The current Xbox disorder is a huge problem and DRM is to blame
With all gaming consoles with online access, server disorders or failures can occur every now and then. However, this is particularly serious for Xbox users, because thanks to the DRM guidelines from Microsoft there is almost nothing more on the consoles and that has a trouble effect.
DRM makes offline use almost impossible
Most recently, the Xbox servers were affected by a huge disorder on May 6, which is still noticeable for some even three days later. Officially, the problem has been resolved and the status page of Xbox is now showing all services in the green again, but there are still occasional complaints from fans that cannot access their games.
What was or is affected by the failure can be read here:
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Xbox Network affected by giant disorder: Some fans still cannot play
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DRM causes massive problems: Due to the failure, not only purchases in the Xbox Store, but also the start of many games were almost impossible. Not only game pass titles are affected, but also purchased games, even if they are single player titles that do not have dedicated online functions.
The reason for this is that most games on Xbox are protected by digital rights management, or DRM (in German: digital rights management). This means that the game checks online at every start whether you have the necessary right to play it. If your console has no internet connection or the Xbox servers are down and cannot answer the game’s request, you cannot start the title.
Xbox library in danger
Nintendo and Sony consoles can also be affected by network problems with which no online games can be played, but the dimensions are less serious. How the Twitter account does it play? (via VGC) notes, most titles need the DRM check-in on Xbox, but not on PlayStation or Switch. If, for example, the Playstation servers were permanently, the tweet continued, you could still play the single player games you have, as long as the console works and your account is linked.
If the same would happen on the Xbox, almost all games in the library would be permanently unplayable. Even if it may sound unlikely that the servers will go offline forever, the thought is worrying.
Of all things, Xbox actually relies on the preservation of games and otherwise shines with great downward compatibility, which Microsoft continues to expand. And the apparently planned implementation of the Game Pass directly for smart TVs would suffer extremely under possible failures, because in this case you could only play the games through streaming.
Are you bothered that the Xbox needs an internet connection for many functions or do you hardly think about it if there are no failures?