A lot is changing, and soon.
Microsoft will shutter Xbox Live Gold in September, with Xbox Game Pass Core standing in its place.
“Today, we’re continuing our commitment to give players more choice and value by introducing Xbox Game Pass Core, launching this [September],” Microsoft advised in a post on Xbox Wire. “Game Pass Core is an evolution of Xbox Live Gold.”
What you need to know
- Xbox Game Pass Core will include online multiplayer access (like Xbox Live Gold did) and a new collection of 25 titles (kinda like the PlayStation Plus Collection).
- Xbox Game Pass Core pricing is set at $10.95 AUD/month or $79.95 AUD/year (which equates to $9.99 USD/month or $59.99 USD/year).
- Xbox Game Pass Core is included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
- Current Xbox Live Gold subscribers will automatically become Xbox Game Pass Core subscribers in September.
- Xbox Games with Gold will cease on 1 September; any titles players have previously redeemed will remain in their libraries.
It’s an interesting move — with the final batch of Xbox 360 games released into the Xbox Games with Gold program back in October of last year, the offering has been quite lackluster. We’d argue that charging for online multiplayer access shouldn’t be a thing any longer, but at least there are 25 titles packaged as part of the subscription?
Ultimately — and pun very intended — this looks like a move to get players to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate rather than Core or even Xbox Game Pass proper. You won’t get the online multiplayer component with Xbox Game Pass, but you will with Ultimate.
You can see what’s available in the different Game Pass tiers below.
What’s included in each Game Pass offering?
- Xbox Game Pass Core
- $10.95 AUD/month or $79.95 AUD/year
- Online console multiplayer
- Catalog of 25 titles
- Member deals and discounts
- PC Game Pass
- $10.95 AUD/month
- Catalog of hundreds of titles, including EA Play
- Member deals and discounts
- Xbox Game Pass (aka Console Game Pass)
- $11.95 AUD/month
- Catalog of hundreds of titles
- Member deals and discounts
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
- $18.95 AUD/month
- All the benefits of Xbox Game Pass Core, PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass
- Access to xCloud game streaming
The announcement follows Microsoft’s confirmation that an Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family trial will end in supported regions in August.
What do you make of Microsoft’s announcement? Sound off in the comments area, below.
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