Microsoft has released a short advertisement for the Xbox Game Pass which seems to put down physical media (and by extension those who collect it).

The ad is only a short 9 second snippet which compares life to before and after Xbox Game Pass. In the before, we see firsthand through someone’s eyes as they flip through their thick album of Xbox CDs with a classic Xbox sitting on the table. Subdued music plays during this part.

The scene then transitions to someone enjoying Xbox Game Pass and flipping through a digital list of games available through the service.

https://twitter.com/MicrosoftStore/status/1701695452612047164

The ad encouraged a response from Twitter users who took offense to the ad’s jab at physical media collectors. In recent years, the trend towards digital licensing in lieu of physical ownership has sparked a worthwhile discussion on the benefits of owning physical copies of games; especially since Xbox removes games from the service regularly.

Other users pointed out that there’s nothing stopping people from collecting physical media and enjoying Xbox Game Pass at the same time, citing the convenience of being able to try indie games or other games they were unsure about before committing to a purchase.