Xbox chief Asha Sharma is considering the affordability of the company’s next-gen console amid rising hardware costs driven by AI spending. She hinted that players may soon be able to access digital versions of their physical games, allowing them to play on future hardware without needing to insert a disc.

Sharma stated, 'I know players love physical media, and I know there's a lot of benefits in digital media, and I want to make sure people have a choice.' However, she did not confirm whether the next Xbox console will have a disc drive, focusing on efficiency and affordability alongside performance.

The article also mentions that console prices have seen hikes, partly due to component costs, which have skyrocketed as AI companies buy up all the parts for their data centres. Sharma emphasized that the industry needs to start innovating on affordability and efficiency, and Microsoft, as part of Xbox, is contributing to this by investing heavily in AI infrastructure.

Sharma, who has recently taken over as Xbox boss, spoke about the need for a significant restructuring in the division, emphasizing the importance of serving the next 25 years. She acknowledged that the next few years would be challenging, but with a long-term perspective, predicting that 'gaming is on the cusp of becoming the most important form of entertainment for the next century.'