Over the weekend, we've seen quite a few people bringing up a new job role that's just been advertised by Microsoft, specifically hiring for an "Xbox Games Supply Strategist".

The reason it's getting so much attention is because this role involves physical games - the job description states that the Strategist will "coordinate the launch of physical Xbox games across all platforms".

"The Xbox Games Supply Strategist will coordinate the launch of physical Xbox games across all platforms, lead development & oversee execution of global supply positioning strategies across all stages of the product lifecycle, ensure that inventory is positioned to deliver working capital/cost/service goals, and oversee the sales & channel execution of those games. You’ll work closely with Product Marketing, Finance & various groups within Supply Chain to establish & manage supply and sales plan of record. Every day will bring a new challenge, and you’ll be continually looking for ways to drive business profitability by planning and executing a predictable, reliable & low-cost supply chain."

It's reassuring for fans of physical games to hear that Xbox is still actively hiring for roles that deal with them, especially given that PlayStation has announced the end of disc-based releases as of 2028.

However, there isn't actually mention of discs in this job description, and Windows Central's Jez Corden speculates that discs won't be a part of the Project Helix generation, and that some kind of alternative could be offered:

"Indeed, with disc drives for laptops, Blu-ray players, and even CD players being phased out, it doesn't seem entirely likely to me that Xbox Helix will have a traditional disc drive. But, it increasingly seems like Microsoft may be looking at alternatives."

Of course, there's only so much we can take from a single job advert that only mentions "physical games" and doesn't go into detail regarding their strategy for the future, so who knows what the next few years hold in that regard.

It's interesting stuff though... and at the very least, this would suggest that physical games remain a part of Xbox's overall focus for the time being, even if they end up taking a different form in the next generation.

What do you make of this? Do you think discs will stick around? Tell us in the comments below.

[source linkedin.com, via windowscentral.com]