Highlights
- Today is the last day to claim free Games with Gold games for Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.
- Xbox Live Gold is officially being replaced by Xbox Game Pass Core in September for $9.99/month.
- The new Xbox Game Pass Core will allow online play but will not offer free games like Xbox Live Gold did.
Today is the last day that the August 2023 Xbox free Games with Gold games will be available, marking the last chance for Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to claim free games with their subscriptions. After years of rumors, Microsoft is officially getting rid of Xbox Live Gold, replacing it with a new tier of Xbox Game Pass that it calls Xbox Game Pass Core. Some of Xbox Live Gold's benefits will carry over to Xbox Game Pass Core, but not all of them.
When Xbox Game Pass Core replaces Xbox Live Gold in September, it will be available for $9.99 per month and give subscribers access to a small selection of the games that make up the Xbox Game Pass library. Xbox Game Pass Core will also make it possible for Xbox gamers to play online, just like Xbox Live Gold does. But while Xbox Live Gold gave subscribers free games every month, Xbox Game Pass Core will not.
This means that today is the last day that Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can ever claim Xbox free Games with Gold games for their digital libraries. The games in question are Blue Fire, a 3D platformer with Zelda and Soulslike elements, and racing game Inertial Drift. Zelda and Dark Souls fans should definitely make sure to claim Blue Fire while they still can, and even if one isn't a fan of racing games, Inertial Drift is worth a look. It earned mostly positive reviews from critics and certainly has its fans.
Xbox Free Games With Gold Games
Longtime Xbox gamers may be sad to see the Xbox free Games with Gold program coming to an end, but many likely saw it coming. For years now, Microsoft has neglected the Xbox free Games with Gold program, offering obscure or poorly-received games and instead focusing its efforts on bolstering its Xbox Game Pass subscription service. Considering how much Microsoft has invested in Xbox Game Pass, it's no surprise to see that a version of the service is what is ultimately replacing Xbox Live Gold.
Since the Xbox free Games with Gold games haven't been worthwhile for a long time, fans may not be all that upset that the program is being phased out. They can now focus entirely on the new Xbox Game Pass games that are added every month, with plenty of exciting titles to look forward to in September 2023 and beyond.