Xbox Live Gold Service to End After 20 Years—Could Microsoft-Activision Merger Have an Impact on Playstation Icons

Quincy Jon, Tech Times 17 July 2023, 02:07 pm

Microsoft will end Xbox Live Gold, the 20-year-old plus online gaming membership service. The company will replace Xbox Live Gold with Game Pass Core on September 14.

Game Pass Core, an extension of Xbox Live Gold, offers online console multiplayer and over 25 titles for Xbox Series X and S and Xbox One for $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year, according to IGN.

On November 15, 2002, the first Xbox system and Xbox Live Gold were released together. Games like Halo 2's online multiplayer features helped Xbox Live Gold succeed. The Xbox 360, Xbox One, and the most recent Xbox Series X and S all continued to be built on the platform.

The Games with Gold campaign, one of Xbox Live Gold's features, provided users with a selection of games each month. However, this program's free titles have recently been criticized for their poor quality. Microsoft said goodbye to Games with Gold as part of the switch to Game Pass Core and decided to use a few games from the vast Xbox Game Pass library instead.

On September 14, current Xbox Live Gold subscribers will automatically upgrade to Game Pass Core status. As long as they continue to have a Game Pass Ultimate or Game Pass Core subscription, players can access any Xbox One titles they have previously redeemed via titles with Gold. Regardless of subscription status, Xbox 360 Games with Gold games will stay in a player's library.

Call of Duty to Remain on PlayStation

Meanwhile, the Microsoft-Activision acquisition has lately made news because of regulators' investigations. Microsoft is in negotiations with the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which froze its purchase in April. Microsoft's recent federal court win against the FTC permitted the acquisition.

Interestingly, Sony recognized the certainty of Microsoft's takeover of Activision Blizzard and signed an arrangement with Microsoft to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation systems for 10 years, per Polygon. Phil Spencer, Microsoft's gaming division CEO, announced the acquisition on Sunday, excited to provide fans with more options for their favorite games.

Microsoft and Sony's deal only covers Call of Duty, not Activision Blizzard games. Brad Smith, Microsoft's president, stressed the company's commitment to resolving regulators, platform developers, and customers' concerns and increasing Call of Duty's availability across platforms.

This breakthrough marks the conclusion of a protracted deadlock. Sony first rejected Microsoft's repeated pledges to retain Call of Duty on the PlayStation, choosing instead to use its clout with regulators to block Microsoft's $68.7 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard. However, the 10-year pact marks a turning point and offers up more gaming options for users globally.

Concerns About Fate of PlayStation Icons

The recent development in the Microsoft-Activision merger has fueled rumors concerning the fate of renowned PlayStation icons Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon, per Gaming Bible. These well-known characters may appear on Xbox platforms if Microsoft's most recent agreement with its competitor firm is successful.

Other Activision properties may only gradually vanish from PlayStation platforms, but if the transaction goes through, it may open up opportunities for Xbox to acquire more exclusives in the future. Spyro the Dragon and Crash Bandicoot are still regarded as iconic PlayStation games even though they were no longer PlayStation-only for a while. It would thus be controversial to see them become Xbox exclusives.

The gaming community anticipates more details on the fate of these beloved characters as the merger proceeds and the facts of the agreement are revealed.