Well, it looks like the Xbox Live Gold we’ve known for so long is finally going away, but in its place is an introduction to a new fourth tier of Microsoft Gaming’s subscription service, Xbox Game Pass Core which is set to launch on September 14th, according to an announcement on Xbox Wire.
Xbox Game Pass Core isn’t a replacement for Xbox Live Gold but is described more as an “evolution” as it will still offer the same services, including access to its multiplayer services and exclusive member deals. As for the monthly Xbox Games with Gold incentive that is going away, officially ending on September 1st and in its place is a collection of Xbox Game Pass titles which will launch with more than 25 games right out the gate from Xbox Games Studios, Bethesda, and Xbox’s developer partners.
Before the news was official, Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb tweeted last night that the plan to phase out Xbox Live Gold “was always on the road map, but it took a long time to figure out what that would look like. To give fans more to look forward to, Xbox has already announced some of the collection’s initial lineup (which may vary depending on your country), which you can see below:
- 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
This “Core” collection won’t stay the same as Xbox is looking to grow it by adding new titles to the new tier somewhere between “two to three times a year.” For players who have been redeeming Games with Gold Xbox 360 and Xbox One titles over the years, Xbox has revealed that those past redeemed titles will be kept in a player’s library regardless of subscription status. Speaking of subscriptions for any players still subscribed to Xbox Live Gold on September 14th; your subscription will automatically transfer to Xbox Game Pass Core with no price change so that you can dive right into a collection of 25+ titles with no effort on your part.
