Xbox Physical Games on Demand. The Same as Design Lab but for Games.

And what if Microsoft would let us order physical games on demand like in the Design Lab?

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So it must seem a bit surrealistic the title, I was also left with that when another reader commented on me the other day in the official Facebook page of Generación Xbox that Microsoft could make this change. The idea would be simple, basically just like Xbox Design Lab allows us to select our Xbox Series controllers to our liking, the same could be done with games for the console.

Obviously, here it is simplified, but the idea would go much further. Currently and quietly, Microsoft has been eliminating physical support for its own releases. If we look back, we’re talking about many past and future titles that won’t have the game inside the box, only a code for its download. This has generated a lot of controversy in recent days and it doesn’t seem to have a clear end, at least until Microsoft officially speaks up.

Xbox games in physical format on demand

In this context, the proposal makes sense: if they’re not going to distribute physical games from their studios in stores as before, only boxes with codes, why not give the option to buy them directly through Microsoft? It would be something similar to Design Lab, where we personalize and order a controller that is manufactured on demand. In this case, it would be an official physical edition —with disc, box, and cover— that we could order from the Xbox website for a limited time or even with additional features like a serial number, certificate, or collector’s packaging.

We’re not talking about going back to the traditional mass distribution system, but rather a complementary service for those who still value having the game in physical format. Microsoft could manufacture them in small batches, only when there are confirmed orders, and in the process, it would avoid the excess stock and material waste that can come with mass production. After all, custom controllers are also a complementary service, so something similar for physical games, perhaps wouldn’t be such a crazy idea.

It’s still a hypothetical idea, but as Xbox advances towards a 100% digital environment, alternatives like this could serve as a bridge for those who aren’t ready to say goodbye to the disc. Will we see a “Xbox Game Lab” for our physical collections one day? It doesn’t sound so far-fetched.