Rumors continue to circulate around the next Xbox console, as sources close to Microsoft have supposedly revealed the Xbox 720’s ability to stream a purchased game while it’s still downloading.
When you buy a game from a store, it is immediately yours. The only thing separating you from booting up that game for the first time is the drive home. However, when you download a game, you have to wait for the 8-10 GB of data to download, which could mean waiting an entire day to play the game you’ve already paid for.
If the rumors are true, and the next Xbox will provide players with almost no wait time for downloads, this could be the final nail in the coffin for brick-and-mortar game retailers. Why bother standing in line at midnight outside Best Buy for the next AAA title when you could be already be playing it in the comfort of your own home?
Once we get closer to the next Xbox’s official launch, it will definitely be interesting to see what among all these rumors will actually be a reality. From always-online servers to media integration to content distribution, the next-generation Xbox is set to shape the way people play games, for better or for worse.
