Rumors have circulated for a while now that Xbox Live, a premium subscription service synonymous with the Xbox brand, may undergo some significant changes. While Microsoft has, at times, denied rumors of Xbox Live changing, it appears that the company has changed its mind, as the Xbox Live name shall soon be altered, being rebranded to the "Xbox network."
Confirmed by The Verge's Tom Warren, a Microsoft spokesperson commented on the reasoning behind the change, stating that Xbox network will refer to the underlying online services offered by the platform. The spokesperson also stated, "The update from ‘Xbox Live’ to ‘Xbox network’ is intended to distinguish the underlying service from Xbox Live Gold memberships." It's a significant change for the company and one that has some interesting implications.
The most important part of Microsoft's statement is that the Xbox network is meant to be distinguishable from Xbox Live Gold memberships. Rumors that Xbox Live Gold could be free have circulated in the past, though they were ultimately shut down. Xbox is removing the Xbox Live Gold requirement for free-to-play games like Fortnite, but the broader paywall will remain in place, at least for now.
That means that gamers aren't putting the subscription cost of Xbox Live Gold back into their pockets just yet. The Xbox network name leaked just a few days ago thanks to a few UI elements being changed on Xbox consoles, though many fans were expecting more significant changes to the platform. In all likelihood, part of the goal with differentiating the name from Xbox Live Gold is to give the Xbox brand a sense of being a cross-platform way to play games, bringing mobile, console, and PC gaming all under one "network" umbrella.
Still, this does indicate that more changes could be on the horizon. Outside of the service itself, Halo Infinite multiplayer will be free to play, which is a shocking move considering how central it is to the Xbox brand. This very likely means that no Xbox Live Gold subscription will be necessary to enjoy it, eliminating any barrier to entry the game might have. If that shakes out well for Microsoft, it's possible that becomes the new norm, which would allow the company to further de-emphasize Xbox Live Gold in favor of Xbox network branding.
It's hard to gauge exactly how significant this change will be, as it doesn't sound like Xbox Live Gold, as a subscription, is really going anywhere. Dropping the plain Xbox Live name in favor of Xbox network seems big, though, so Xbox's next few moves will be interesting to watch.
Xbox Live is being rebranded to Xbox network.
Source: The Verge