Far Cry 4 Briefly Blocked on Xbox One After Marketplace Error [Update]

Some Xbox One owners who bought the digital copy of Far Cry 4 had encountered an unusual problem on Monday, with the game suddenly unwilling to load up.

Users found that, even if they deleted and reinstalled Far Cry 4, their Xbox One would return the error code '0X87DE07D1' when they attempted to boot the game. Their console would then ask whether the game had been purchased.

Curiously, the error appeared to coincide with the game's surprise, and seemingly accidental, removal from the Xbox One Marketplace. In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Microsoft managed to re-list the game on the Xbox Live Marketplace, and users found that their boot problems had suddenly ceased.

This process would suggest that--in some, but not all, circumstances--playing the digital version of Far Cry 4 can be dependent on some kind of online verification, or automatic gating process, from Microsoft's side. GameSpot has contacted Microsoft for clarification. [Update: Microsoft has responded to this story with new assurances over its DRM policy]

A Far Cry 4 support forum thread managed to chronicle the problem as it emerged, and then was quickly resolved, between Monday and Tuesday.

With regards to this specific error, Microsoft's Xbox One support page suggests that in some circumstances a connection to Xbox Live is required.

The company writes: "If the game was purchased in digital form and the owner is unable or unwilling to enable sharing, the owner has to be signed in and connected to Xbox Live for that game to be played."

Microsoft's original plan for the Xbox One was that the console would require a persistent internet connection, which would enrich the games with online-centric content and features, but also make digital authentication necessary. In May 2013, the Xbox executive Phil Harrison said this authentication process would occur on a daily basis.

However, following consumer upheaval, two months later Microsoft scrapped the policy, meaning the Xbox One can install and boot games with no required internet connection.

But the accidental Far Cry 4 removal from the Xbox One marketplace, and how this is linked to some digital versions becoming inaccessible, suggests that digital verification is still enforced in some cases.

At the time of going to press, the number of reports and complaints on the Ubisoft thread has died down. A community manager recommends that, for those who still are facing the issue, they should attempt to hard reset the console.