Microsoft has dabbled in dubious DRM over the years, having previously announced then unannounced disc-based DRM for the Xbox One back in 2013. Sony scored some free public praise on that blunder. Yet it seems like the pendulum has finally swung the other way. Sony has announced it is ending support for physical games entirely, while Microsoft will let users add physical games to their digital games library.

Microsoft says, "Players have spent decades building their Xbox libraries. Some games were purchased on disc. Some were purchased digitally" It says its "goal is to make it easier for those libraries to move forward with players" and "this is part of our broader commitment to game preservation."

This program will begin to roll out for Xbox Insiders starting August 31 and will start with a few thousand titles. Effectively, the disc can be 'claimed' on an account, giving you access even when your disc is not in the disc tray. Interestingly, this also gives you access to the game via Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Cloud Gaming, which means you can play it from your phone or PC, complete with cloud saves.

The physical game will still function as normal, even after it has been added to your account. That means you can technically lend it to a friend. The license to add the game to your digital library is revocable, so if someone accidentally adds it to their account, you can remove it if you have the physical disc.

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