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[Outrunner]

Microsoft's Xbox Series X DRM Shows It's Not Serious About Game Preservation Despite What Phil Spencer Says

Microsoft's Xbox boss may want video game preservation to be the norm but the DRM on Xbox Series X and Series S suggests otherwise.

in.ign.com

Xbox Series X Games Can't Be Played Offline​

According to a video from YouTuber and game developer Modern Vintage Gamer, the Xbox Series X is unable to play games without connecting to Microsoft’s servers. He tried games off a disc like Rise of the Tomb Raider as well as Hitman 3 and both refused to work offline.

While Microsoft recommends keeping your Xbox Series X as your ‘Home Console’ in its settings, it’s a solution that’s described as a ‘band-aid’ as it doesn’t seem to work with every game as it should.

Native Xbox Series X physical games like Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition work fine. It installed off the disc and ran as it should offline. This should in theory mean that games that are solely for the Xbox Series X should work both offline and online. However with Microsoft’s focus on Smart Delivery, it means that the current crop of Xbox Series X discs that run on Xbox One as well are essentially coasters.

All of this essentially means that you won’t be able to play your Xbox games when Microsoft decides to take its servers offline. This makes game preservation on the console near impossible.

If Microsoft Was Serious About Game Preservation, Xbox Series X DRM Would Be Removed​

Spencer's comments were noticed by video game preservationist group DoesItPlay.

''Remove the Xbox DRM then?,'' the account tweeted. ''Actions speak louder than words.''

Granted there are concrete business reasons for this kind of heavy-handed policy to be in place, but they're in sharp contrast to Spencer's statements in favour of video game preservation. To make matters worse, he later claims in the interview that Xbox Live and Game Pass are methods of preservation.

Considering the means of access and complete control lies in the hands of a corporation that could at any given time, decide to cut you off from playing your games doesn't really make them solutions for preservation in any real way either.

Of late gamers are growing increasingly aware of what appears to be console companies exercising a near obscene amount of control over their games. Sony was taken to task for its heavy-handed policies regarding the PS3, PS4, PSP, PS Vita, and most recently, PS5. Safe to say, Microsoft’s been no better in this respect and Spencer's comments are farcical at best when in reality the company has been working towards a future where you have less control of your games than ever.

 

[Yoshi]

We had this topic months ago. Xbox One games do not work on Series X before connecting to the internet at least once after installation, because they require an XSX profile that must be downloaded. Series X games can be played always offline off disc. This is not a drm measure.

 

[Mattyp]

Do IGN research anything at all? Like literally fucking anything about the checks this does for first plays?

 

[Evil Calvin]

Yeah, when my internet goes out and I pop in a disc, I cannot play it. It's BS.

 

[Mr Reasonable]

Slow news day. IGN have to bump a 2 month old youtube video and pretend they don't know how setting a home console works and why the home console setting exists.

 

[K' Dash]

Do IGN research anything at all? Like literally fucking anything about the checks this does for first plays?

Nah breh, they want them clicks and shit posters spreading out their bullshit.

 

[M1chl]

Jesus fucking christ this poorly researched video, is doing rounds. Maybe those brainiacs over IGN, should tell MS how they should handle save files in the cloud and some configs then. Otherwise those native games are exactly same as Playstation.

I know it's not ideal, but hardly "DRM".

And as far as I know, you cant take flash drive and transport saves to PS5. And at least with MS, it's free.

 

[Mr Reasonable]

Lol, the tweet that is cited in the article comes from 4 hours ago. I assume it's from an account run by the person who wrote the article.

 

[Miles708]

This is old news, but a reason I can't in good conscience buy an Xbox Series X/S.
I value retrogaming and don't consider games as disposable goods. I guess other people do.

 

[Magnific0giganticus]

Double post

 

[Outrunner]

Lol, the tweet that is cited in the article comes from 4 hours ago. I assume it's from an account run by the person who wrote the article.

 

[Magnific0giganticus]

Everything about Digital content is diametrically opposed to preservation. You don't own anything. Someday, soon or later, all your investment in a digital library will amount to zilch.

So here we are debating over preservation of some games that can't be played offline right now, while happily playing into the hands of these corporations buying licenses to play a content for the time they see fit. Discs are going away. Is it so surprising the few of them left are being treated like digital content? You brought this upon yourselves. Fuck digital forever.

 

[Topher]

Even games that have no requirements to be connected online whatsoever have DRM.

Do IGN research anything at all? Like literally fucking anything about the checks this does for first plays?

