It is against this backdrop of the planned phase-out of physical games that the website Dealabs shared a small discovery. Insider billbil-kun got his hands on a scrapped XBOX ad that has quite an impact today.

Uncovered in early 2025, this commercial was intended to highlight the advantages of both physical and digital games. The goal wasn’t to pit the two formats against each other, but rather to list the pros and cons so players could make their own choice. The video began with the question: "Physical games vs. digital games. Which suits you best?"

For example, regarding physical copies, Microsoft noted that users could keep them, enjoy limited editions (collector’s editions), or lend the game to friends. As for digital games, the American company highlighted the ability to pre-install the title for immediate access upon release, easily switch between games, and access exclusive digital editions.

This ad was ultimately pulled without any real explanation.