xbox one s all-digital edition
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Walmart's weekend sale includes a $150 Xbox One S All-Digital Edition
Microsoft's cheapest Xbox One S is back to the lowest price we've seen, and is available for $150 at Walmart this weekend, $100 off the regular price. A few Black Friday deals saw the All-Digital version of the console drop to a price that low, but now that we're in a new year -- and we all know when the Xbox Series X is coming -- maybe it's a little more clear that you'd like an HDR-ready version of the Xbox One to hold you over. It's not as powerful as the pricier Xbox One X, but if all you want to do is watch 4K video and play a few downloaded games -- or maybe do some xCloud streaming in the future -- then it fits the bill, and for a lower price than other consoles -- even the Nintendo Switch. With this bundle, it even throws in Sea of Thieves, Minecraft and Fortnite with 2,000 V-bucks and a special skin. Buy Xbox One S 1 TB All-Digital Edition on Walmart - $150
Xbox's biggest competitor isn't PlayStation
Stop me if you've heard this one before. At E3 2013, Microsoft tripped over its shoelaces as it tried to justify the unexpectedly high price and complex ecosystem of its upcoming console, the Xbox One. It required an internet connection and locked purchases to specific accounts, disrupting established resale and game-sharing processes. On top of that, executives were repeatedly dismissive of fans' concerns. When Phil Spencer, then the head of Microsoft Studios, announced a $500 price tag for the Xbox One, the E3 audience gasped and fell silent. Hours later, Sony took the stage. Executives presented their new console, the PlayStation 4, as the balm to Xbox's burn. It didn't need an internet connection to function, used games would play just fine, and titles wouldn't be tied to online accounts, making sharing easy with physical discs. PlayStation boss Jack Tretton announced the PS4's price of $400 and cheers exploded throughout the stadium.
Console gaming is at a crossroads
Sony and Microsoft have been walking the same path for nearly 20 years, when it comes to gaming hardware. Instead of leaves, shiny silver game discs dangle from the trees, while black and white boxes of varying sizes line the underbrush, covered in decades of debris and Doritos dust. Both companies know this trail well -- but it's about to split in two.
The disc-free Xbox One S hits stores on May 7th for $250
A disc-free, completely digital Xbox One is no longer just a rumored pipe dream for cord cutters and the current generation of Fortnite fanatics who've never had to set foot inside of a GameStop. The Xbox One S All-Digital Edition will hit retailers on May 7th for $250 (that's $50 less than the Xbox One S) and it's available for pre-order today. The console comes with three popular, Microsoft-owned titles -- Sea of Thieves, Forza Horizon 3 and Minecraft -- and a special offer on Xbox Game Pass, the monthly subscription service that includes access to more than 100 games.
Leak shows Microsoft's 'All Digital' Xbox One S
Yes, that disc-free Xbox One appears to be real. WinFuture has obtained images it says show off the Xbox One S All Digital, not to mention some extra details. The console's design is exactly what you'd expect -- surprise, it's an Xbox One S without a Blu-ray drive -- but it really is what's inside that counts. The system would carry a 1TB hard drive and (at least in Europe) ship with preinstalled copies of Forza Horizon 3, Minecraft and Sea of Thieves to get players started.
Microsoft may combine Xbox Live and Game Pass into single subscription
Microsoft is reportedly getting ready to combine Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold into a single subscription. According to Twitter user @h0x0d, a well-known Microsoft leaker, the packaged plan will be called Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and will cost $14.99 per month. The combined subscription is expected to be unveiled alongside the rumored disc-less Xbox One later this month, per The Verge.
Microsoft's 'All-Digital' Xbox One could launch in May
Those rumors of Microsoft releasing a disc-free Xbox One in 2019 are gathering steam. Windows Central sources claim the system will be named the "Xbox One S All-Digital Edition" (a very Microsoft-like name if we've ever heard one) and would ship worldwide in early May, with pre-orders starting in mid-April. The tipsters didn't mention pricing or design changes, but Thurrott previously heard that axing the Blu-ray drive could slash the price by up to $100.
