As an online gamer, exploring online games without paying high subscription fees is a deal maker. Therefore, whether you can download games without Xbox Live or not, I understand it is a matter of concern that requires your attention.
So, can you download games without Xbox Live? It is possible to buy and download games without Xbox Live. All you will need is a basic free Silver account. A Silver account is a free account, and you will not need to pay for a subscription. With the Silver account, you can also play games, listen to music, and if you do not have friends to play with, you can play single games using this account. However, while you can enjoy the above benefits, with a Silver account, you will not play multiplayer games online.
Downloading games enable you to access them at the convenience of your couch. You will also enjoy variety and losing such games is difficult compared to purchasing physical games. Being able to download these games as an Xbox user without Xbox Live would even be better for any online gamer.
It is possible to download games without Xbox Live as long as you have an Xbox Live Silver membership. This membership is free to all Xbox 360 owners and grants them access to Xbox Live Arcade title, Live Market Place, and home to all game demos. You will also be able to access Netflix and chat sessions, among other benefits.
However, Silver members will not access the multiplayer gaming in Xbox Live. This means that they cannot play with other online players and friends online. Thus, to play multiplayer games, you will need an Xbox Gold account. However, this account is not necessary when you only want to download the games.
As evidenced above, the Xbox Live account has two levels, the Silver and the Xbox Gold account. The Silver account is the normal account profile that you make when you first purchase your console. With this account, you can play all single-player games. However, if the single-player game also has a multiplayer mode, you will be limited in most cases requiring a subscription to the Gold.
Another disadvantage with this account is that you will not be able to play online. This limits you to only games with the offline mode even though you may need an active internet connection to play in some single-player games. However, you can chat with your friends privately, but you cannot do a group chat.
In addition to the single-player game access, an Xbox Live Silver membership will enable you to enjoy sports, music and other entertainment apps, use Skype and Microsoft Edge on your TV, access beta game versions, preview incoming games, download games from the Xbox Marketplace, join a gaming community, and exchange chats with other Xbox Network users.
To set up this account, you will need to turn on your Xbox and remove any DVDs or games from the disc tray. Next, navigate to the My Xbox tab and select Join Xbox Live. You should then read the terms of use and click the A button to agree to the terms. To enter a Gamertag, which will also be your identity on Xbox Live, you will use the virtual keyboard.
When creating your Silver account, you will also need to create a Windows Live ID, but if you already have one, ensure you associate it with your Xbox. Next, enter your details, including your name, date of birth, language, and a valid email address. After that, click the A button to accept the terms of use. Lastly, you will need to select the Silver Membership option and a gamer picture. You will also select a gaming level, and for this account, the level does not matter. To complete the registration, press A.
The Xbox Gold allows you to play online with your friends and other online gamers, but you will not need it when playing in offline modes. Also, this account is not necessary to download the games themselves. The Xbox Gold is available at an affordable subscription fee for players to access its benefits.
Microsoft removed the Xbox Live Gold Subscription in the recent past, enabling the Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X to play multiplayer games without the Xbox Live Gold. Also, part of this rollout was unlocking the Xbox Party chat and Looking for Groups feature. The above changes meant that games such as Destiny 2 and Call of Duty: Warzone, among others, will no longer require a subscription. With these changes, it is definite that the Xbox Series S console will be more appealing to consumers.
The above changes by Microsoft resulted from a reverse price hike earlier this year. Microsoft had attempted to double its Xbox Live Gold annual subscription fees, but this did not go well with its fans. Therefore, they backtracked and made their offers more appealing to users with the above changes. While the above changes favored the Xbox Series S console, it left the Xbox Live Gold in some awkward space with literally all its services being free.
How Do You Download Games on Xbox?
The Microsoft digital catalog features a large game library giving you a wide range of options. However, whether you get your game from the Xbox Game Pass or Microsoft Store or a disc, you will need to install it in your console before you can play. I will guide you on how to do this and start playing offline.
If you are downloading your Xbox games on your PC, the easiest way would be via Microsoft’s Play Anywhere. All you will do is select the titles on the Xbox Library, and this can run on any device, including your Xbox One, 360, or Windows 10 PC. If your Operating System is up to date, then your Play Anywhere is active on your Windows 10. However, its working will not be as per your expectations.
For instance, if you buy an Xbox One game, you will receive a free PC version for download. This means that at the price of one game, you will get two, and you will be able to play on any Microsoft system gaming as long as you are connected to the internet.