Seems like I remember instances in the past of in.ign.com putting up articles like this that the main IGN site wouldn't touch. Frankly, this is the kind of crap I'd expected posted on N4G.

 

[reksveks]

I am not commenting on the story but I would make sure that you remember that ign has affiliate sites so it might be a different group of people to be unnecessarily angry at.

 

[ManaByte]

Xbox Series X Games Can't Be Played Offline​

This is as big a lie as when IGN said the human eye couldn't see 1080p.

 

[Bernd Lauert]

Lmao, another one of these threads.

 

[Black_Stride]

Yeah, when my internet goes out and I pop in a disc, I cannot play it. It's BS.

But this is false?

BC requires the XSX profile so you need to download that the first time you install the game.
But Series X games will work offline no problem.

And if you have the XSX profile already installed then the games will work with or without the internet.

P.S You should already have your "offline" XSX as you home console.

 

[Evil Calvin]

But this is false?

BC requires the XSX profile so you need to download that the first time you install the game.
But Series X games will work offline no problem.

And if you have the XSX profile already installed then the games will work with or without the internet.

P.S You should already have your "offline" XSX as you home console.

I'm always logged in. the games have been installed for a while. Won't play if internet is out

 

[Sealord of Braavos]

Yawn.

 

[Excess]

Welcome to the future.

You. Own. Nothing.

 

[Birdo]

This article shows that IGN are not serious about research.

 

[kingfey]

I'm always logged in. the games have been installed for a while. Won't play if internet is out

Your console isnt set as home console. I had the same issues, until I made the console home console.

 

[Zathalus]

Welcome to the future.

You. Own. Nothing.

Thank God. I really don't have the shelf space.

 

[Black_Stride]

I'm always logged in. the games have been installed for a while. Won't play if internet is out

On your home console?

 

[Syphon Filter]

Everything about Digital content is diametrically opposed to preservation. You don't own anything. Someday, soon or later, all your investment in a digital library will amount to zilch.

So here we are debating over preservation of some games that can't be played offline right now, while happily playing into the hands of these corporations buying licenses to play a content for the time they see fit. Discs are going away. Is it so surprising the few of them left are being treated like digital content? You brought this upon yourselves. Fuck digital forever.

Digital can be done right, look at gog or zoom platform where they provide an installer to you that you can back up to as much places as you want.

 

[kingfey]

Welcome to the future.

You. Own. Nothing.

You really dont own anything. If your psn/epic/xbox/steam/nintendo account is banned, that is it. Everything is wasted. Your console can get banned, or bricked. You are only left with useless brick.

Discs have digital code, which verifies your ownership of the game. If the game gets removed from the system, you cant download day1 patches (cybperpunk2077). So disc are worthless too.

 

[Blond]

We had this topic months ago. Xbox One games do not work on Series X before connecting to the internet at least once after installation, because they require an XSX profile that must be downloaded. Series X games can be played always offline off disc. This is not a drm measure.

Boy I remember StarforceDRM (someone correct me on the name) on PC in the mid 2000s and EVERYONE pitched a bitch over it and now it’s just acceptable lol

 

[Neil Young]

I'm comforted that the videogame media is as misleading as the legacy media. Second part of the headline should read "People who never would consider buying an XBOX will definitely not buy one now.".

I'm also very nervous as I'm going camping this summer. I was planning on bringing my Series X with me to the beautiful outdoors and nature. How will I ever be able to play Life is Strange without an internet connection? Unacceptable! What if a poor, cash strapped company like Microsoft decides to shut down their servers? What then!!!

 

[Blond]

You really dont own anything. If your psn/epic/xbox/steam/nintendo account is banned, that is it. Everything is wasted. Your console can get banned, or bricked. You are only left with useless brick.

Discs have digital code, which verifies your ownership of the game. If the game gets removed from the system, you cant download day1 patches (cybperpunk2077). So disc are worthless too.

This is a crock of shit. I might not be able to download a day one patch but I can play the moment I install without touching the Internet on PS4/5. Microsoft’s DRM infested machines and software might be different but otherwise but this not true for PlayStation and Switch

 

[Blond]

Your console isnt set as home console. I had the same issues, until I made the console home console.

Imagine this for games you bought physically lol.

 

[Syphon Filter]

This is a crock of shit. I might not be able to download a day one patch but I can play the moment I install without touching the Internet on PS4/5. Microsoft’s DRM infested machines and software might be otherwise but this not true for PlayStation and Switch

yea although it's still drm in terms of getting those patches. you can play the game but some of these patches are serious and needed like the framerate fix for bloodbourne,etc. So you end up with a half assed version of the game that you can play either way.

