Playing without a local account (PC)

Honestly your question is quite confusing, to the point that I'm not sure you even are aware of what you're actually asking but instead denotes a form of Security Paranoia.

Now in the most basic sense, you have 2 Account Types available for Windows 10.
Roaming (which is the new Default, effectively it's an Online Account)
and
Local (which is the Traditional Windows Account)

I'm unsure, why exactly you'd want to constantly want to Sign In / Sign Out of the myriad of Applications and Services that Windows runs (Microsoft Store, Xbox Live, Groove, Film and Video, Skype, etc.) … but if that's the route you want to take, then of course you're entirely free to create a Local Account., then you're Microsoft Account will be signed in "On Demand"., still it will always be required to access any Services that Microsoft Provides (such-as Xbox Live).

Now beyond this all Microsoft Store (UWP) applications are associated with your Microsoft Account., which handles Licensing, Cloud Information, etc.
The Application isn't simple "Unlocked" then continues DRM Free., and this is just as true for Steam / UPlay / Origin / etc.

In fact to my recollection only Good Old Games offers DRM Free Versions.
Steam for example, while (once authenticated, and steam cache permitting) can run Games in Off Line Mode... this is NOT the same as not being signed in.
You cannot use Steam without Signing in (even if it is local authentication only) nor can you use Steam Games without Steam being Active.

Microsoft' approach is far less intrusive, as said Licensing, DRM and Authentication is simply part of your Microsoft Account., which as noted is "Roaming" meaning Local Authentication is a "Sign-In Once" Process (specifically at login) and well that's it... you don't need to sign in again.

Your Session also isn't "Shutdown" when you Logoff and sign in another Account., instead it's put into Hibernation until you sign back in.

Yet Roaming Microsoft Accounts also have another "Trick" up their Sleeve, in a manner of speaking., which is the "Family Account" System... this allows you to associate multiple Microsoft Accounts (in my case, both my own and my brother' Microsoft/Live Accounts)., and while there is a Dominant once for each of our Roaming Accounts; this provides access (with a one time setup) to Sign In / Out of each others Accounts regardless of which Roaming Account we're using.

This not only allows us to share Games that are "Exclusive" to our Accounts but it also means when we want to play Multiplayer Games; or simply play something without disturbing the open applications by switching Windows Instances., we can simply choose which account we wish to sign in with at the touch of a button.

I'd strong recommend you become better acquainted with the Windows 10 Account System., as it provides an awful lot of powerful features.
The Multiple Desktops being one; where you can have individualised Desktops you can switch between "On-the-Fly" … for example I tend to have an Entertainment, Gaming, Work and Development Desktop; where-in each is tailored to provide not just the best Desktop Setup but also cater the enabled/disabled Services and Applications to maintain the maximum system resources for each type of Workload.

And there is another neat trick being with Multi-Monitor Displays, being able to specifically have each Display as a Unique Desktop; with only the one in Focus actually fully using all resources.

@d3adst1ck said in Playing without a local account (PC):

@leyvin said in Playing without a local account (PC):

In fact to my recollection only Good Old Games offers DRM Free Versions.
Steam for example, while (once authenticated, and steam cache permitting) can run Games in Off Line Mode... this is NOT the same as not being signed in.
You cannot use Steam without Signing in (even if it is local authentication only) nor can you use Steam Games without Steam being Active.

This isn't true, and many games on Steam do not have any DRM nor do they require Steam to be running - this is completely up to the developer.

The problem that OP is describing is an issue with the Microsoft Store. Even though you can be logged into the Xbox app and the store with the correct account there are times when the authentication will just fail and you need to use a live account for windows login.

Any Game on Steam REQUIRES the Steam Cache DRM., which in turn REQUIRES Steam to be Active.

What you are talking about is the Developers using Steam Works, which forces you to actually run the Application via the Steam GUI … which isn't the same as requiring the Steam Runtime Service to be active and signed in.

Don't believe me... copy said "DRM Free" Game to a Computer that doesn't have Steam Installed and try to run it., or even simply copy your Steam Common Folder (which contains all of your games) back after a Fresh Install.
In either case the Games will simply NOT work., without performing a Repair / Reauthentication.

It never ceases to amaze me how few people realise that Steam DRM is as ever present as any other., but somehow Valve gets a "Free Pass" while other Digital Stores are oft demonised for this practise.

…

Also as I stated above., the Local Account is only supported in Windows 8.0, 8.1 and 10.0 as a legacy feature.
Now, if there are situations where "Authentication will Fail"., is likely due to said login Credentials Lease has timed out... as I recall this occurs after 15-60min of inactivity depending on the particular Service in Question.

A Local (Windows) Account does not Automatically renew the Credentials Lease, where-as a Roaming (Microsoft) Account does., primarily because it is performing a check-in with OneDrive, Accounts, Live, etc. between 1-15min.

