Xbox's disc-to-digital feature grants digital license to delisted digital games

Xbox has rolled out its disc-to-digital feature to Xbox Insiders, and there are already so many reviews about the feature. However, one feedback that has stood out on X is that even digital games that have been delisted are supported.

The info was shared on X by Nicholas Maguire (nick_maguire254), who tested the disc-to-digital feature with Activision's Deadpool game. According to the post, he was able to get a digital license for the Xbox One version of the game, despite the title no longer being available digitally. The post, which has received millions of views, has also gotten Xbox's CEO Asha Sharma a lot of praise.

Deadpool was originally released for the Xbox 360, PS3, and Windows in June 2013. When Activision's licensing agreement with Marvel expired, the game was pulled from digital storefronts in 2014. However, shortly before the Deadpool movie's release in 2016, the game was re-released in November 2015 for the PS4, Xbox One, and Steam. It was then pulled again from digital stores in November 2017. Those who purchased the game digitally still have access to redownload it from the store they purchased it from.

Unfortunately, Deadpool isn't the only game that has suffered such fate. Many other Activision titles including Marvel Ultimate Alliance and all four 007 titles it published have been delisted. Oher publishers are also affected too such as Cartoon Network Games, which had several of its titles delisted by Warner Bros. Discovery.

The possibility of digital games being delisted is one of the reasons many are against Sony's decision to stop producing physical discs; as it means, a game that didn't get a physical release can become unavailable forever to those who didn't purchase it when it was still available.