Game Pass PC's one gigantic issue: Microsoft Store folder-locking DRM

[Hamster Plugin]

While people keep praising Xbox Game Pass on console, the PC side of the service is quite less impressive. All games come with the Microsoft Store DRM which has one extremely huge issue that has a high chance of becoming a real problem for Microsoft at some point.

All games on Microsoft Store are installed into a locked folder that the user is not given access to. Attempting to even enter the "WindowsApps" folder will result in an error message asking you to get permission from the system admin. That error can be bypassed, but then you will run into more permission errors if you try to modify any files in the game folders. These you cannot bypass. Game Pass PC takes away your control of your computer's files.

What this restriction means: You can't mod any games. Your operating system will start fighting against you if you even think of modding a Game Pass game. No custom buildings in Cities Skylines. Can't take advantage of Kingdom Come Deliverance's recently announced mod support. If the original release of Dark Souls was a Game Pass game, you would learn to enjoy that 720p resolution lock. Hope you never get any bad PC ports on Game Pass.

This issue also makes the 20% off discount for having Game Pass completely useless because your game is locked away in the most restrictive DRM scheme ever seen on PC.

X019 did not bring us any change to this. Will Microsoft ever do anything about this? They've had Windows Store for so long they should have fixed this shit by now, but nothing has been done. When Game Pass PC goes up to $10/month, it will not be worth the money any more because most of the games will be massively inferior to the ones you can buy on Steam. Or even Epic.

 

[Deleted member 12129]

MS seems open to making these types of modifications as they go, I hope they allow it soon.

 

[Bessy67]

I don't know much about modding but if they give you access to the files would it be possible to mod it to make it seem like you own the game?

 

[ThreepQuest64]

I hope so, too. It's the major reason I would never buy from that store and only playing games via Xbox App/MS Store because they are cheap as hell via Game Pass. I don't like my files to be locked away from me when I'm the admin and MS' philosophy in regards of their OS are clearly visible in terms of how much control they truly want to give their users. It doesn't have to Linux level, but at least having access to games that are easily fixed and don't cause harm to your OS/computer when messing around would be great.

 

[SunBroDave]

In general you are right, but to be fair this is not an across the board thing. The Outer Worlds' .ini files were exposed to the user and you could absolutely modify certain UE4 parameters to improve the graphics beyond what was available in the in-game settings menu. But yes, as I said in general you are right, these files are still much too locked down

 

[Earvin Infinity]

In general you are right, but to be fair this is not an across the board thing. The Outer Worlds' .ini files were exposed to the user and you could absolutely modify certain UE4 parameters to improve the graphics beyond what was available in the in-game settings menu. But yes, as I said in general you are right, these files are still much too locked down

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Curious what these are? Just installed Outer Worlds on PC Game Pass recently.

 

[Mass Effect]

Yeah it's why any game I decide to buy after playing it on Game Pass will be bought through Steam instead.

Having access to the files to mod, tweak, or make quality of life changes is crucial for me when it comes to PC gaming.

 

[ckareset]

I don't know much about modding but if they give you access to the files would it be possible to mod it to make it seem like you own the game?

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Basically this.

 

[SunBroDave]

Curious what these are? Just installed Outer Worlds on PC Game Pass recently.

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Check the PC Performance thread. JaseC's opening post should have them listed

 

[Flappy Pannus]

It's a downside to a subscription model for sure, if you give users easy access to the files it just makes the chances of being able to crack them that much higher. So I'm not surprised by it at all.

This primarily for me is why I'll still buy games, but especially outside of the Windows Store. Gamepass is decent enough to basically 'rent' a single player game for a bit or try them out like demos, but for any game I really like I'm just going to wait until I'm comfortable with and purchase it so I can do what I want with it. Also some Windows store versions have weird restrictions beyond that, like Metro Exodus on gamepass only allows you to play in DX12 which is far worse performing than the DX11 mode.

 

[Cookie]

What's really pissed me off about this is that I can't for the life of me even figure out which games are on which of my HDDs or SSDs. It's a fucking nightmare.

 

[Deleted member 12129]

What's really pissed me off about this is that I can't for the life of me even figure out which games are on which of my HDDs or SSDs. It's a fucking nightmare.

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If you go to the app list in Settings, you can sort it by drive.

 

[Cookie]

If you go to the app list in Settings, you can sort it by drive.

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I'll check this, thank you! Google showed up nothing for how to do it.

 

[Deleted member 36578]

Maybe I'm just lucky, but I use the PC games pass a lot and honestly haven't had a single issue. No problems with Ori, Gears 5 or Outer Worlds which were the last three games I played on it. The only issue I ever had was trying to get a controller to work with Cross Code but that was an issue with the game.

