Microsoft is bidding farewell to its long-time companion, Xbox Live Gold, an iconic brand that has existed for over 20 years. Xbox Live Gold, which was rebranded to Xbox network in 2021, will now be officially replaced with Xbox Game Pass Core, a novel subscription service that promises to revamp the gaming experience for Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X console users.
Xbox Live Gold initially took the gaming world by storm when it was launched on the original Xbox on November 15, 2002. It garnered popularity predominantly through the online multiplayer section of Halo 2. As the gaming industry evolved, the service tagged along, expanding its reach to the Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X and S.
An important attribute of Xbox Live Gold, the “Games with Gold” program, provides subscribers with an opportunity to get free games each month. However, with the advent of Game Pass Core, this is coming to an end.
Nevertheless, the discontinuation is not entirely a cause for dismay. Microsoft ensures that any Xbox 360 titles redeemed in the past via Games with Gold will be perpetually preserved in the player’s library. For Xbox One titles, though, players need to maintain a subscription to Xbox Game Pass Core or Game Pass Ultimate.
Xbox Game Pass Core, priced at $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year, similar to Xbox Live Gold, offers an impressive catalog of over 25 games at launch. Among the notable games are Gears 5, Forza Horizon 4, and Psychonauts 2. The curated game selection is designed to replace Games with Gold, and Microsoft plans to augment this list with fresh additions two to three times a year.
For the existing Xbox Live Gold members, the seamless transition to Xbox Game Pass Core will start on September 14. This initiative is part of Microsoft’s plans to expand the overall Xbox Game Pass subscriber base, giving newcomers a taste of its industry-leading subscription-based content libraries for gaming for a lower cost.
Interestingly, Microsoft’s shift in strategy comes on the heels of Xbox boss Phil Spencer’s admission that Game Pass growth is slackening and has the potential to cannibalize sales. Despite the criticism from industry veterans such as the PlayStation boss Jim Ryan and Activision Blizzard boss Bobby Kotick, Microsoft stays firm in its stance, bolstering its commitment to the Game Pass model.
Microsoft’s decision to replace Xbox Live Gold with Xbox Game Pass Core helps streamline and enhance its online services. However, it might also lead to some confusion among gamers, particularly about the online multiplayer aspects. The Xbox Game Pass doesn’t include multiplayer; you’ll still need Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for that. The rebranding seems to further muddle this potentially perplexing aspect of requiring Xbox Live Gold alongside a regular Game Pass subscription.
At $10 a month, you won’t need to spend much more to enjoy the full Xbox Game Pass experience on consoles. However, as already mentioned, you’ll need Xbox Game Pass Ultimate if you want to enjoy multiplayer and the full Xbox Game Pass library, among others. Thus, the Xbox Game Pass Core feels like a deliberate move by Xbox to make the subsequent tiers look more attractive. However, by matching the pricing of the PlayStation Plus Essential tier, which hosts a similarly-sized library of games albeit with 3-4 free games every month and the same multiplayer access, it makes the cheapest offering feel weaker compared to its direct competition. Not to mention, PlayStation Plus offers multiplayer across all three tiers, lessening the confusion.
Either way, the end of Xbox Live Gold represents a crucial turning point in Xbox’s history, reflecting an era of change within the brand. Microsoft is on the brink of acquiring Activision-Blizzard-King, which is a move that will dramatically expand its PC gaming catalog and mobile gaming presence.
The company’s insistence on the Game Pass model underscores its ambitions to redefine how games are consumed and positions it better to become the Netflix of the gaming world.
Ultimately, the long-term impact of these changes will depend on how they’re received by gamers, and whether it will be able to clear up the potential confusion surrounding the various subscription options.
