It is being reported on MCV that Microsoft are telling partners that the next Xbox will be released without an optical disc drive. Instead it will be released with some sort of interchangeable solid-state card storage. It is currently unknown whether the format will be specific to Microsoft or a standard format like SD.

Obviously by leaving out a disc drive questions are raised about backwards compatibility however one thing is for certain, the discs you currently play off will be useless on the new console.

The inside source also claims that the new Xbox will see a 2013 release date.

When asked by MCV for a comment Microsoft released the following statement:

“Xbox 360 has found new ways to extend its lifecycle like introducing the world to controller-free experiences with Kinect and re-inventing the console with a new dashboard and new entertainment content partnerships. We are always thinking about what is next for our platform and how to continue to defy the lifecycle convention. Beyond that we do not comment on rumors or speculation.”

As always feel free to leave a comment or discuss the news on our forums.

Source: MCV Exclusive: No disc drive for Next Xbox