 

[Rizific]

All games on Microsoft Store are installed into a locked folder that the user is not given access to. Attempting to even enter the "WindowsApps" folder will result in an error message asking you to get permission from the system admin

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ohhhhhhhhh.....since i keep my games on different drives and i changed os drives and re-installed windows a few times this year, i always thought i was restricted access because those folders were made by "another user". makes sense. but also expected when dealing with games from MS store. not sure why anyone is surprised.

 

[Squirrel09]

It sounds like you just want mod support. I'm sure that will come eventually.

 

[Deleted member 5764]

Oh damn, I can definitely agree with the hate against part of this at least.

While the game is on Game Pass, it makes sense to me that they'd lock the game files. You're essentially renting it as part of the service so that seems like a fair restriction to me.

Imposing that same restriction once you actually buy the game is just nonsense though. If nothing else, I'd hope they make that change for PC players.

 

[N64Controller]

I'll check this, thank you! Google showed up nothing for how to do it.

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I tremble at the thought of all the useless advice you must have received trying to google for that. Like "Reboot your computer" or open your taskbar. That or people who start a thread about how they have the exact same issue you have, and then 30 minutes later post back saying they solved the issue but not how they solved it.

 

[StayMe7o]

I just want to add the exe's as a Steam shortcut without the need for a 3rd party program.

 

[Deleted member 26394]

ohhhhhhhhh.....since i keep my games on different drives and i changed os drives and re-installed windows a few times this year, i always thought i was restricted access because those folders were made by "another user". makes sense. but also expected when dealing with games from MS store. not sure why anyone is surprised.

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Can't you just take ownership of said folders? (Properties > Security tab > Advanced button)

 

[kai3345]

mostly don't even care about the modding stuff, but limiting access to my save files super sucks

 

[Edge]

It's not an issue, if you want to mod shit, buy the game.

Of course this subscription service comes with some kind of drm, what are you thinking op?

Weird thread.

Only not being able to secure save files would be an issue, if it doesn't upload all saves anyway, don't know how that works on the windows store.

 

[Hamster Plugin]

I just want to add the exe's as a Steam shortcut without the need for a 3rd party program.

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This is actually another issue I have with game pass. That 3rd party program (UWPHook) does not work with Steam Remote Play.

Oh damn, I can definitely agree with the hate against part of this at least.

While the game is on Game Pass, it makes sense to me that they'd lock the game files. You're essentially renting it as part of the service so that seems like a fair restriction to me.

Imposing that same restriction once you actually buy the game is just nonsense though. If nothing else, I'd hope they make that change for PC players.

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Uplay+ and Origin Access Basic/Premier do not come with any such restrictions, it's just the regular launcher DRM as usual. Although EA and Ubisoft don't really have the ability to mess around with file permissions anyway.

 

[Deleted member 55311]

Yup. This screwed me last time with Metro Exodus. There was a quick and stupid fix for the game but... I couldn't do it because MS wouldn't let me access files located on MY computer. If you are going to lock everything down then be bothered to make sure that every game you allow on your store works as it should for everyone.

 

[Iichter]

You can access Win32 game files if you do the trick for accessing the WindowsApps folder, but yeah it needs to be addressed quickly.

It's not an issue, if you want to mod shit, buy the game.

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The thing is though, it's been the same shit for all Windows Apps (including paid games on the MS Store/Gamepass Store), so nah.

 

[Pastebutty]

This approach also means I can't configure the 6 side buttons on my Logitech mouse because it can't associate the changes with an exe. Even if I grant myself access to the locked folders.

Not a deal breaker for me but it is very annoying.

 

[Hamster Plugin]

You can access Win32 game files if you do the trick for accessing the WindowsApps folder, but yeah it needs to be addressed quickly.

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You can't. Gears 5 is locked like all the others.

 

[Theorry]

This will change soon. UWP is dead really and the switch to win 32 is going to be made they said. But takes some time. Reason why everything is also still in beta from Gamepass, Xbox app etc.

 

[Consequence]

It's not an issue, if you want to mod shit, buy the game.

Of course this subscription service comes with some kind of drm, what are you thinking op?

Weird thread.

Only not being able to secure save files would be an issue, if it doesn't upload all saves anyway, don't know how that works on the windows store.

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I don't think it's a weird thread, these are the types of features that MS will probably have to meet the PC audience at least halfway on if they want GPPC to take off. Maybe calling it a "gigantic" issue is overstating it a bit but it's fair criticism.

 

[Iichter]

You can't. Gears 5 is locked like all the others.

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You can if you apply the permission modification to all contained files. I did have access to Gears 5's folder as well as other Win32 games like the Shenmue Collection.

 

[DestroyerOfWorlds]

Given that you are temporarily signing up for access to the game through a subscription and not actually buying the game, I have no problem with tighter restrictions.

That said, I would of course, prefer less DRM, but it does seem kind of necessary given the business model.

