November is approaching very quickly, bringing with it the launch of the next console generation. Among all of the expected new graphical and processing power coming with Xbox Series X/S, another subtly anticipated change will the offerings of Xbox Live Gold. Obviously with Game Pass becoming yet another pillar-like service for the Xbox ecosystem, it’s possible that Xbox Live Gold’s current framework could make some changes. One particular change that’s bound to occur is Xbox’s Games with Gold, and how it relates to Xbox Live and Game Pass.
At the moment, Xbox Live Gold members continue to receive four games “free to own” so long as they’re currently subscribed to Gold. However, with Xbox leaning even further into improving Game Pass and the number of subscribers for that service increase, Games with Gold could potentially change or be phased out in favor of Game Pass. Xbox obviously wouldn’t go to lengths to take away existing Games with Gold, but the service may not last (at least in its current model) moving into Xbox’s new generation.
Xbox’s Games with Gold program has been around for a long time, starting with the Xbox 360 back in the summer of 2013. Since then, for seven years running, Games with Gold subscribers have been gifted the opportunity of redeeming anywhere between two-to-four games each month. Back when the program had just begun, Xbox 360 players used to get several different triple-A games for free each month, with the offering ranging from Assassin’s Creed to Tomb Raider, to BioShock Infinite to Battlefield. However nowadays, the selection is not as heavy-hitting as it used to be. Not to mention Game Pass has practically replaced the service at this point.
Just looking at the selection of Games with Gold in the last six months, for all platforms (Xbox 360, Xbox One, Original Xbox), the selection has been progressively dipping into more obscure games. The thing is, because Xbox Game Pass has become the premier offering for “free” games from Xbox, many of the titles offered on Games with Gold cannot already be on Game Pass. If Games with Gold included any titles that are already on Xbox Game Pass, then Microsoft is indirectly competing with itself, even if it doesn’t make a discernible difference in revenue. This is where Games with Gold’s new redundancy problem lies, now that Game Pass is as large as it has become.
Games with Gold titles are technically free-to-own, but what difference does that make compared to the games offered on Xbox Game Pass? Both require a subscription at the end of the day, meaning they’re both essentially offering the same service, with the only defining difference being Xbox Live Gold provides the ability to play online games. Then again, if you’re going to be downloading and playing these Games with Gold, there can’t be very many Xbox players subscribed to Gold who don’t necessarily play games online. This is why Games with Gold’s identity becomes a bit confusing compared to Game Pass.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate already merges the two services (Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass) anyway, and considering that’s the best deal between all of Xbox’s online services, Games with Gold really becomes irrelevant in that context. Both offer free games to download and play; one service offers games that are tied to accounts permanently, and one service offers games that largely rotate in and out of a rotation. Granted, Xbox Game Pass’ rotation is not as fickle as its competitor services like PlayStation Now, which changes its lineup every month. It’s also worth noting that first-party exclusives come to Game Pass on release day, something that’s never happened on Games with Gold.
There is a very reasonable possibility that Xbox Live’s Games with Gold program could be phased out or merged into Game Pass in some way. Both services offer a very similar reward, and from a business standpoint, it makes no sense for Xbox Game Pass and Games with Gold to coexist. Theoretically, Games with Gold could be integrated with Xbox Game Pass and basically merge the two offerings together. Game Pass subscribers still get the same offerings of games, but also receive “free-to-own” games periodically through Game Pass that are still tied to player’s accounts. That way, Game Pass doesn’t conflict with another service, and Games with Gold fans don’t lose their monthly games.
Either that, or Xbox could phase out the Games with Gold program entirely, encouraging players to hop on to Xbox Game Pass instead. Again, the redundancy problem makes the purpose of Games with Gold irrelevant, especially when Game Pass is the premier offering of games. Existing and new games are coming to the Game Pass service in droves, especially high profile additions like Red Dead Redemption 2, Tomb Raider, Yakuza, and more. At the end of the day, Xbox may just stick to Games with Gold and continue the program for Xbox Series X/S. If November’s games are anything like the titles offered in the last six months of Games with Gold, then most fans may not care.
The Xbox Series X/S launches on November 10, 2020.
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