In a significant change in Microsoft’s online gaming services, the company recently announced that it is discontinuing Xbox Live Gold, its longstanding multiplayer service. This service has been a cornerstone of the Xbox online gaming community since the days of Xbox 360. It’s set to be replaced by a new service, dubbed Xbox Game Pass Core, adding a fresh chapter to Microsoft’s gaming experience.
The official announcement was made on July 17, setting in motion the countdown towards the major shift in Microsoft’s subscription offerings. Xbox Live Gold will cease operations on September 1, paving the way for Xbox Game Pass Core to officially launch on September 14.
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The cost of the Xbox Game Pass Core will remain consistent with its predecessor, retaining the monthly subscription rate of $9.99. The new service is mandatory for users who wish to participate in online multiplayer games on Xbox consoles, similar to the requirement of Xbox Live Gold.
Microsoft ensures that the transition from Xbox Live Gold to Xbox Game Pass Core will not strip users of their accustomed perks. The benefits, including discounts and various other incentives that Xbox Live Gold subscribers enjoyed, will continue under the new service.
A major attraction of Xbox Game Pass Core is the introduction of 25 games available for free at its launch. These games include fan favourites such as “Among Us,” “Dishonored 2,” “DOOM Eternal,” “Fallout 4,” “Forza Horizon 4,” “Halo 5: Guardians,” and “Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited.” Additional games are set to be announced as we approach the service’s official launch date.
However, the shift also signals the end of the Games with Gold program, an initiative that offered new games every month to Xbox Live Gold subscribers. This program will be phased out as Xbox Game Pass Core takes its place.
Existing subscribers need not worry, as they will maintain access to their previously claimed Games with Gold titles. Microsoft also plans to continually grow the library of available games on Xbox Game Pass, ensuring that the service remains fresh and exciting for its users. In the end, while the shift from Xbox Live Gold to Xbox Game Pass Core marks the end of an era, it also heralds the beginning of a new one filled with promising prospects for Xbox gamers.