Next Xbox won't support optical drive game playback -- report

Microsoft's next Xbox won't allow gamers to play titles from an optical drive, according to a newly leaked document.

The folks over at VGLeaks recently released what they claim is the Microsoft documentation for its next console, code-named Durango. In the long-winded document, which makes mention of enhanced graphics and an improved Kinect sensor that will be sold with the console, Microsoft notes that only hard drive-based game playback will be offered.

"Every Durango console will have a hard drive, although its exact capacity has not been chosen," the company wrote in the documentation. "It will be large enough, however, to hold a large number of games. All games will be installed on the hard drive. Play from the optical disc will not be supported."

The documentation also notes that the next Xbox console will come with a Blu-ray drive. Microsoft reportedly wrote that while the disc is downloading a game to the drive, gamers will be able to start playing.

The Xbox 360 currently allows gamers to download titles to their consoles. However, the console needs the game disc in the system to run. It appears, if the VGLeaks document can be believed, that game discs will be needed only to install titles on the hard drive. After that, they're not required.

But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, it's important to note that The Verge, in speaking with its own sources on the matter, is reporting that the document is from last year, meaning Microsoft could have made several changes to the device between then and now. In other words, take the rumor with a grain of salt.

"We do not comment on rumors or speculation," a Microsoft spokesperson told CNET in an e-mailed statement. "We are always thinking about what is next for our platform, but we don't have anything further to share at this time."