Xbox Game Pass Core: price, benefits and every game included

Xbox Live Gold is changing to Xbox Game Pass Core. Here's what you need to know

(Credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft is changing Xbox Live Gold to Xbox Game Pass Core from September 14, 2023. The new plan will include most of the benefits that Xbox Live Gold members already enjoy, but there are a few changes you need to be aware of.

It makes sense that Microsoft wants to fold Xbox Live Gold (XBL) into Game Pass, as the service has felt like the odd one out in recent years. Xbox Live Gold gives subscribers access to online multiplayer, deals and discounts, and two to three free monthly games, which are yours to keep even if your XBL membership ends.

However, the games that Microsoft has been giving away in recent years have felt like bottom-of-the-barrel offerings, especially compared to the plethora of titles that have come to Xbox Game Pass.

A revamp and repositioning of Xbox Live Gold makes sense, then. Here’s everything you need to know about Xbox Game Pass Core.

Xbox Game Pass Core price

Here’s some good news: the Xbox Game Pass Core price is the same as Xbox Live Gold. It costs $9.99 a month / $59.99 per year, meaning all existing Gold subscribers won’t suddenly be hit with a higher bill.

For comparison, Xbox Game Pass for console costs $10.99 a month, PC Game Pass costs $9.99 a month, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $16.99 a month. Microsoft raised the price of Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Pass Game Ulitmate in July, along with the Xbox Series X in almost every country apart from the US, Japan, Chile, Brazil and Colombia.

Xbox Live Gold members will automatically become Game Pass Core members, with no change in pricing, on September 14.

Xbox Game Pass Core benefits

(Credit: Microsoft)

Just like Xbox Live Gold, Xbox Game Pass Core subscribers can enjoy access to online multiplayer. You’ll also receive member deals and discounts, including discounts on purchases that Xbox Game Pass Console subscribers also receive, and access to a catalog of 36 high-quality games on console.

The biggest difference is that Microsoft is no longer giving away a selection of free games every month. But, as most XBL subscribers will attest, the quality of the free games in recent years has been poor, to say the least.

Xbox Game Pass Core free games

(Credit: Double Fine)

Want to know what free games are included in Xbox Game Pass Core? Here’s the full list of titles we know about so far, which Microsoft said will grow in the future as new titles will be added 2-3 times a year. You’ll be able to play all of these 36 games if you subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Core:

• Among Us

• Astroneer

• Celeste

• Dead Cells

• Descenders

• Dishonored 2

• Doom Eternal

• Fable Anniversary

• Fallout 4

• Fallout 76

• Firewatch

• Forza Horizon 4

• Gangs Beasts

• Gears 5

• Golf with Your Friends

• Grounded

• Halo 5: Guardians

• Halo Wars 2

• Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

• Human Fall Flat

• INSIDE

• Limbo

• Ori and the Will of the Wisps

• Overcooked! 2

• Payday 2: Crimewave Edition

• Powerwash Simulator

• Psychonauts 2

• Slay the Spire

• Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition

• Stardew Valley

• State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition

• Superliminal

• Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

• Unpacking

• Vampire Survivors

The move is similar to Sony’s PS Plus Collection, which gave PlayStation Plus Essential subscribers on PS5 a selection of games to enjoy. However, Sony ended the offer in May 2023 after launching PlayStation Plus Premium. There’s a nice selection of titles spanning several genres for gamers to enjoy, including a selection of first-party games from Xbox Games Studio.

What happens to my Games with Gold collection?

(Credit: Microsoft)

If you’ve claimed any free ‘Games with Gold’ titles over the years, any titles you’ve downloaded will remain in your account. You won’t have to worry about losing access to them, and they’ll still be playable even if your Xbox Game Pass Core subscription expires. Games with Gold comes to an end on September 1, 2023.

Should I subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Core, Console or Ultimate?

(Credit: Matt Swider/The Shortcut)

Xbox Game Pass Core is a great choice if you’re not really interested in accessing a large library of free games to play and only really want online play. The new service also lets you play some of the best Xbox games, and you can enjoy the same discounts and perks as Xbox Game Pass console subscribers.

However, if you do want to enjoy all the titles on Xbox Game Pass, you’re best subscribing to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Not only do you get all the benefits of Xbox Game Pass Core and Xbox Game Pass, but you also get access to Xbox Cloud Gaming, exclusive perks, EA Play membership, and access to PC Game Pass for $16.99 a month as opposed to $20.98.

You can save 80% with our Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 12-month discount code if you do want to subscribe to Microsoft’s premium subscription tier.