Microsoft announces all-digital Xbox consoles ‘Doom’

The announcement of an all-digital Xbox console by Microsoft, especially with a marquee title like "Doom," represents a significant shift in the gaming landscape.

Microsoft has unveiled its new all-digital version of its Xbox Series X and S consoles as well as trailers for more than a dozen games including the next instalment of “Call of Duty” at its annual Xbox Games Showcase.

As the gaming industry faces a downturn and publishers grapple with softer sales, layoffs and studio shutdowns, the Games Showcase appears to have come at a crucial time for Xbox and Microsoft.

The Xbox parent has not yet provided details on availability and regional pricing for the new Xbox Series S/X variants. “Stay tuned for updates in the coming months where we'll provide information about market availability and regional Estimated Retail Pricing (ERP) when we share pre-order details,” Microsoft said.

The new console variants will share the same speed and performance of current Xbox Series S/X models and will provide new design, storage and pricing options for users, Microsoft said. The all-digital Xbox Series X, for example, is priced lower than the standard Xbox Series X that comes with a disc drive.