Xbox Live Gold update: Subscription won’t be needed for free-to-play multiplayer, Looking 4 Groups, and Party Chat features soon

Microsoft is following through with its promise of removing the Xbox Live Gold subscription requirement for some vital features, including access to the multiplayer mode of free-to-play games. The company has released the latest Xbox operating system version that carries this significant change for Xbox Insider testers.

Free-to-play multiplayer won’t require Xbox Live Gold membership soon

Xbox Program Manager Brad Rossetti announced Wednesday that the latest Xbox Alpha Skip-Ahead version is letting testers experience access to multiplayer free-to-play games without an Xbox Live Gold membership. The update is also extended to the use of Looking 4 Groups and Xbox Party Chat features.

Before the Xbox Game Pass was launched, Xbox Live Gold was Microsoft’s flagship paid online service for gamers. While it started as an enticing option that gives members exclusive access to discounted titles and free monthly games, it later became a source of frustration to some customers. Xbox players are required to subscribe to Xbox Live Gold, which costs $9.99/ month, to access multiplayer modes of free-to-play games.

To date, Sony and Nintendo do not require their customers to pay for an online subscription to access such titles. While the Xbox update may seem a little late, it should still be a welcome change among Xbox fans.

It can be recalled back in January that Microsoft faced backlash after announcing a supposed price hike on Xbox Live Gold memberships. Fans were quick to point out that it would further limit the access they have to free-to-play multiplayer games when other gaming companies do not even ask for payment for this kind of service. Microsoft then canceled the planned price hike along with the announcement that the Xbox Live Gold paywall will be removed for multiplayer games.

Looking 4 Groups and Party Chat will be accessible sans Xbox Live Gold paywall

Looking 4 Groups allows players to post on a bulletin board-like platform to find other gamers to whom they share the same goals. Xbox Party Chat, on the other hand, lets players set up a virtual room where they can invite selected people. It is then easy to see how these features can make every Xbox fan’s gaming experience better, but they have been locked in the Xbox Live Gold plan as well.

The good news is Microsoft has also started testing the removal of the Xbox Live Gold paywall for these services. The company confirmed that these changes will have “general availability” but a release window is still unknown.

Featured photo by Javier Martínez on Unsplash