PC Game Pass is much better value than Xbox's new Game Pass Core console tier
Replacing Xbox Live Gold
Microsoft have announced that a new Game Pass tier will replace Xbox Live Gold on consoles. The new Xbox Game Pass Core tier will cost £7/$10 for a monthly subscription and £50/$60 for an annual one. Microsoft haven’t announced plans to bring Game Pass Core to PC players, although the new tier costs almost the same amount as the (frankly much better value) PC Game Pass variant - for now, at least.
Starting on September 14th, Xbox Live Gold subscribers will be automatically converted to Game Pass Core, which allows access to online multiplayer, exclusive discounts, and a compact collection of games. Xbox’s monthly freebie program Games With Gold is also getting axed, although you can still play previously redeemed games as long as you’re subscribed to either the Core or Ultimate tiers.
Microsoft says that Game Pass Core’s “select collection” will include over 25 games, with new titles added a few times a year, though the company have only announced 19 of them so far. Here’s the announced Game Pass Core collection:
- Among Us
- Descenders
- Dishonored 2
- Doom Eternal
- Fable Anniversary
- Fallout 4
- Fallout 76
- Forza Horizon 4
- Gears 5
- Grounded
- Halo 5: Guardians
- Halo Wars 2
- Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
- Human Fall Flat
- Inside
- Ori & The Will of the Wisps
- Psychonauts 2
- State of Decay 2
- The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited
There are some definite bangers included in the catalogue above, with notable shoutouts going to moody puzzler Inside, acrobatic platformer Ori And The Will Of The Wisps, and bro-op shooter Gears 5.
In comparison to the PC Game Pass subscription though, the list above seems relatively thin. For the same price (or £1 more in British pounds), PC Game Passers get access to over 100s of games with new ones added every month, rather than a few times a year. Microsoft had recently upped the price of Console Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate, however, so maybe a similar price hike is on the table for PC folks soon. That wouldn't be too surprising since Xbox boss Phil Spencer previously said a price increase was inevitable.
For those already subscribed to PC/Xbox Game Pass, check out this month’s batch of new games.