Microsoft Begins Dropping Xbox Live Gold Requirement for Free-to-Play Multiplayer Games and Party Chat - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 08 May 2021 / 1,552 Views
Microsoft in January announced it will be making free-to-play multiplayer games no longer require an Xbox Live Gold membership in order to play online in the coming months.
It now looks like the time has come as Xbox Insiders in Alpha will no longer need Xbox Live Gold to play free-to-play games or to use Party Chat.
"Xbox Insiders in Alpha Skip Ahead & Alpha today we are flighting some new features," said Xbox Preview Program developer Brad Rossetti via Twitter.
"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."
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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Wonder if Sony will follow this pro consumer move.
This is MS following Sony, only now is MS being pro consumer like how Sony has always been.
Obviously someone didn't do their research on why this whole Xbox live gold "free to play" is happening.
Always been? Sony started it a few years ago and it only applies to some free to play games. Still an excellent start by both companies.
A few years ago? When I bought PS4 I didn't sign up for PS+ and played numerous F2P games. Yes, Always been.
You're right, I don't know what I was thinking. Rocket League threw me off.
Yeah charging for online is such pro consumer. Sony also charges for cloud saves while Microsoft doesn't. So technically going by your statement Microsoft is more pro consumer than Sony even though both are shit for charging for online.
"pro consumer like how Sony has always been"
laughs in hijacked Fortnite accounts
This should of never been behind the pay walls. Even paying to play multiplayer is very anti-consumer, but the console makers need to make their money back on the hardware somehow which somehow justifys this shameless act.
Agreed, paid multiplayer is a bad move, but considering I don't do multiplayer but this anti-consumer measure likely subside the free games on PS+ and GWG which I take benefit of and also help the price of the HW to be low It is a lesser evil.
Welcome to last century.
Essay Pro