Video Games Plus Urges Xbox to Stand Behind Physical Releases

Canadian independent retailer Video Games Plus published an open letter to Xbox CEO Asha Sharma this week, asking Microsoft to commit to physical game releases amid Sony’s plan to go all-digital in 2028. The letter, shared on social media, frames the moment as an opportunity for Xbox to reverse its own history.

It cites the 2013 Xbox One reveal fiasco and Sony’s famous “used game instructional video,” arguing that if Microsoft now backs physical media, it could win consumer goodwill that’s been missing since the 360 era. The retailer specifically calls on Xbox to make physical games a core part of its upcoming Project Helix hardware, which reports suggest may still be undecided on disc support.

Physical game sales on Xbox have cratered, and Microsoft’s silence so far is its own statement. But being the last platform holder to support a disc drive, especially after Sony’s 2028 announcement, would earn genuine loyalty from collectors and the preservation-minded. POCG has never been neutral on this: discs rot, but servers disappear faster. The open letter is a long shot, but it’s one worth rooting for.