 

[Blond]

yea although it's still drm in terms of getting those patches. you can play the game but some of these patches are serious and needed like the framerate fix for bloodbourne,etc. So you end up with a half assed version of the game that you can play either way.

I have Bloodborne Old Hunters Edition with all the DLC on disc, there’s options if you want it.

 

[ReBurn]

arstechnica had a good article on why this happens

These offline, disc-based games require an online check-in on Xbox Series X

One-time connection required for configuration on Xbox One and Smart Delivery discs.

arstechnica.com

Smart delivery plays a part in it

 

[Syphon Filter]

I have Bloodborne Old Hunters Edition with all the DLC on disc, there’s options if you want it.

No every game has that option.

 

[Zeroing]

this issue needs to be discussed more often. DRM implies the company doesn’t trust you with what you own. It’s not about “I have internet, It’s a non issue”. If it’s for features then we would need to have options for it and companies being very clear about it

 

[YeulEmeralda]

Everything about Digital content is diametrically opposed to preservation. You don't own anything. Someday, soon or later, all your investment in a digital library will amount to zilch.

So here we are debating over preservation of some games that can't be played offline right now, while happily playing into the hands of these corporations buying licenses to play a content for the time they see fit. Discs are going away. Is it so surprising the few of them left are being treated like digital content? You brought this upon yourselves. Fuck digital forever.

The only real preservation is an ISO on someone's seedbox.

 

[DrAspirino]

Are you all guys serious about this? I mean... physical games today are nothing but a key that's useless without patches.

Physical copies are released so half-assed today that 99% of the time you have to download a day-1 patch just to have the game playable.

Games preservation my ass. That died with the XBone-ps4 generation.

 

[kingfey]

Imagine this for games you bought physically lol.

Its Microsoft. What do you expect. Leave to FK up something in the process.

At least we have Phil, who whip them out, their useless awful windows store. Their focus on gaming these days have been phenomenal these days. We are getting windows 11, which makes games good.

 

[kingfey]

Are you all guys serious about this? I mean... physical games today are nothing but a key that's useless without patches.

Physical copies are released so half-assed today that 99% of the time you have to download a day-1 patch just to have the game playable.

Games preservation my ass. That died with the XBone-ps4 generation.

Bingo. People have no idea, how bad games these days are. Imagine cyberpunk2077 without day1 patch.

 

[kingfey]

This is a crock of shit. I might not be able to download a day one patch but I can play the moment I install without touching the Internet on PS4/5. Microsoft’s DRM infested machines and software might be different but otherwise but this not true for PlayStation and Switch

Tell me how can you use your account, when its banned? Or when you are banned from accessing the store?

 

[Calverz]

*month

 

[kingfey]

*month

Its the age, where kids discover they really dont own anything. Even their precious Discs are useless. So they go and attack easiest system, while ignoring other systems.

 

[Calverz]

Its the age, where kids discover they really dont own anything. Even their precious Discs are useless. So they go and attack easiest system, while ignoring other systems.

My comment was more aimed at OP. This article was discussed months ago here on neogaf.

 

[Sleepwalker]

The xbox needs a 1 time connection to the internet for setup. After that you can play whatever you own physically (or had previously downloaded provided its your home console) without an internet connection.

Source: my own series x.


Ps: disc copies aren't really what they used to be, you might as well be buying a digital key on a case. Hell some switch cartridges literally won't have the full game in them.

 

[Yoshi]

Boy I remember StarforceDRM (someone correct me on the name) on PC in the mid 2000s and EVERYONE pitched a bitch over it and now it’s just acceptable lol

I do not think this would be acceptable, if it were true for native games, but for bc games, where there is an actual technical reason for that, it is fine imo.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

Boy I remember StarforceDRM (someone correct me on the name) on PC in the mid 2000s and EVERYONE pitched a bitch over it and now it’s just acceptable lol

Well starforce could also actually break your disc drive...that still wouldn't be acceptable today.

 

[TheThreadsThatBindUs]

Fucking nightmare fuel

 

[SCB3]

Do IGN research anything at all? Like literally fucking anything about the checks this does for first plays?

Can’t spell Ignorant without IGN

 

[IntentionalPun]

I'm always logged in. the games have been installed for a while. Won't play if internet is out

Are you on your "home" console? Or rather, do you have it set to "home"? Although maybe that shouldn't matter if it's your profile, hmm.

 

[skit_data]

Looks like they’re pretty pissed