Some early rumors made rounds on the internet that the Xbox Series X could be touting an Always-Online DRM approach, similar to what the company was trying to do with the Xbox One in 2013. The rumors have been debunked, but there is still a catch.
The Xbox Series X does not have always-on DRM but there is a catch
Some mixed news was making rounds on the internet yesterday when users claimed that the Xbox Series X had a check-in DRM that expired every 24 hours, forcing users to sign in or connect to Microsoft again once every 24 hours.
This is akin to what Microsoft originally envisioned for the Xbox One back in 2013 until they decided to remove the new “feature”.
However, after intensive testing, it has been concluded that while there is no check-in DRM, a first time boot up or install of a game will need users to be connected to the internet do download a configuration file that makes Auto-HDR for the title possible, especially games in the backward compatibility program.
The configuration file stays in the system until you uninstall the game, and then the file has to be downloaded again.
Whether or not this can be patched is not yet known, but it helps ease the minds of Xbox users who were planning on traveling with the console and may not have access to internet during their stay.
The file is believed to help with bring Auto-HDR between the Xbox 360/Xbox One title to the Xbox Series X, one of the more prominent features of the latest Microsoft console.
All in all, it is a sigh of relief that Microsoft has moved past the days of wanting users to be always online, especially in places or situations where internet stability is not always guaranteed.
The Xbox Series X is having a spectacular launch, despite some early faulty units where are expected at this point.
While the new console may not have any first-party launch titles like Halo Infinite or The Medium, fans are happy with playing their favorite Xbox 360 and Xbox One games in better resolution and frame rates, and don’t mind waiting for the first made for Xbox Series X first party titles.