DRM has always been a hot topic at Microsoft. Redmond firm never hesitates to duplicate checks to find out if you are playing legally. Good news for Xbox Series X/S owners, DRMs have finally been loosened in an update.

On the console, it was sometimes impossible to initially start a solo game (via disk) without an Internet connection, so Microsoft checked that everything was in place, the game was not hacked. This is particularly relevant for games like Forza Horizon 5 or Resident Evil Village where the disc doesn’t include the entire game.

Microsoft wants to be more flexible with DRM

But things are changing. Youtuber Hikikomori Media has indeed noticed since the last update: internet connection was no longer required to launch certain games. A strange observation given that Microsoft has not communicated about the matter.

Eden Marie, engineer at Microsoft, He confirmed on Twitter that DRMs have become smoother in update 2208. He said teams have determined that in most cases, online verification isn’t necessarily necessary. However, it remains active especially for some titles that need to download other data during installation. For example, Halo Infinite.

DRM issue (digital rights management) long standing thorn in the field of video games. This system was originally intended for developers to protect themselves from hackers. However, there has been a lot of abuse over the years. For example, some single-player games from Ubisoft at one point required a constant internet connection to work. Microsoft had chosen an initial control, but it was still seen as too restrictive by many users. It’s a system where some studios like CD Projekt Red have made the absence of DRM a selling point for their products.

Yes, this is true since update 2206. We’ve reviewed the data since Series X|S’s launch and determined that in most cases, online compatibility checks are not required for Xbox One discs. Some games may still need to be updated online after installation to ensure the best experience.

– Eden Marie (@neonepiphany) 19 September 2022