In September Xbox Live Gold will be renamed to Game Pass Core, Games with Gold to be replaced with a PlayStation Plus Collection equivalent

Yurinka

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21 Jun 2022
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Following their tradition of copying PS Plus and PS Now, now seems that Microsoft liked Sony's idea of merging their two subscriptions, and also the PlayStation Plus Collection:
  • In September 1st, XLBG will get replaced by the new 'Game Pass Core' GP tier (same $9.99/month price as before, continues being the requirement to play online multiplayer)
  • Xbox Live and Xbox Live Gold brands will dissapear
  • The new tier includes 25 games, a PlayStation Plus Collection equivalent
  • Live Gold subbers will be transfered to 'Game Pass Core' tier
 
Last edited:
24 Jun 2022
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Netting ABK is making them more confident, I see.

TBH they should've done this from the get-go; GP was cannibalizing XBL Gold and everyone knew that. It probably would've been easier to just make all Gold subs auto-convert to GPU for the duration of their Gold sub remaining and take the hit in the difference, but at least they've finally done something about it.

Also, FWIW, that price is dogshit for what you get, compared to just regular Game Pass. At a dollar's difference, who is going to choose Core over regular Game Pass tier? I thought maybe they could've done what's described in Core with an ad-supported tier that's actually a bit value-orientated, say $4.99/month. As-is Core still looks like terrible value compared to any of the other tiers.

Maybe if they give Gold subs who redeem some voucher some time to do so, and give them Core for the remainder of their Gold sub time, then it would be a decent trade-off for them.
 
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ksdixon

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22 Jun 2022
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GamePass Core sounds truly horrific.
I know "GamePass Gold" sounds like a better tier than just "GP", so that might not work. But damn, they're literally redoing a tier system so they could roll with it..... GP Core?
 
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On another note, this is making me wonder where Gold sub counts are. They have to be low enough to where Microsoft is willing to finally phase it out. It could be rather telling if GP sub count hasn't budged much beyond 25-30 million (hovering somewhere there) but Gold was low enough to finally get them to phase it away.

It'd suggest overall services revenue would be suppressed somewhat, and would also explain why Game Pass prices are increasing (on console). Of course, now due to ABK they can just explain it as a "necessity" and people would say it's just due to the costs of additional content.
 
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Box

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6 Apr 2023
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I also feel like Sony will drop their free games soon as well. Especially if Msoft doesn't lose many customers with all these changes. It feels like they want to force gamepass on everyone imo.
 

Dr Bass

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20 Jun 2022
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The new tiers are awful.

You don't get online with the "console" level. You only get it with the "core" version with no games, or ultimate, where you're paying 17 a month (and of course we all know it will go up. It seems like a way to massively discourage signing up for "normal" Game Pass now. And if you get "Core" you'll get a handful of games no one cares about and will be back to buying games. So core and console are essentially neutered subs.

Screenshot 2023-07-16 at 6.37.12 PM.png
 

Eggman

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12 Apr 2023
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So wait, am I right that Game Pass Ultimate subscribers used to get the extra monthly games from Games With Gold and now they will get nothing extra instead? I feel like people are missing this?
 
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Cool hand luke

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I know its been awful but Im sure the hope was to make it better rather than just rid of it entirely
If the plan was always to cut it and refocus funding into GP, then making it so bad for years that it wouldn't be missed is, I hate to say it, a workable approach. But it betrays the contempt Microsoft actually has for its userbase.