Physical media is making a comeback. The next generation console might kill it

We all know Next-gen consoles are in the works. Yes we are Six years in PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|Slargely because Lack of components Costs will rise due to the demands of artificial intelligence on the broader technology sector, but Sony has already raised “Future console“In the next few years, Microsoft has confirmed that the next Xbox will be codenamed Helix projectThis will likely be in 2028.

Players can probably Expect all the usual standard upgrades — faster processors, more powerful GPUs, more storage, all of it Ingredients supplies Manufacturing capabilities allow for this. But there’s one feature that both Sony and Microsoft should absolutely keep, whatever the next generation looks like: the not-so-humble 4K Blu-ray drive.

Keep it old school

This may seem like a strange argument. After all, both companies seem to have been backing away from tablets since day one for the current generation. The Xbox Series S and PS5 Digital Edition both lack a disc drive, and Sony has even dropped the feature from the more powerful consoles PS5 Pro– Although both that and the digital model can be upgraded by selling them separately Peripheral drive.

Indeed, many “on disc” versions only contain an installation package or carrier code for a digital version of the game, much like Nintendo Switch 2 game key cardswith file sizes exceeding up to 100GB of data that can be stored on triple-layer 4K Blu-ray discs. For collectors or fans Physical mediaThe direction of travel seems really depressing.

However, there are plenty of reasons for both manufacturers to stick with the drive. The most obvious is support for backward compatibility with older games, which is a very attractive feature for console owners. Both companies realize this, and support older disc games as well as digital versions. Xbox takes more Customized approach For backward compatibility, giving players access to select games from every generation of consoles up to the original 2001 release. Recently, Jason Ronald, vice president of next generation at Xbox, said Microsoft is “committed to keeping Games from four generations of Xbox “Playable for years to come” with Project Helix, which is good news, even if it stops short of confirming support for disc-based games on the device.

Meanwhile, the PS5 supports all but a few PS4 games. Previous PlayStation games were banned – the PS3’s unconventional ‘cellular’ processor was still a barrier to supporting its games on newer hardware, while PS2 and PS1 discs were not playable on any console after the original ‘fat’ PS3 model. If the PS6 kept a disc drive and solved this problem, even if it was simply by having enough raw power to do the powerful processing of those demanding PS3-era games, there would be a legion of PlayStation fans who would be very excited.

However, the biggest argument in favor of keeping the 4K drive isn’t related to gaming at all. Instead, for many owners, a PS5 or Xbox Series any Nowadays – and contrary to perceived wisdom – physical media is currently enjoying something of a resurgence.

Retro revival

It’s easy to assume that all physical media is dead, and it’s undeniable that the entire sector is suffering. By some measures, it seems like that’s really over — for movies and TV, streaming services still get the lion’s share of attention, video games are largely distributed digitally, and the majority of music is available. Digitally consumedin spite of Significant recovery in vinyl record sales.

However, even as digital media seems to dominate every piece of entertainment we consume, its sales Blu-ray 4K UHD Specifically actually growing. according to research From the Digital Entertainment Group (DEG), he noted HD flat panelsDisc format sales in the United States surged in 2025, rising 12 percent over 2024 sales numbers, the first increase in years.