What is the point of Xbox Live Gold?

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The point of Xbox Live Gold is to provide online console multiplayer gaming, free games, game discounts, and other benefits to Xbox users, enhancing their overall gaming experience. With the evolution of Xbox services, Xbox Live Gold has transitioned into Xbox Game Pass Core, offering online multiplayer games and access to a catalog of high-quality console games on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

1. Do you even need Xbox Live Gold?: You need Xbox Live Gold to play any online multiplayer games except for certain free-to-play games such as Fortnite, Rocket League, and Apex Legends.
2. Is Xbox Live Gold a good deal?: At its base price, the Xbox Live Gold price is $24.99 / £17.99 for three months, but it’s better value for money to opt for a 12-month subscription.
3. Is Xbox Live still $60 a year?: The price for Game Pass Core is $10 a month or $60 a year, the same as the retail price for the defunct Xbox Live Gold subscription.

Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold

4. What is Xbox Game Pass?: Xbox Game Pass allows you to play hundreds of high-quality games solo or with friends on console, PC, or cloud, with a subscription that continues automatically at $16.99/mo.
5. Can I convert Xbox Live Gold to Game Pass?: Any Xbox Live Gold codes you still have on hand will also convert directly to Game Pass Core.
6. How long does $1 Game Pass last?: New customers can try out Xbox Game Pass for 14 days at $1, and then pay the full monthly price afterward.

Games and Subscriptions

7. What games can I play without gold?: You can play Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific, Destiny 2, Fortnite, Halo Infinite Multiplayer, PUBG: Battlegrounds, and Roblox without Xbox Live Gold.
8. Are games with gold permanent?: Titles claimed through Games with Gold will continue to be available to the account that claimed them, even after Games with Gold has ended.
9. Is games with gold going away?: Games with Gold came to an end on September 1, 2023, replaced by a limited selection of games from Xbox Game Pass.

Pricing and Trials

10. How to get Xbox Gold for free?: You can join Microsoft Rewards to earn Microsoft Points, redeemable for Xbox Live Gold free subscriptions, or take advantage of free trials or promotions.
11. Can I play online if I don’t have Xbox Live Gold?: You can play free multiplayer games without Xbox Live Gold, and Microsoft has also unlocked Xbox party chat and the Looking For Groups (LFG) feature.
12. What will replace games with gold?: Game Pass Core brings online play together with Game Pass in a new offering for gamers, replacing Games with Gold.

Technical and Miscellaneous

13. Why did Xbox get rid of gold?: Microsoft re-imagined how to include content with the subscription, leveraging select titles from the Xbox Game Pass catalog.
14. When did Xbox Live end?: Xbox Live Gold was replaced by Xbox Game Pass Core on September 14, 2023.
15. Is Call of Duty on Game Pass?: Call of Duty will not be featured on Xbox Game Pass until 2024, as part of the Activision Blizzard games.