While it is possible to download from Xbox One to your PC, you cannot do vice versa. That is, you cannot download it through your PC and transfer it to your console. This is because Xbox has put some security measures in place, limiting the download via the Xbox network only.
However, you can disable this measure, but doing this will put your device at risk as it involves incompatibilities between the Xbox and hard drive file format, also called flashing. The safest way to bypass this limitation would be to find your way on the file format, a technique that requires advanced skills. Alternatively, you could buy the game, log in to your Xbox account through your console, and download it later.
If you are downloading your game via Xbox One, the process will be straightforward. All you will need is to log in to your Xbox Live account, visit the store, and buy the game. Afterward, you can download the game and wait for the installation to complete.
Whether you use your PC or Xbox device, the good news is that you can get these games for free if you have an Xbox Live Gold Subscription or by visiting the Game Pass Ultimate. These options will work if you have an active subscription, and you will get a free game every month. With the Xbox Live Gold membership, you will get two free games on Xbox One and another two on Xbox 360.
You will need to check the free games on Games with Gold, then log in to your Xbox Live Gold or Game Pass Ultimate account. Once logged in, you will find a game with the Game Pass Ultimate or Live Gold badge, and this will be your free game for that month.
You can then download and install it. While these downloads are available monthly, this is limited for a short time, on the 1st and 16th of every month. Thus, you should check their availability on these dates before they disappear, to access and download them.
Whether you are using the Xbox 360 or Xbox One console, it is normal to experience slowness when downloading your games despite having a good internet connection. The good news is that you can fix this issue with a few mouse clicks.
First, try downloading a game and if you have an existing download, navigate to the installing progress and check the speed. Your goal will be to get your downloads as fast as possible, and there is no speed target in this case. However, a speed over 1.5Mbps is ideal for a good experience with Xbox Live.
If you notice your speed is super slow, you can troubleshoot it before contacting your ISP for assistance. First, close the game if you are playing, go to the home screen, and select the most recent game. You can then press the menu button and click quit.
Still, if this does not work, restart your console by long-pressing the Xbox logo button and selecting restart console. If you have other devices connected to your network, disconnect them, as they could be taking enough bandwidth from your download speed. However, if the above options do not work, you will need to contact your ISP. You are probably downloading at a peak hour when the bandwidth allocation is limited; hence, the slowness.
Which Games Can You Play Without Xbox Live Gold?
Over time, Microsoft continues to make more games available without the Xbox Live Gold membership. This means that players can access multiplayer games for free.
Among the games you can play for free include Apex Legends, Armored Welfare, Call of Duty: Warzone, Dauntless, Crossout, Crimson Alliance, Dauntless, and Darwin Project. The list of games is updated on the Xbox Website, and it displays whether the games are free or requires a Microsoft Store subscription.
However, while most of these games are free, some features will require a subscription. These include the demo games requiring a trial license version, preorder or purchase, and an early access edition.
Besides playing games for free, you can also play some games without an internet connection. However, this feature is limited, with only the single-player games performing well. While doing this, it is advisable to leave your console settings online to enable you to reconnect as soon as your ISP sorts out your internet problem.
You may also need to plan ahead in some instances to avoid error messages from games that are not working. Among the games you can play without an internet connection include Fallout 4, Destiny 2, and Batman: Arkham Knight.
For games with both single and multiplayer experiences, you will only access the single-player mode, though some will require a connection for the single-player too. Other benefits you can enjoy while your Xbox is offline include watching TV, saving gaming clips, earning achievements, and changing your console settings.
Wrap Up
If you are a gamer, you can make your gaming experience fantastic, whether online or offline. This is because it is possible to download games without Xbox Live. Instead, you will need a free Silver subscription to access single-player games, though you will be limited as you cannot group chat with other players.
Thus, if you want to play multiplayer games, you will need to subscribe to Xbox Gold. The good news is that you can access more games for free with this subscription. Also, with this subscription, you will be able to play multiplayer games and group chat with other players online.
Among the games you can play for free include Armored Welfare, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Crossout. You can download these games on your Xbox or Microsoft Store with just a few mouse clicks. In addition to downloading games, you can also play single-player games when offline. Thus, if you have connection problems due to a power outage or a major issue from your ISP, you can still access your favorite single-player games as you wait for the internet to be restored.
