World Backup Day Deals Best Cloud Storage Options Apple AR/VR Headset Uncertainty Samsung Galaxy A54 Preorders iOS 16.4: What's New 10 Best Foods for PCOS 25 Easter Basket Ideas COVID Reinfection: What to Know
Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories?
No, thank you
Accept

Good-bye games in boxes? Xbox 360 to get full game downloads

Gamestop might be king of the hill today, but it could be Tower Records tomorrow. After its E3 press conference, Microsoft announced during a press lunch that full game downloads will be available on-demand starting late summer.

CNET

Gamestop might be king of the hill today, but it could be Tower Records tomorrow. After its E3 press conference, Microsoft announced during a press lunch that full game downloads will be available on-demand starting late summer. Those games include Bioshock, Assassin's Creed, and Oblivion, all full-disc experiences.

On August, 30 titles will be available at the start of the service. It's not clear yet whether these will be "classic" 360 titles or will also expand to cover newer holiday releases. Considering the bandwidth drain this will already cause, it seems likely the supply will be (for now) lower-demand titles from the past.

link to E3 roundup
Click for full coverage of E3.

For these on-demand purchases, direct credit card charges will be accepted in addition to Microsoft Points. Games will be priced to match retail, meaning that--for now--no "disc-free discount" will be applied. But it does seem that, together with the PSP Go, our disc-free future is getting closer and closer.