More Xbox games can now be played without connecting to the net

Robert Collins

In a move that is sure to be applauded by gamers, Xbox has implemented a new feature in the latest Xbox update today that eliminates the online check-in for physical Xbox One game discs on Xbox Series X.

Previously, Xbox One game discs required a check-in when playing on Series X/S. This was the case even when Smart Delivery wasn’t available for a game. It also meant that offline games were unplayable during service outages.

Engineering Lead at the Xbox Team Eden Marie stated in a tweet that the online compatability check was unnecessary for many Xbox One game discs. It’s removal in these cases mean that a great many more Xbox One game discs are playable completely offline.

Which is great news for for those taking advantage of the Series X backward compatibility offerings, and a nice improvement for the overall user experience on Series X. Maybe in the not-too-distant future we’ll see the same treatment for downloaded games from Game Pass?