This September is going to bring in some massive changes to Xbox, which will see the retirement of one of the longest-lived console subscription services.- Xbox Live Gold.

The writing has certainly been on the wall, the Game Pass offering has been a strong area for Microsoft's gaming division and back in 2020, the 12-month options for Xbox Live Gold were removed. Then, in last October, Microsoft removed the monthly Xbox 360 titles from "Games with Gold", a program that had been in service for 10 years (July 2013). Unified branding is a strong play.

Xbox Live

Introduced back on November 15, 2002 on the original Xbox, that's the actual 1 not the Xbox One, Xbox Live paved the way for paid multiplayer services on consoles. No longer did you need to invite your friends over and network their consoles locally to get your Halo games in, you could simply connect to the magic of the internet.

Xbox Live Gold is now "evolving" into Game Pass Core. Here are the important things you need to know:

  • September 1 is when Games with Gold is going away.
  • September 14 is the date when Xbox Live members become Game Pass Core members.
  • Game Pass Core includes deals and discounts, just like any other Game Pass service.
  • Any previously redeemed Xbox One games on Xbox Live Gold can be played if you are an active Game Pass subscriber.
  • Xbox 360 titles from Games with Gold can be played regardless on subscription status if previously redeemed.

Games Including in Xbox Game Pass Core

There will be "over 25" titles included in the subscription service at its launch, with some titles not appearing on this list yet and being announced ahead of the launch.

  • 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

Microsoft does note that the game library may vary over time and by country. Additionally, we can expect new games to be added to the list 2-3 times per year.

How Many Game Pass Programs Now?

Hah! The lineup has now become more complicated. There are now 4 different tiers of Game Pass.

  • Game Pass Core - $9.99 USD.
  • Game Pass Console - $10.99 USD
  • Game Pass PC - $9.99 USD
  • Game Pass Ultimate - $16.99 USD

Which begs the question, why? It's typical Microsoft licensing, really. We're not going to dive into the chaos that is Microsoft licensing, because no one understands it, but with these four different product lines now, there seems to be some pretty big overlap. The most confusing part is that Console does not have online multiplayer access still, so if you want the Game Pass catalog and Online, you're going to need to shell out for Ultimate; Clearly, cloud and EA Play isn't enough to get people to upgrade.

Core could have been a great, entry-level solution to subscriptions on Xbox if it made its debut at $5, which would let people access some great "in-house" games and online multiplayer for their paid titles, at an economy-appropriate price.

Xbox Game Pass Core arrives on September 14.

What do you think about the move away from Xbox Live's branding? Let us know your thoughts about the move, and the included titles, in the comments below.