Xbox Game Pass: New Games For December 2021 Revealed
Among Us and The Gunk are coming to Xbox Game Pass in December.
Xbox Game Pass is Microsofts subscription service for Xbox One owners. Its designed to be like a Netflix for games, where you pay a simple monthly rate and get access to loads of games for download. Its not to be confused with the Xbox Live Gold membership, which gives users a selection of free games each month.
There has been a huge surge in popularity and profile for Xbox Game Pass since its launch, mainly due to the diverse list of games and first-party exlusives on the service. In fact, Microsoft drops new releases from its own internal studios onto the service on day one! Sea of Thieves was the first example of this, followed by State of Decay 2 and Crackdown 3. Since then, the service has seen the day one launch of several other high-profile Xbox exclusives, including Gears 5, The Outer Worlds, and Halo: Reach on the Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
Membership to Xbox Game Pass will set you back $9.99 per month. You can now also get an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription for $1 for the first month and $14.99 every month after that. The subscription includes an Xbox Live Gold membership as well as all of the games offered on Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass for PC. Plus, with cloud support, you can play a selection of Xbox Game Pass titles on your Android phone. And now you even get access to titles on EA Play, the third-party publishers own on-demand service.
Xbox Game Pass Vs Ultimate: At A Glance
At first glance, Xbox Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate may seem to offer the same thing. And in many ways, they do.
Both are subscription services that unlock a variety of AAA and indie games for one low monthly fee. The major difference is where you can play these games, and what extra features are included.
Its also worth keeping in mind that there are actually three services here: Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The first is just for the Xbox One, Xbox Series S, or Xbox Series X consoles. The second option is just for Windows PC games, and the third includes both and more. Much more, in fact.
Should I Get Xbox Live Gold Or Xbox Game Pass
This depends on your gaming habits. Xbox Live Gold’s biggest selling point is not the free games, but it’s being able to play online. Are you someone who is going to play a few games online and only those games on a regular basis? Then you’ll want Xbox Live Gold.
On the other hand, if you want what is the equivalent to “Netflix for video games,” then Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is an easy choice. You have more than 100 games to choose from, and you’ll be able to play them from multiple devices. Tack on Xbox Live Gold, and you get a tremendous value for $15 a month. Put another way, you get to play dozens of games per year for the price of just three new console games purchased at retail .
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How Many Games Are Available
So Xbox Game Pass is pretty simple: For $10 per month, you get access to a catalog of games and you can download and play them all you want on your Xbox One.
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What makes or breaks a service like this is the selection of games. As of July 12, 2017, there are 119 games available in the catalog. They arent all Xbox One games. In fact, the majority of them are Xbox 360 games that you can play on your Xbox One through the backwards compatibility feature.
You will see some big-name games here. Youll find five games from the Gears of War series, Halo 5: Guardians, all three BioShock games, NBA 2K16, Saints Row IV: Re-Elected, and more. But the list is rounded out with older Xbox 360 games and smaller indie games. That doesnt mean theyre bad, but you certainly arent getting all the latest full-price Xbox One games. You can view the full list of Xbox Game Pass games on Microsofts website. Microsoft adds new games every month.
$10 Per Month Or $60 Per Year
Xbox Live Gold is the online subscription service that started in 2002 for the original Xbox, and it allowed players to play multiplayer games online with voice chat. Since then it has offered more benefits such as special discounts and four free games monthly. A subscription for Xbox Live Gold costs $10 per month .
Adding to the nomenclature confusion: The online network has heretofore been known as Xbox Live, but will soon be changing its name to “Xbox network.” But it appears that Xbox Live Gold isn’t going anywhere.
For now, you need Xbox Live Gold to play any online multiplayer games. But recently, it appears Microsoft might change the rules to allow Xbox gamers to play free-to-play games online such as Fortnite and Apex Legends.
But here’s the important takeaway: Xbox Game Pass includes Xbox Live Gold, and adds access to dozens of games, too. Anyone interested in Gold should check out Game Pass first.
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Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
As well as all of the perks from Xbox Live Gold, and Xbox Live Game Pass, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate ups the ante with the inclusion of EA Play and, if the rumors are true, Ubisoft Uplay+, but that remains to be seen. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate also offers free perks in the form of in-game content, and “partner offers.”
If you want to play online multiplayer, as well as having access to a Netflix-style game subscription service that includes brand new exclusives at launch, as well as over 100 Xbox titles, then you need to make the switch to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
If you prefer to curate your own library of games, and play through at a leisurely pace, you may find that access to so many titles that you’re just not going to get through isn’t working out as cost effective as you thought in the long run.
We advise perusing the library of available games on Game Pass before making a decision.
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Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: Who Its For
For just a few extra bucks per month at $14.99, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gets you all of the perks of Xbox Live Gold and a whole lot more. The highest tier of Microsofts gaming subscription service, Game Pass Ultimate, provides access to hundreds of games that you can play on Xbox, PC and even your Android phone via cloud streaming.
Xbox Game Pass massive game library includes all Xbox Game Studios releases on the same day they hit shelves, meaning subscribers automatically get titles like Gears 5, Minecraft Dungeons and the upcoming Halo Infinite without having to shell out an extra $60 a pop. Thats not to mention the troves of big-name third-party titles on Game Pass including Doom Eternal, Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order and Destiny 2 as well as a huge collection of compelling indie titles like Donut County and Among Us.
