you. Arkane Studios, the developers behind the adaptation, haven’t said a word about the game in years. Today, according to The Verge, Microsoft might shutter Arkane Studios, inevitably leading to a cancellation of Marvel’s Blade.

The source also indicates the game itself was plagued by delays (which we know) and is already above its budget (which we don’t know). Even if Arkane Studios continues its operations, there’s already a substantial chance that the game won’t be made anyway.

Arkane Studios won’t be the only one, according to the report. Microsoft is also considering Compulsion Games, Double Fine, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs for the chopping block.

Blade won’t be the only loss in an Arkane Studios shuttering. The studio is also responsible for the critically acclaimed Dishonored series and the more recent Deathloop.

However, in the Marvel end of things, fans can still scratch their superhero videogame itch later this year. In September, Insomniac Games, the same studio behind the wildly popular Marvel’s Spider-Man series, is set to launch Marvel’s Wolverine, a promising take on the iconic mutant.

SEE ALSO: Marvel’s Wolverine showcases brutal combat, confirms Jean Grey