Microsoft has gotten smart. The vision of a digital future spearheaded by Don Mattrick, president of Microsoft's interactive entertainment division, is still alive. I have no doubt that plans are already underway to lure gamers away from physical media. All is not lost for Microsoft. The Xbox One's original endgame is still something the company very much believes in, and here's how I think they are going to get there:
Discounts. One of the big concerns about a purely digital future is that Microsoft has not given gamers great hope. Games on Demand, the digital versions of retail games, often are priced higher than used (and sometimes new) disc copies. Microsoft needs to work with publishers to come closer to the insidious, wallet draining Steam sales.
Additionally, day and date digital releases should be discounted significantly. At least 10 percent (which is less than packaging, wholesale, retailer, and inventory costs for physical media) should be considered.
Bonuses. Gamers have shown great interest for in-game items. If Microsoft were to tie unique benefits to the digital versions of games (soundtracks, XP boosts, items, etc.), consumers would have more reason to jump on the digital bandwagon.
Reinstate family sharing for digital purchases. If Microsoft were to offer users a choice between owning a physical disc and being able to share games with friends family, I expect we'd see people gleefully fill up their hard drives with games that couldn't be sold or traded.
