First pointed out by Wario64 on Twitter, the Microsoft Service Agreement has removed references to Xbox Live Gold, replacing them with “Xbox online service.” In recent months, Xbox’s emphasis onXbox Game Passhas grown, which has sparked speculation that the Game Pass could completely replace Xbox Live Gold in the coming months. There are numerous possibilities as to why Microsoft would remove references to Xbox Live Gold, though it is an eyebrow-raising move.
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If Microsoft were to do away withXbox Live Gold, it isn’t entirely clear what would replace it. The most likely answer is Game Pass, though some have speculated that it could mean online play is free for everyone on the platform. This would mean greater parity betweenXboxand PC’s online services, but subscription revenue seems like a key part of Xbox’s future, so that’s still uncertain.
It’s also unclear what would happen to remaining Xbox Live Gold subscriptions if the service were to disappear. It’s yet another area where Game Pass seems like the most likely answer, assuming Microsoft would convert each remaining month of Xbox Live Gold into a single month of Game Pass. It would be a pro-consumer move, which Xbox has also been putting a heavier emphasis on as of late, and would make sense given the company’s new direction as a platform, rather than a traditional game company.
MoreXbox news should be coming this month, so it’s possible that fans find out about the service’s future in the coming weeks. It’s unlikely that fans will stop speculating given the mounting evidence that the service may be going away, so it’s an area that Microsoft might want to make announcement sooner rather than later.
Regardless, fans will find out eventually. Xbox Live revolutionized online play for consoles, so seeing it disappear would certainly be the end of an era. Xbox continues to evolve, though, and if it does end, it’s likely part of a larger plan for the company’s future, and considering thepositive moves Xbox is making, that may not be a bad thing.
