Microsoft has announced that it will be replacing Xbox Live Gold with a new subscription tier called Game Pass Core starting from September 14th. The $60 per year (or $10 per month) subscription will be required for playing many online multiplayer games on Xbox consoles. However, the change also impacts the distribution of bonus games.
Games with Gold, which provided a regular supply of titles to Xbox Live subscribers, will be discontinued. Instead, subscribers will receive a base collection of over 25 games, with new additions every two to three times a year. Most of the games in the collection are first-party titles such as Doom Eternal, Forza Horizon 4, and Halo 5, although occasional third-party projects like Among Us and Human Fall Flat will also be included.
Existing Xbox Live Gold members will automatically transition to Game Pass Core when it becomes available. Games with Gold will end on September 1st, but subscribers will still retain access to any Xbox One games they have claimed, regardless of whether they are Core or Ultimate members. Redeemed Xbox 360 games will be owned permanently, even if the subscription lapses.
Microsoft has been signaling its intention to change Xbox Live Gold for some time. It discontinued offering year-long subscriptions in 2020 and removed Xbox 360 games from the service in 2022. The company had planned to increase the price of Gold in 2021 but swiftly reversed that decision.
While the change may disappoint those who enjoyed the frequent additions to Games with Gold’s catalog, it appears to be a strategic move to encourage users to opt for an Ultimate subscription, which offers a wider selection of games (including day-one releases), cloud gaming, and an EA Play membership. For users who prefer Sony hardware, PlayStation Plus Essential, which still provides monthly bonus games, may be more appealing.
It is worth noting that Sony recently removed the PlayStation Plus Collection, meaning that players will need to pay to access some of the best games from the PS4 era, unless they obtained them through other promotions. While Microsoft’s strategy is not a direct imitation of Sony’s approach (mainly focusing on showcasing first-party releases), it does offer a rough equivalent for players seeking an instant library of games.
