Online coercion is a thorn in the side of many gamers. However, an update for the Xbox Series X now allows you to install and play games completely offline. However, there are some limitations to this.
Xbox Series X: Many games now also work offline
DRM measures ensure that you need an active internet connection for some games. This is true even if you own the disc that comes with the game, which should actually contain everything you need to gamble. That Update 2208 for the Xbox Series X released in August has now significantly reduced this online compulsion.
YouTuber Hikikomori Media first discovered that he older games for Xbox One can now install and gamble completely offline. A few months earlier, the console wanted to access the network beforehand. For games that were only released for the Xbox Series X, this would have been the case for a long time.
However, this function only works with games that can be installed completely with the disc. In games like Forza Horizon 5 or Halo Infinite but this is not the case at all. Accordingly, the games must be able to access the Internet in order to be installed at all (Source: Hikikomori Media)
Check out the Deathloop trailer for Xbox Series X:
Online coercion for Xbox One games was not even necessary
Xbox engineering lead Eden Marie has since spoken up and confirmed the changes. So be the online compatibility checker not necessary at all for most Xbox One games. However, you should still update many games to get the best experience (source: Eden Marie).
However, older Xbox 360 games, or even the original Xbox, still require an internet connection. Even the cheaper Xbox Series S (see on Amazon) does not benefit from the update, since it has no drive at all. In contrast to its competitor Sony, Microsoft wants to keep the prices for both consoles stable. Gamers don’t have to worry about this, at least in the near future.