Xbox’s Disc to Digital program has quickly caught the attention of players. Its premise is simple but particularly appealing at a time when the future of physical games remains uncertain: players can receive a digital license for a game they own physically without paying extra.

However, Microsoft warned from the beginning that the feature is subject to third-party approval. Publishers own the rights to their games and intellectual properties, so they ultimately decide whether their titles can participate in the program.

In recent days, the community has discovered that games from three major publishers apparently don’t provide access to a digital license through Disc to Digital.

Ubisoft, Square Enix and Bandai Namco Games Apparently Aren’t Part of Xbox Disc to Digital

The Disc to Digital feature is currently in beta and only available to members of the Xbox Insider program. According to community-maintained records, nearly 1,400 games are currently compatible, meaning players can obtain access to a digital copy after inserting the physical version into a console with a disc drive.

That number is certainly encouraging, and there have even been cases where players obtained digital access to games that had been removed from the Xbox Store years ago.

Still, as Microsoft explained, not every game will be eligible. According to reports from players, titles from Ubisoft, Square Enix and Bandai Namco don’t grant a digital copy when their physical discs are inserted into a compatible Xbox console.

That means major franchises such as Assassin’s Creed and Final Fantasy apparently aren’t covered. The same applies to games from FromSoftware distributed by Bandai Namco, including ELDEN RING.

For now, it’s important to keep in mind that these findings come from the community and that the program is still in beta. Microsoft could potentially add more games before Disc to Digital becomes available to everyone.

XBOX Disc to Digital no compatible

What Are the Limitations of Xbox Disc to Digital?

At this point, Xbox Disc to Digital isn’t available to the entire Xbox community, and Microsoft hasn’t finalized the feature. That leaves the door open for additional games to be supported in the future, especially since the company’s official announcement stated that most Xbox One and Xbox Series X games are covered by the feature.

There’s also an important caveat in the fine print: Disc to Digital operates through licensing agreements, meaning third-party publishers have the final say.

If Ubisoft, Square Enix, Bandai Namco, or another publisher decides that it doesn’t want to provide a digital license to someone who owns a physical copy of its game, Microsoft can’t simply override that decision.

The company has also warned that licensing situations can change unexpectedly. Games that currently support Disc to Digital could potentially lose that benefit because of legal or licensing issues. Agreements can change and certain rights can expire.

Interestingly, members of the community have also reported that the Forza Horizon games don’t appear to be part of the program, showing just how complicated the licensing situation can become.

What do you think about Xbox Disc to Digital? Would you use the feature if Microsoft eventually expands it to include most physical games? Let us know in the comments!

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