If you're not using the Roaming (Microsoft) Account., then the reality is you will have to deal with Authentication Blackouts that can occur in the Individual Services due to Peak Loads where Azure cannot keep pace with the requests resulting in Authentication Requests timing out., a problem much more common on IPv4 Connections, as Teredo can oft become "Broken" from various actions.

It's a simple fix assuming you notice it's placed you into a Restricted NAT., but still this can quite commonly occur and can cause issues in Authentication or Authentication Server Access.
Something that doesn't occur with a Microsoft Account, because any Credential License request is a Direct rather than a Proxy., thus bypasses said potential issues.

As I stated in my previous post., the only reason to not use a Roaming (Microsoft) Account is due to Security Paranoia.
And in regards to the "I need to constantly sign in with my Microsoft/Live Email"., well just set a Sign-In Pin, or use Microsoft Hello.

This means you can use a 4 - 8 Digit Pin-Code instead of signing in all of your details (with said Details Masked) … or you can use your Webcam for it to recognise your Face and sign you in automatically.

@d3adst1ck said in Playing without a local account (PC):

@leyvin said in Playing without a local account (PC):

@d3adst1ck said in Playing without a local account (PC):

@leyvin said in Playing without a local account (PC):

In fact to my recollection only Good Old Games offers DRM Free Versions.
Steam for example, while (once authenticated, and steam cache permitting) can run Games in Off Line Mode... this is NOT the same as not being signed in.
You cannot use Steam without Signing in (even if it is local authentication only) nor can you use Steam Games without Steam being Active.

This isn't true, and many games on Steam do not have any DRM nor do they require Steam to be running - this is completely up to the developer.

The problem that OP is describing is an issue with the Microsoft Store. Even though you can be logged into the Xbox app and the store with the correct account there are times when the authentication will just fail and you need to use a live account for windows login.

Any Game on Steam REQUIRES the Steam Cache DRM., which in turn REQUIRES Steam to be Active.

What you are talking about is the Developers using Steam Works, which forces you to actually run the Application via the Steam GUI … which isn't the same as requiring the Steam Runtime Service to be active and signed in.

No, Steamworks is a separate set of tools. There are 100% DRM free games available on Steam

List of DRM-free games | SteamWiki | Fandom

This is a list of games and software available on Steam that do not require the use of the Steam client itself (after the game or software is downloaded using the client), do not contain any...

Here's the relevant text :

This is a list of games and software available on Steam that do not require the use of the Steam client itself (after the game or software is downloaded using the client), do not contain any third-party DRM (Games for Windows - LIVE, Uplay, Denuvo, etc.), or the optional Valve CEG (Custom Executable Generation) Steam component, making them effectively launcher-free applications once downloaded. This means that you can copy the game folder anywhere you want to and launch the game directly without being online or having Steam or third-party software running.

Nonsense.
Steam enforces DRM on all of the products downloaded from 2012 onward., as it is an core feature of the Steam Cache System.

While it is possible (via some considerable effort) and pre-authentication … meaning it must be run for a minimum of 2hrs before it "Fully" Authenticates said Software., only then is it possible for you to then run the Application "Steam Client" Free (in many cases with some careful editing / deleting of key files., which doing so actually breaks the Application from running in the Steam Client without "Cache Validation" (which will reset said Authentication, and reinitialise the Steam DRM).

Yet even then, you're not done.
While this does allow the application to run without the Steam Client, and from another place on your System... you still require Steam to be installed, which by default keeps the Steam Service active.
(This is something I have manually disabled)

As a result, while sure... it's run and "Appear" DRM Free., it's not.
Change your Hardware, Move it to another Computer, and said Software will simply cease working with any number of Thrown Errors; from "Please Insert the CD"., to DEP Faults.

The only "DRM Free" Software on Steam., are games that are not available through Steam but instead creates a Catalogue Index to be accessed via the Steam Client.

Deltarune, for example.
Still,. as noted there is considerable Effort and Steps that must be taken to "Make Steam Games DRM Free" … THAT IS NOT DRM FREE,. as if it were then these would be entirely Portable Runtimes; where you could without any effort simply copy the Folder to any other Computer and run the Game.

But you can't... and this has been quite frustrating at times especially with Games that are frankly "Broken" in their 'as-is' State on Steam... such-as Mysteries of the Sith.
Which requires some Unofficial Fixes in order for it to work on Windows Vista or Later.

@nh4ga •

0x80070520 is "Updates are Ready to Install but you currently do not have Permissions to Complete"

Switch back to your Local (Windows) Admin Account., and it should complete the updates without issue.
It could also be due to Malware / Anti-Virus Software (McAfee and Bulldog have a habit of doing this)., so temporarily disabling them to complete the operation might also work.

It's a common issue that can occur, which tends to resolve itself with a Major (Cumulative) Update.