The Xbox team has announced their plans of removing the Xbox Live Gold subscription as a requirement for playing free-to-play games. Several online features are being tested today as part of the Xbox Insider Program.
Xbox Insiders in Alpha Skip Ahead & Alpha today we are flighting some new features. Multiplayer in Free-to-play games, Looking 4 Groups and Party Chat on Xbox no longer requires an Xbox Live Gold membership as we flight and test these service changes ahead of general availability. 2:35 PM · Mar 24, 2021
Microsoft did not reveal when the features will be implemented to the public, but the change of policy represents another move of putting the players at the center of the experience, one of the slogans of the new marketing campaign of Xbox. In early January, Microsoft decided to increase the price of the Xbox Live service, just to reverse the decision 24 hours following the community’s backlash.
In recent news from Xbox, the company is changing the name of the Xbox Live Services, it will be called Xbox Network in the future. “The update to ‘Xbox online service’ in the Microsoft Services Agreement refers to the underlying Xbox service that includes features like cross-saves and friend requests,” says a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to The Verge.
“This language update is intended to distinguish that underlying service, and the paid Xbox Live Gold subscription. There are no changes being made to the experience of the service or Xbox Live Gold.”… “We have no plans to discontinue Xbox Live at this time. It is an important part of gaming on Xbox today, and will continue to be in the future.”
The Xbox Live service is being rebranded to Xbox Network in order to not confuse players with the extended perks of Xbox Live.
