February 2021 is widely considered as the best month for Xbox Live subscribers in a very long time. Not only did the service remove the paywall for free-to-play online multiplayer games, but Microsoft also offered top-tier games on its Games with Gold program, including one that is optimized for the Xbox Series X. For a time, many thought that February was the start of a huge overhaul of Xbox Live, especially in competition with Sony’s PS Plus offering better games, which included one title for the PS5.
Unfortunately, Microsoft announced what’s in store for Xbox Game with Gold this March, and again, players were left with the same tired lineup and no Xbox Series X optimized game. Of course, now that many think that the PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass are of better value than Xbox Live, Microsoft is left with only one choice if it wants the service to be relevant in the future: step up its monthly Games with Gold before it’s too late.
Ever since the Xbox Series X/S launch last November, Xbox players have slowly transitioned from the old to the new generation of consoles. Of course, the transition would have been faster if Series X and S stocks have been widely available. However, players who currently own the latest-generation of Xbox consoles are probably thinking of whether a subscription to the Xbox Live is still worth it, especially since its value has been in question for the longest time.
Last month, it appeared that Microsoft is finally including Xbox Series X/S players in its monthly lineup of free games with the inclusion of the Xbox Series X optimized version of Gears 5. Unfortunately, it appears that the standard set in February is just a one-time thing, given that March’s lineup does not include an Xbox Series X/S game. Of course, players on the Xbox Series X/S can still access Xbox One games via backward compatibility, but it’s not exactly the same thing. It is further worth noting that since its launch last November, the PS Plus has been offering a PS5 title in its lineup, which is why it’s boggling why Xbox Live can’t do the same.
If the same trend carries over throughout the year, it is possible that Xbox Series X/S players would opt to ditch the Xbox Live for Xbox Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. For the uninitiated, Xbox Game Pass offers players hundreds of quality games, including selectXbox Series X/S titles. On the other hand, the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers everything on the Xbox Game Pass in addition to the benefits of Xbox Live for a slightly more expensive monthly fee. It’s easy enough to look at these services and think it explains why the GwG offerings are typically lackluste, but if that were the case, continuing it just wouldn’t upp.
Given this, the only hold Microsoft has to retain Xbox Live subscribers is Games with Gold, which is why Microsoft needs to ditch the old “quantity over quality” approach and ensure that subscribers are getting their money’s worth. Of course, the same could be said for subscribers who are still on the Xbox One. Should Microsoft not change its ways, it is possible that Xbox One players would opt to switch their subscription to either Xbox Game Pass or Game Pass Ultimate. The worst-case scenario is that these players may choose the PS5 in favor of the Xbox Series X/S, given that the PS Plus’ offerings are significantly more valuable than Xbox Live.
In the end, Microsoft stated last year that it is committed to keeping Xbox Live relevant amidst the new console generation. However, if the company will not step up its approach, especially since its other services and competitors offer better value for players, it wouldn’t be unlikely if Xbox Live would see a steady decrease in subscribers that would force Microsoft to shut down the service altogether.
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