Xbox Live has central to Microsoft’s Xbox ecosystem for as long as it’s been around, but its importance has certainly shrunk in recent years, thanks largely to the emergence of Xbox Game Pass as a central pillar for Microsoft’s gaming strategy. A couple of years ago, in March of 2021, the Xbox Live branding was dropped, with Xbox Live Gold subscriptions being its only remnant, and now, it seems like even that will be going away, as leaks have repeatedly claimed it would over the last couple of years.
That’s according to a report that recently went live on Windows Central, claiming that Xbox Live Gold will be retired entirely in September and replaced with a new subscription tier for Xbox Game Pass. The report, which seemed to have been published prematurely, was promptly taken down, though not before Korean website cafe.naver managed to capture its content, as well as a screenshot that seemingly confirms the existence of the new Game Pass tier (you can view it below).
As per the report, starting on September 1, Xbox Live Gold will be discontinued, and replaced with Xbox Game Pass Core, a new tier for the subscription service that will also become its cheapest one at $9.99/month, which is the same as Xbox Live Gold’s current monthly subscription fee.
The Core tier will reportedly include access to online multiplayer for non-free-to-play titles, as well as member deals and discounts, which are also offered with other Game Pass tiers. All Xbox Live Gold subscriptions will allegedly be automatically converted to Xbox Game Pass Core subscriptions on September 1, while any and all games that you got for free via Games with Gold will remain in your account.
Speaking of which, the report claims that Games with Gold, with offers a new selection of free games to subscribers every month, is also being replaced. Apparently set to be discontinued on September 9, it will be replaced with Xbox Game Pass Core instead offering a library of over 25 free games to members, which will reportedly continued to expand following launch.
At launch, the last of games will allegedly include Among Us, Descenders, Dishonored 2, DOOM Eternal, Fable Anniversary, Fallout 4, Fallout 76, Forza Horizon 4, Gears 5, Grounded, Halo 5: Guardians, Halo Wars 2, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Human Fall Flat, Inside, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Psychonauts 2, State of Decay 2, and Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited.
Microsoft has yet to officially announce this, but it’s possible that concrete word on these upcoming changes will arrive sooner rather than later.
Last month, Microsoft announced that it was increasing the prices of Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions, as well as the price for Xbox Series X, in several markets except for US, Japan, Chile, Brazil and Columbia. Meanwhile, earlier this month, it was confirmed that Microsoft had reintroduced its $1 introductory deal for PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
