Xbox Live Gold and Games With Gold will fall away and make way for Xbox Game Pass Core in September.
Microsoft has announced the end of an era with Xbox Live Gold going cold after 20 years in service. The brand will now be called Game Pass Core and will come into effect on the 14th of September 2023.
Xbox Game Pass Core has been described by Microsoft as “an evolution” of Xbox Live Gold. Xbox Game Pass Core offers subscribers online console multiplayer access and grants them a library of more than 25 games to enjoy on Xbox Series X and S as well as Xbox One, all for a monthly fee of $9.99 or an annual subscription of $59.99.
If you are an existing Xbox Live Gold member you will be automatically transferred over to Xbox Game Pass Core from the 14th of September.
Microsoft claims it will add new games two to three times per year to the existing library of games available in Game Pass Core, which is intended to take the place of Games with Gold.
At present, Xbox Game Pass is divided into Xbox Game Pass Console, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, with a potential Xbox Game Pass Family Plan in development.
“Xbox Live Gold” will officially meet its end on the 1st of September with Xbox Game Pass Core stepping in on the 14th.
The games available to Xbox Game Pass Core members at launch according to Xbox are as follows:
Among Us:
Play with 4-15 player online or via local WiFi as you attempt to prepare your spaceship for departure, but beware as one or more random players among the Crew are Impostors bent on killing everyone! Originally created as a party game, we recommend playing with friends at a LAN party or online using voice chat. Enjoy cross-platform play between Android, iOS, PC, and console.
Descenders:
Descenders is extreme downhill freeriding for the modern era, with procedurally generated worlds, and where mistakes have real consequences. Will you lead your team to glory and become the next legendary Descender?
Dishonored 2:
Reprise your role as a supernatural assassin in Dishonored 2. Declared a “masterpiece” by Eurogamer and hailed “a must-play revenge tale” by Game Informer, Dishonored 2 is the follow-up to Arkane’s 1st-person action blockbuster & winner of 100+ ‘Game of the Year awards, Dishonored.
Doom Eternal:
Hell’s armies have invaded Earth. Become the Slayer in an epic single-player campaign to conquer demons across dimensions and stop the final destruction of humanity. The only thing they fear… is you.
Fable Anniversary:
FOR EVERY CHOICE, A CONSEQUENCE. Fully re-mastered with HD visuals and audio, Fable Anniversary is a stunning rendition of the original game that will delight faithful fans and new players alike! The all-new Heroic difficulty setting will test the mettle of even the most hardcore Fable fan.
Fallout 4:
Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, welcome you to the world of Fallout 4 – their most ambitious game ever, and the next generation of open-world gaming.
Fallout 76:
Bethesda Game Studios welcome you to Fallout 76. Twenty-five years after the bombs fall, you and your fellow Vault Dwellers emerge into post-nuclear America. Explore a vast wasteland in this open-world multiplayer addition to the Fallout story.
Forza Horizon 4:
Dynamic seasons change everything at the world’s greatest automotive festival. Go it alone or team up with others to explore beautiful and historic Britain in a shared open world.
Gears 5:
From one of gaming’s most acclaimed sagas, Gears is bigger than ever. With all-out war descending, Kait Diaz breaks away to uncover her connection to the enemy and discovers the true danger to Sera – herself.
Grounded:
The world is a vast, beautiful, and dangerous place – especially when you have been shrunk to the size of an ant. Can you thrive alongside the hordes of giant insects, fighting to survive the perils of the backyard?
Halo 5: Guardians:
The plot follows two fire teams of human supersoldiers: Blue Team, led by Master Chief, and Fireteam Osiris, led by Spartan Locke.
When Blue Team goes absent without leave to track down the artificial intelligence construct Cortana, Master Chief’s loyalty is called into question, prompting Fireteam Osiris to be sent on a mission to retrieve him.
Halo Wars 2:
The game is set in the science fiction universe of the Halo franchise in 2559. It is a sequel to Halo Wars (2009). The story follows the crew of Spirit of Fire, a United Nations Space Command (UNSC) ship.
Spirit of Fire arrives at the Ark, a Forerunner installation responsible for constructing and remotely controlling the titular Halo rings. Conflict breaks out between the UNSC forces and an alien faction known as the Banished over control of the Ark.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice:
From the makers of Heavenly Sword, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and DmC: Devil May Cry, comes a warrior’s brutal journey into myth and madness. Set in the Viking age, a broken Celtic warrior embarks on a haunting vision quest into Viking Hell to fight for the soul of her dead lover.
Human Fall Flat:
Human: Fall Flat is a hilarious, light-hearted platformer set in floating dreamscapes that can be played solo or with up to 8 players online. Free new levels keep its vibrant community rewarded.
Inside:
Hunted and alone, a boy finds himself drawn into the center of a dark project. INSIDE is a dark, narrative-driven platformer combining intense action with challenging puzzles. It has been critically acclaimed for its moody art style, ambient soundtrack, and unsettling atmosphere.
Ori & The Will of the Wisps:
Play the critically acclaimed masterpiece. Embark on a new journey in a vast, exotic world where you’ll encounter towering enemies and challenging puzzles on your quest to unravel Ori’s destiny.
Psychonauts 2:
Combining quirky missions and mysterious conspiracies, Psychonauts 2 is a platform-adventure game with cinematic style and tons of customizable psychic powers.
State of Decay 2:
The dead have risen and civilization has fallen. Now it’s up to you to gather survivors, scavenge for resources and build a community in a post-apocalyptic world – a world where you define what it means to survive in this ultimate zombie survival simulation.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited:
The entire original game and all six major content updates since launch (including the new Justice and Champion Systems) are just waiting for you to log in and enjoy. Rally your most trusted allies, take up your sword, and get ready to experience everything Tamriel has to offer with no restrictions!
Players who are Game Pass Ultimate or Game Pass Core members can retain access to Xbox One games they previously redeemed through Games with Gold. Additionally, any Xbox 360 titles claimed through Games with Gold in the past will remain in the player’s library, irrespective of their subscription status.
In a similar fashion to the past, Console Game Pass still does not offer access to online console multiplayer. However, it’s important to mention that free-to-play online multiplayer games didn’t demand an Xbox Live Gold subscription previously. They will remain accessible without a Core subscription even now.
This subtle move demonstrates Microsoft’s evolution as a gaming subscription service. It also highlights its involvement in various aspects of the gaming industry.