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Disc-Free Xbox One S Could Land on May 7 (techcrunch.com)
Microsoft is about to launch an even cheaper Xbox One S. In order to cut costs, the company is removing the Blu-ray disc drive altogether. According to leaked marketing images spotted by WinFuture, the console could launch on May 7th for $258 in Germany. From a report: Given that the launch is just a few weeks away and that those marketing images line up perfectly with previous rumors, chances are this is the real deal. As you can see on WinFuture's images, it looks exactly like an Xbox One S without the disc slot. The console is called Xbox One S All Digital and comes with a 1TB hard drive -- most standard Xbox One S consoles currently also feature a 1TB hard drive. Microsoft states clearly that this console is only for digital games. If you already have physical Xbox One games, you wonâ(TM)t be able to insert them in the console.
For my child, I frequently disable the Xbox network connection, so that annoying advertisements, brainless Youtube videos, intro-freebies, and toxic multiplayer games can't get through. Basically, playing offline greatly reduces all the addictive ADD-inducing garbage that's peddled by the online marketplace.
Without a network connection, disc-based games still work. Digital download games usually don't work anymore. So removing the optical drive isn't just a cost-saving move, it's another dick move that reduces people's privacy, keeps people always-online, and increases Microsoft's revenue opportunities at your expense.