 

[dreamcast]

I don't know much about modding but if they give you access to the files would it be possible to mod it to make it seem like you own the game?

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This was my thought. With it being subscription based you don't acutally own anything and so, modifications would be restricted, especially if someone found a way to "steal" the game through modification.

 

[Cyclonesweep]

Yup. This screwed me last time with Metro Exodus. There was a quick and stupid fix for the game but... I couldn't do it because MS wouldn't let me access files located on MY computer. If you are going to lock everything down then be bothered to make sure that every game you allow on your store works as it should for everyone.

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Yes but the counter argument is why would the let you access the files of a game that you do not own

 

[Jroc]

Right now I treat Gamepass as "console games on PC."

I hope they open it up in the future.

 

[Iichter]

This will change soon. UWP is dead really and the switch to win 32 is going to be made they said. But takes some time. Reason why everything is also still in beta from Gamepass, Xbox app etc.

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UWP is already dead and they are already shipping Win32 games, and yet they still haven't talked about this issue, so whether it takes time or not, they should at least acknowledge it.

 

[collige]

This was my thought. With it being subscription based you don't acutally own anything and so, modifications would be restricted, especially if someone found a way to "steal" the game through modification.

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How is any different from Steam's refund system which, to my knowledge, doesn't prevent modding at all?

 

[Edge]

The thing is though, it's been the same shit for all Windows Apps (including paid games on the MS Store/Gamepass Store), so nah.

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Ok, that's a whole other story then. I agree here.

 

[Uthred]

When Game Pass PC goes up to $10/month, it will not be worth the money any more because most of the games will be massively inferior to the ones you can buy on Steam. Or even Epic.

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That's quite the hot take. I find it personally annoying but I'd say it doesn't meaningfully affect the value proposition of the service for most users.

 

[Butch]

It's not an issue, if you want to mod shit, buy the game.

Of course this subscription service comes with some kind of drm, what are you thinking op?

Weird thread.

Only not being able to secure save files would be an issue, if it doesn't upload all saves anyway, don't know how that works on the windows store.

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Oh I can assure it is an issue if you get the bug I did when a game shows up as unninstalled but the files are still there with you having no access to the folder to manually delete them. In my case it got fixed but yeah, it can suck.

 

[Armaros]

I tremble at the thought of all the useless advice you must have received trying to google for that. Like "Reboot your computer" or open your taskbar. That or people who start a thread about how they have the exact same issue you have, and then 30 minutes later post back saying they solved the issue but not how they solved it.

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Why must you bring back bad memories of troubleshooting.

 

[Cookie]

I tremble at the thought of all the useless advice you must have received trying to google for that. Like "Reboot your computer" or open your taskbar. That or people who start a thread about how they have the exact same issue you have, and then 30 minutes later post back saying they solved the issue but not how they solved it.

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That and a million pages of random HDD problems entirely unrelated to Game Pass. I completely gave up.

 

[Theorry]

UWP is already dead and they are already shipping Win32 games, and yet they still haven't talked about this issue, so whether it takes time or not, they should at least acknowledge it.

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True.

 

[Cyclonesweep]

How is any different from Steam's refund system which, to my knowledge, doesn't prevent modding at all?

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What? You purchase a game and you with restrictions can return the game.

Gamespass you never own the game.

 

[Sailent]

I don't know much about modding but if they give you access to the files would it be possible to mod it to make it seem like you own the game?

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Most gamepass games are cracked day one.

 

[Burt]

I remember getting XGP Wargroove to stream to a tablet via Steam with controller support being a huge pain in the ass because of the intentional roadblocks put in there. It's definitely something I hope they amend.

 

[Green Yoshi]

At least I could access the GameUserSettings.ini file of Gears 5 to change the language from German to English:

https://windowsreport.com/gears-5-change-language/

 

[StayMe7o]

This is actually another issue I have with game pass. That 3rd party program (UWPHook) does not work with Steam Remote Play.

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I've just given up and keep requesting this in every GamePass issues thread lol. MS has really improved on the PC side, but it'd be even better if they weren't so restrictive. Not a big fan of having to plug my anaconda-sized HDMI cable into my PC every time I want to play a GamePass game when I could just use my Steam Link.

 

[collige]

What? You purchase a game and you with restrictions can return the game.

Gamespass you never own the game.

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Legally speaking you never own the game regardless. The point was that both services maintain a way to revert access to your games.

 

[Aeron]

IIRC games have their own gamepass folder you can access rather than the deeper game files, generally there's some modding stuff you can do through that.

Given the nature of gamepass it makes sense that mods and access to the files aren't completely standard.

The games are rented to you for a set monthly fee, you don't own them or the files.
If you want to own the game then buy it.

 

[Deleted member 20831]

As far as I know, you never own the game and only the license to use them.