Microsoft has decided to end its historic Xbox Live Gold subscription and replace it with a first tier Xbox Game Pass for the same price with additional games.
It’s more than 20 years of video game history on Xbox consoles, coming to an end on September 14th. Microsoft’s original subscription was launched as Xbox Live in 2002 and became Xbox Live Gold in 2013 with the addition of Games with Gold games. It contributed to the growth of online multiplayer gaming.
Thanks to the Xbox’s ability to connect to the internet and allow gamers to be online, games like Halo (especially Halo 2) found their fans and made Microsoft’s gaming industry famous. But Xbox Live (Gold) hasn’t evolved or changed much in 20 years and is content with games offered monthly, but with titles on a small scale. It was therefore time to change the offer.
Goodbye Xbox Live Gold, hello Game Pass Core
Xbox has therefore decided to say goodbye to Xbox Live Gold in order to strengthen it better and bring it back from the ashes under the name of Xbox Game Pass Core. A kind of light version of the Xbox Game Pass introduced in 2017. Because the Game Pass Core not only takes over the basics of Xbox Live (multiplayer mode, discounts and offers on games, etc.), but adds a catalog of 25 titles, in particular the Xbox and Bethesda catalogues, as well as some indie titles from Xbox Studios or not.
The list of games included:
• Between us
• Go downstairs
• Dishonored 2
•Doom Eternal
• Fable Anniversary
• Fallout 4
• Fallout 76
• Forza Horizon 4
• Gears 5
• Grounded
• Halo 5: Sentinels
• Halo Wars 2
• Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
• Man falls flat
• Inside
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps
• Psychonauts 2
• state of decay 2
• The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited
This is the main change and a difference from the Essential tier of the competing PlayStation Plus: the first tier of Game Pass offers a pack of games in addition to the online mode. Games with Gold games (including Xbox 360) purchased over time will remain in the library until the subscription is cancelled.
Another advantage: the Xbox Game Pass Core stays at the price of Xbox Live (6.99 euros/month) and even offers a quite interesting annual package (59.99 euros). Current subscribers will automatically switch to Game Pass Core on September 14th, the official launch date.
All Xbox Game Pass offers – Xbox
Now, this mini bundle adds an entry-level tier to the Xbox Game Pass offering for those who were afraid of having to opt for the Ultimate offering at nearly $15 a month to retain the ability to play online multiplayer. Xbox has also promised that new features will be added to the Game Pass Core catalog over time.