Xbox Live Gold is becoming Xbox Game Pass Core in September

As we sorta suspected from the dwindling selection of Games with Gold library additions over the past year, Microsoft has been busy revamping their basic Xbox Live offerings. So starting in September, Xbox Live Gold will be sunset and convert over to a new service to be known as Xbox Game Pass Core.

Set to cost the same as Xbox Live Gold membership, Xbox Game Pass Core will set Xbox players back either $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year for access to online gaming along with  a “collection” of over 25 titles — kinda similar to what Sony did with the lower tier PlayStation Plus memberships.  See the plan chart and the initial set of announced collection titles and more details below.

Today, we’re continuing our commitment to give players more choice and value by introducing Xbox Game Pass Core, launching on September 14. Game Pass Core is the evolution of Xbox Live Gold. Game Pass Core will give players access to our advanced multiplayer network, a select collection of over 25 games to play with friends around the world, and exclusive member deals, all for $9.99 USD per month or $59.99 USD per year.

For over twenty years, Xbox players have been connecting via Xbox Live to compete, cooperate, and experience the world’s biggest online multiplayer games. In 2017, we introduced Xbox Game Pass which provided a curated library of games. Game Pass Core brings online play together with Game Pass in a new offering for gamers around the world.

With this evolution, we’re saying farewell to Games with Gold. We wanted to use this opportunity to re-imagine how to include content with this subscription. We found that the answer to the most compelling catalog was to leverage select titles from our Xbox Game Pass catalog.

Our launch collection of more than 25 titles from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, and our content partners will offer something for everyone to play on their Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles. Today we’re confirming the following titles for launch*, with more to be announced in advance of September 14. New titles will be added 2-3 times a year.

• 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

*Game library may vary over time and by country.

For current Xbox Live Gold members:

• On September 14, Xbox Live Gold members will automatically become Game Pass Core members, with no change in pricing, and have immediate access to a new library of over 25 high-quality games.
• Member deals & discounts will also be part of Xbox Game Pass Core.
• Games with Gold will come to an end on September 1.
• Players can continue to access any Xbox One games they previously redeemed through Games with Gold if they remain a Game Pass Core or Game Pass Ultimate member.
• Regardless of subscription status, any Xbox 360 titles redeemed via Games with Gold in the past will be kept in a player’s library.

Thank you to everyone who has been with us since the early days, joined along the way with friends, and now with us in Xbox Game Pass. I’m proud and humbled by the stories we hear about online teammates becoming real-life friends after years playing, or even marriages whose initial spark was ignited in a pre-match lobby. We can’t wait to hear more from the community when it launches on September 14, and we’ll see you online!