After more than two decades, Xbox Live Gold is getting a major upgrade with the introduction of Xbox Game Pass Core. This new subscription service will offer access to a curated collection of over 25 titles for both Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. For just $9.99/£6.99/AUD$14.99 per month or $59.99/£49.99/AUD$88.05 per year, gamers will be able to enjoy popular titles like Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Grounded, and Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited. Additionally, new games will be added to the subscription service two to three times a year.

Prior to the launch of Game Pass Core on September 14, 2023, Games with Gold will cease to exist on September 1. However, existing accounts will be automatically transferred to the new service. It’s worth mentioning that players can still access any Xbox One games they’ve previously redeemed through Games with Gold. Similarly, any Xbox 360 titles redeemed through the old service will remain in players’ libraries, regardless of their subscription status.

The main objective behind Game Pass Core is to modernize Games with Gold and provide players with more choice and value, as stated in a press release.

This update comes in the wake of the recent announcement that Xbox’s Friends and Family plan will be discontinued on August 15. Microsoft initiated public testing for the new Xbox Game Pass plan almost a year ago and subsequently released a preview to select regions.

The news regarding the closure of the Friends and Family plan came from a Twitter post by Spitfire_Spud, who received a notification about the conclusion of their subscription. The notification revealed that Xbox will be “ending the preview as [it] looks to take the learnings from the past several months and investigate building an offer [it] can launch worldwide in the future.”

In the midst of all these changes in the world of Xbox, we’re here to assist you in navigating the rough waters. Check out our compilation of the best Xbox deals in July and discover the top Xbox Series X games with ease.