Microsoft rumored to be considering a digital-only Xbox Series X

It has been claimed that Microsoft is looking into releasing a digital-only version of the Xbox Series X for a 2025 launch alongside “other hardware.”

The details:

• On the most recent episode of the XboxEra Podcast, host and known leaker Shpeshal Nick claimed that multiple sources have shared that Microsoft may release a digital-only version of its flagship console, the Xbox Series X. The messages from the aforementioned sources also state that the company plans to release "other hardware" in 2025, though it was not specified what the hardware is or if the 2025 release window is tied to the digital Series X.
• Unlike its competitor, the PlayStation 5, which launched with both digital-only and disk-compatible versions, the Series X is currently only available with a Blu-Ray disk tray. Microsoft, on the other hand, released the weaker, and thus cheaper, Series S, which lacks a disk drive and is noticeably smaller than the Series X. With the disk drive removed, the more powerful console is expected to be not only cheaper but also more in line with the Series S in terms of overall size, possibly being seen as this generation's equivalent to a "Slim" model.
• It's unclear why Microsoft intends to release the update, but it could be in response to rumors of a PS5 Slim and Pro coming within the next couple of years, as Sony's console has outsold its rival by nearly 20 million units. A lower price point with the same 4K-ready specifications as the Series X, combined with the expansion of Xbox Game Pass, could potentially help boost sales and bring it closer to the commercial performance of the PS5.

More Xbox news:

• Xbox plans to have one of its "biggest booths ever" at Gamescom 2023. Some of its most popular titles, including Forza Motorsport, Towerfall, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, are expected to be playable by show attendees.
• After a new method to circumvent Microsoft's block was discovered, Xbox is reportedly suspending players who use emulators in the retail mode of the Series X/S. The ban wave has not affected those who are using the console's developer mode.