It's six months into 2021, and Xbox Games with Gold has received nothing but disappointment from its subscribers. For quite a long time now, Microsoft's selection of Xbox's Games with Gold has been mostly lackluster, leading many subscribers to question whether the service is still worth subscribing to.
The biggest criticism that Xbox Free Games with Gold has received is the lack of an Xbox Series X game. Initially, the absence of support for the latest Xbox consoles was understandable given that both Xbox Series X and S are fairly new systems with a limited library of games. However, Sony's PlayStation Plus has been consistent in including PS5 games to its roster, which begs the question of where Xbox Games with Gold fits in the grand scheme of things.
Games with Gold Doesn't Fit Microsoft's Plans for Xbox
Based on the roster of free Games With Gold so far, it is obvious that Microsoft doesn't care about Xbox Live Gold as it used to. Of course, the only logical reason why Microsoft appears to be abandoning the service is the reallocation of its time and resources into improving Xbox Game Pass. It is no secret that the Xbox Game Pass has been doing well in 2021, and it's even credited as the primary reason why some PlayStation players are getting the Xbox Series X/S instead of the PS5.
Although the transition of Xbox players from Xbox One to Xbox Series X/S has been slow, mostly due to console shortages, it is clear that Microsoft's plans will revolve around its new systems. For the past several months, the company has acquired several game studios such as Bethesda to produce more triple-A console exclusive games to compete with Sony's strong lineup of first-party titles.
Many upcoming Xbox exclusive titles and third-party games are promised to be available on day one on Xbox Game Pass, making the service valuable. Of course, no one expects Microsoft to release new games for free for Xbox Live Gold subscribers. However, the least the company could do is include smaller Xbox Series X/S games and better quality Xbox One games for Xbox Games with Gold, similar to Sony's approach with PS Plus.
What Does This Mean for Xbox Live Gold Subscribers?
Of course, the big question now is, if Xbox Games with Gold is not part of the future of Xbox, where does that leave longtime subscribers. At the moment, it appears that the sole purpose of maintaining an Xbox Live Gold subscription is to gain access to paid online multiplayer games. It is worth remembering that Microsoft has removed the Xbox Live Gold subscription requirement to access free-t0-play multiplayer games.
However, players who are heavy on paid online multiplayer games could subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to access the library of Game Pass titles alongside the benefits offered with Xbox Live Gold. Interestingly enough, it appears that this is what Microsoft wants players to do all along, especially since the company appears to have no plans to discontinue Xbox Live Gold for the foreseeable future.
In the end, it doesn't appear that Microsoft is out of touch on which games Xbox Live Gold subscribers want to see in its roster of free games. It is also unlikely that the company is not aware of the criticisms and disappointment subscribers continue to hurl towards Xbox Free Games with Gold. What's likely happening is that Microsoft wants its subscribers to dump Xbox Live Gold in favor of Xbox Game Pass, which is obviously the future of Xbox.