1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Your Xbox Live Gold subscription will turn into Xbox Game Pass Core this September

By

Microsoft finally made the decision to move on from its monthly online-access subscription service Xbox Live Gold. On September 14, Xbox Live Gold will transform into Xbox Game Pass Core, with current Gold subscribers automatically gaining a Game Pass Core subscription.

Microsoft

An Xbox Live subscription tied to online play has existed in some form since Xbox Live launched in 2002, but Xbox Live Gold as we now know it truly came into form in July 2013 when Microsoft started the Games with Gold program that gave subscribers free games each month in addition to that online access. Although Microsoft rolled back some online restrictions in 2021, Games with Gold continues to this day. That will all end when Game Pass Core launches.

Recommended Videos

According to an Xbox Wire post announcing the service, Xbox Game Pass Core will cost $10 a month or $60 a year and will give players access to online play, exclusive member deals, and a library of “more than 25 titles.” So far, we know the following 19 games are part of the launch lineup for Game Pass Core.

  • 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 says it will reveal more Game Pass Core games ahead of the service’s launch and that post-launch Game Pass Core will receive new games two or three times a year. Essentially, subscribers will now have access to a revolving library of Game Pass games instead of four unique Games with Gold titles each month. The Games with Gold program comes to an end on September 1.

There will now be four different tiers of Xbox Game Pass to choose from. Microsoft

Those with Xbox Live Gold subscriptions that go through the launch of Game Pass Core will automatically convert to the new service with no change in pricing. When it comes to previously redeemed games, Microsoft says that any Xbox 360 titles will permanently be part of a player’s library, while some form of Game Pass subscription is required to keep playing redeemed Xbox One games.

Xbox Game Pass Core launches on September 14.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Tomas Franzese
Gaming Staff Writer
Tomas Franzese is a Staff Writer at Digital Trends, where he reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…
Xbox Game Pass loses some horror greats, but gains a kid-friendly racing game

We've learned what games will come to Xbox Game Pass over the first half of this April, and leading the batch is Lego 2K Drive, a Lego racing game that's a solid alternative to the Forza Horizon games that are also available on Microsoft's subscription service.

Lego 2K Drive was released in May 2023 and is an enjoyable racing game where players can build their own Lego vehicles and race throughout several open worlds. It found the middle ground between the likes of Mario Kart and Forza Horizon and thrives in that space, even if the microtransactions can be a little aggressive for a game aimed at children. Playground Games has not yet confirmed if another Forza Horizon game is in the works at this time, so Xbox fans can play this game to fill that void until a new one is announced.

Read more
Another Crab’s Treasure is an approachable Soulslike with a comedic twist

Souslikes come in all shapes and sizes, including colorful seascapes with cute crabs.

Another Crab’s Treasure is the Finding Nemo of Soulslikes: a more accessible, cartoony approach to one of the most unforgiving genres. It's no Dark Souls, but it is an alternative for those tired of the typical dark fantasy Soulslike settings and the tropes attached to them. On the surface, it’s just about a guy who just wants his house (read: shell) back. However, it tells an entertaining story with genuinely challenging combat in between those narrative beats. It even lightly comments on societal and environmental issues like plastic-filled oceans and the downsides of capitalist society.

Read more
Xbox Game Pass gets its first Activision Blizzard game very soon

Microsoft unveiled the batch of titles coming to its gaming subscription service throughout the back half of March. Quite a few awesome titles are making their way to the service, but by far, the most notable addition is Diablo IV, the first Activision Blizzard game being made available on Xbox Game Pass.

Diablo IV was released in June 2023, just a few months before Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. It's the latest entry in a long-running isometric RPG series, and it retains the same engaging dungeon design, deep progression systems, and captivating loot loop that makes games in this franchise special. People have been wondering when Activision Blizzard games would arrive on Xbox Game Pass in the months since the acquisition process was completed, and Diablo IV was finally confirmed to be coming to the service on March 28 last month.

Read more