Xbox owners can now access free-to-play games without an online subscription

By Giovanni Colantonio April 21, 2021

Microsoft has made online play free to all for a list of multiplayer titles, including Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone. Xbox owners no longer need to have an Xbox Live subscription to play free-to-play titles online.

In January, Microsoft announced that it would be raising the price of Xbox Live Gold. That drew immediate backlash from fans, causing Microsoft to backpedal. In reversing the decision, the company announced that it plans to make free-to-play online games available to play even without an Xbox Live membership.

Now Microsoft has made good on that promise by releasing a list of 50 games that can be played online for free as of today. In addition to Fortnite and Warzone, the list includes popular games like Destiny 2, Warframe, and Roblox. Players can go to the Microsoft Store to check which games require Xbox Live and which don’t.

Microsoft says that the list of supported games will grow as more free-to-play games launch on Microsoft platforms.

As part of the change, Microsoft will unlock its Looking for Group feature in an April system update according to an FAQ page. Players will still need Xbox Live to access paid game modes in free-to-play games. Free to Play weekends also remain exclusive to online subscribers.

The strategic pivot is in line with how Microsoft’s competitors handle free-to-play games. Nintendo Switch owners can play games like Fortnite without a Nintendo Online membership. The same goes for Sony, which doesn’t require PlayStation owners to have a PS Plus subscription to play certain online games.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Giovanni Colantonio

Section Editor, Gaming

Giovanni is a writer and video producer focusing on happenings in the video game industry. He has contributed stories to…

Gaming

April’s most anticipated RPG is coming to Xbox Game Pass

Key art for Eiyuden Chronicle Hundred Heroes.

We've learned about the titles that will come to Xbox Game Pass throughout the back half of April, and several of them are games getting added to the catalog the day they launch. Of those, the most notable is Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes.

While that name is a mouthful, RPG fans will want to pay attention to Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes as it is a spiritual successor to the long-dormant Konami RPG series Suikoden. Many of the developers who worked on the original Suikoden games worked together to reimagine the concept for the modern era, creating an RPG with over 100 recruitable party members, engaging combat, and a gorgeous pixelated art style that gives Square Enix's HD-2D games a run for their money. Prequel game Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is already on Xbox Game Pass too, so Microsoft seems all-in on backing this Suikoden successor as we wait for Konami to release remasters of those titles or a new game in the series.

Gaming

If you love Amazon’s Fallout, play the series’ best games on Game Pass and PS Plus next

Two characters in power armor in Fallout 4.

The Fallout TV series just released on Amazon Prime, and it's one of the best video game adaptations out there. It perfectly captures the tense, humorous feel of the postapocalyptic video game series while telling a new story with original characters. If you've just watched the show, you're probably itching to play a Fallout title again or check out one of the games the series is based on for the first time. Thankfully, if you're subscribed to one of the major video game subscription services, that's very easy to do.

Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout Tactics, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 4, and Fallout 76 are all on at least one gaming subscription service. While PC and Xbox players will be looking to Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation owners can get in on the fun with PS Plus Extra's game catalog. We've combed through what's available on PC Game Pass, Xbox Game Pass, and PS Plus Extra, and there's no shortage of options. Here are the best starting points on each service.
PC Game Pass

Gaming

I was a PlayStation Portal hater. Now it’s one of my go-to gaming devices

A PlayStation Portal plays Marvel's Spider-Man 2.

In November, I reviewed the PlayStation Portal. I was mixed on Sony’s streaming handheld at the time, frustrated with a corner-cutting execution of a good idea. It seemed like a poor value compared to simply slapping a cheaper Backbone controller on a phone. As is often the case with tech reviews, though, I only had a short window to test it out where I was more focused on the more objective side of what the Portal does and doesn’t do. Would my feelings change when I was using it naturally?

I’ve gotten the answer to that question over the past few months. While I barely touched my Portal after reviewing it in 2023, it’s quickly become a go-to device in my home as of January. I’m now breaking it out at least once a week, finding some practical use cases for it. Though my overall assessment of it hasn’t changed, I have a more tangible understanding of where it can be a useful -- if superfluous -- PS5 companion. It’s a needless luxury, but one that I’m finding that I'm happy to indulge in.
Second screen
The PlayStation Portal’s launch just so happened to come right before a major life change that would shift my perspective. After living alone for three years, my girlfriend moved into my apartment last December. It’s been a natural change that’s working great so far. That shift does come with some lifestyle changes, though. We’re both crammed into a one-bedroom apartment, which means we’re sharing a tight space. We remotely do our jobs feet apart in the same room, and most evenings are spent lounging on the couch.