Xbox outage blocks disc-based games, not just digital

A major Xbox outage that started Sunday evening has unexpectedly prevented players from accessing even physical disc-based games, not just digital titles. The disruption, which began around 11 PM ET, has affected core services including login, app launches, and the Xbox store, according to the company's status page. By Monday morning, the page warned that users "may have problems" playing both digital and disc games, a claim backed by numerous social media reports. The outage matters because it highlights the growing dependence on online verification even for offline media. While some users could launch owned digital games, titles tied to Game Pass were blocked with error messages. The Verge's Richard Lawler confirmed that disc games also failed to start, requiring an online check that the outage prevented. Microsoft has not yet provided a timeline for a fix or explained the root cause. The incident follows a pattern of increasing reliance on internet connectivity for console gaming, raising concerns about game preservation and access during server failures. Users are advised to monitor the Xbox status page for updates as the company works to restore full functionality.