Xbox might stop using digital download codes with future game bundles.
Microsoft recently released a new Xbox One X bundle with Cyberpunk 2077. The game itself isn’t due out for a few months, but that hasn’t stopped Microsoft from creating a Cyberpunk-themed Xbox One that comes with a digital copy of the game when it eventually does release.
It’s a good deal if you don’t already own an Xbox and are dead set on experiencing Cyberpunk through the lens of said Xbox One X. But new owners of this bundle have discovered a curious new way of obtaining their bundled game that thus far has never previously existed.
The news comes from Reddit user Ammika13 who posted their Cyberpunk Xbox One X experience on the Xbox One subreddit. They posted an image that confirms a complete lack of a download code for Cyberpunk 2077 and that the game will actually be registered to their account during the initial setup process.
Game codes have become a staple of the digital gaming environment. While the bulk of game purchases are made on digital storefronts, sometimes users will want to purchase digital versions of games in real-life stores and then bring them home to download later. Sometimes, physical releases are just empty jewel cases that contain small cards with download codes on them.
While this has been a convenient compromise to bridge the physical/digital divide, it has led to some problems. Notably, there have been some instances of download codes being stolen at some point in the delivery chain and users winding up with codes that have already been claimed. By attaching a digital download inside a console’s hardware, Microsoft gets around that problem.
Ammika13 noted in their post that they’re given the option of linking their Cyberpunk 2077 to their account or to wait and download it later. The same option is given during setup for the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription that also comes with the bundle.
This might not mean that digital download codes are going away forever, but this could certainly become the new normal when it comes to console bundles. Expect to see more of this with the Xbox Series X.