Key Highlights:
- Microsoft retires Xbox Live Gold after more than 20 years of service.
- New Xbox Game Pass Core launches September 14 with 25 curated titles.
- Core replaces Games with Gold while keeping the same monthly and yearly pricing.
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Microsoft has officially retired its long-running Xbox Live Gold subscription, replacing it with a new entry-level tier called Xbox Game Pass Core.
Xbox Live Gold: A Fond Farewell
For years, fans speculated that Live Gold’s days were numbered, especially after the introduction of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which combined online multiplayer, Game Pass access, and PC gaming into one all-in-one package. That speculation has now become reality, marking the end of an era for one of Xbox’s oldest services.
Launched in 2002, Xbox Live Gold was once the heart of Microsoft’s online ecosystem, giving players access to multiplayer matches and the Games with Gold monthly lineup. Over time, however, Game Pass Ultimate outshone it with better value and a vast library of downloadable titles across console and PC.
Xbox Live Gold eventually felt like an old veteran in need of retirement, while Microsoft shifted focus toward growing the broader Game Pass ecosystem. With today’s move, the company has finally unified its subscription strategy under one brand.
Xbox Game Pass Core: The Shiny New Contender
Come September 14th, Xbox Live Gold will bow out, graciously stepping aside for Xbox Game Pass Core to take centre stage. You can snag this hot ticket for a smooth £9.99/$9.99 a month or £59.99/$59.99 a year, keeping in harmony with the current Xbox Live Gold pricing.
Monthly free games may be off the table, in their place comes access to an evolving catalogue of around 25 Game Pass titles available to play as long as you remain subscribed.
| List of Games |
|---|
| 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 & The Will of the Wisps |
| Psychonauts 2 |
| State of Decay 2 |
| The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited |
What’s intriguing about this monumental change is its impact on the steadfast Xbox 360 users. Given that Xbox Game Pass hasn’t set foot in the Xbox 360 universe yet, we’re curious to see how this plays out.
That said, the Xbox family is now an intriguing jumble of offerings with four different versions of Game Pass: Xbox Game Pass Core, the original version of Game Pass for Windows PC, consoles and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. It’s quite the platter to choose from. While the Games with Gold program might have been left in the shadows for a while now, this transition, unlikely as it is to ruffle many feathers, is an exciting new chapter in the Microsoft saga.