If any of those games are of interest to you, subscribing to Game Pass Ultimate could save you a ton of money that youd otherwise spend buying them a la carte. And if you also play games on PC or want the ability to stream your Xbox games to your Android phone while on the go, Ultimate is a no-brainer.
Can I Really Play Xbox Games On Phones And Tablets
Yes, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members currently have access to the beta version of Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service, which lets them play cloud-based Xbox games on Android devices. The games are streamed in real-time to the devices via an app. And starting April 20, some Ultimate members will be invited to begin testing a limited beta of Cloud Gaming on Windows 10 PCs, iPhones and iPads, streamed via web browsers.
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Xbox Live Gold Changes: What’s New For 2021
Microsoft just rolled out the biggest changes to Xbox Live Gold since launch, in turn shaking up the value proposition for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S owners. The drastic policy shift changes up a subscription that’s gone untouched in years, now opening previously paid features to any Xbox console owner. That chiefly includes dropping the Xbox Live Gold requirement on free-to-play multiplayer titles, plus opening multiple social features to all on Xbox.
Xbox consoles have required an Xbox Live Gold membership to access online multiplayer since their inception, but changes introduced this April drop that mandate for free-to-play games. You no longer need to pay the monthly fee on many popular titles, including Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Apex Legends, to name a few. While all paid Xbox games still require Xbox Live Gold, those with zero-cost entry are now entirely free on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
The platform has also lifted the Xbox Live Gold requirement on Party Chat and Looking for Group on Xbox consoles, two popular social features for multiplayer. The former, Microsoft’s staple voice chat system for Xbox, finally goes free and opens communication among all players. The LFG system also provides a platform to search for teammates and like-minded players across the Xbox network, filtering users by game and various social preferences.
What Is Xbox Live Gold And Is It Worth It
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If you have an Xbox One or Xbox 360, Microsofts Xbox Live Gold service is required to play multiplayer games online. A subscription costs $10 per month or $60 per year. Xbox Live Gold also includes additional benefits, like free games every month and discounts on some digital games.
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Where Is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Available
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is available in all current Xbox Game Pass markets:
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and United States.
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Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass offer a lot of value to the cost-conscious gamer. With just a couple of subscriptions any Xbox gamer has a host of worlds at their fingertips to jump into online and play against others. But what is the difference between them?
To help you decide whether you need to subscribe to Xbox Live Gold, Xbox Game Pass or even its bigger, beefier brother Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, well explain each of them here. That way you can cut the time you spend stressing and get straight to playing the way you want.
Xbox Live Gold is the subscription-based upgrade to Xbox Live, Microsofts online service. The free version of Xbox Live lets you connect to the store and community pages on your Xbox in order to download new games. However you cant play online games, such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare multiplayer, without paying for Xbox Live Gold.
Thats not the only benefit you get with Xbox Live Gold, as there are also game discounts every week and free games every month, known as Games With Gold. You can also stream from video services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and NowTV.
Keep An Eye Out For Free Trials
If youre still on the fence, Microsoft sometimes offers free trials of Xbox Live Gold with new consoles and some games. You may see a Try Gold For Free promotion for some free Xbox Live Gold time on your console, or you may have received a prepaid code you can redeem for trail time bundled with a game or console. However, theres no simple way to get a trial if your console doesnt offer one to you and you dont have a prepaid code. Youll need to sign up for the paid subscription instead.
When purchased from Microsoft, Xbox Live Gold costs $10 per month, $25 per three months , or $60 per year . If you plan on sticking with it for the long haul, the yearly subscription is the best dealalthough you cant cancel it and get your money back during the year youve paid for. Thats the catch.
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Overall, Xbox Live Gold certainly seems like a more valuable service than Microsofts separate Xbox Game Pass subscription, which costs $10 per month. It offers no discount for buying more time, still requires a paid Xbox Live Gold subscription to play games offline, and offers access to a library of games that includes many games that were previously offered for free via Games for Gold in the past.
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Xbox Live Gold: What You’ll Like In 2021
Xbox Live Gold comes with various benefits for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S owners, foremost delivering the best of Microsoft’s online services. It enables access to the whole multiplayer experience across the Xbox network, coupled with exclusive subscriber benefits. Xbox Live Gold’s offerings have evolved with time but it remains an essential membership for Xbox consoles.
The subscription unlocks access to staple Xbox features, and multiplayer is the defining component that justifies that price tag. From competitive multiplayer shooters to cooperative adventures, Xbox Live Gold is vital to playing console games online with friends. The subscription grants access across thousands of Xbox experiences, drawing the best value from purchased titles. Some may criticize the move, with free multiplayer gaming the norm on PC, but it’s the reality of gaming on modern Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
Xbox Live Gold’s offerings have evolved with time but it remains an essential membership for gaming
Recent changes to Xbox Live Gold impact free-to-play games, which only apply to a subset of the Xbox Live userbase. Only those cycling through the small free library will benefit from the policy, whereas top franchises from Call of Duty to FIFA still require a paid membership. Unless exclusively playing free titles like Fortnite and Apex Legends, you’ll need to lean on the paid subscription or limit the titles you play.
How Xbox Live Gold To Game Pass Ultimate Works
If you are a new Game Pass customer, you can add three years of prepaid Xbox Live Gold . As you join the Game Pass Ultimate service, the process will allow you to convert the time left to the new service up to 36 months.
The only caveat is that anything higher than 36 months will be lost. As a result, it is best to get only as close as possible to make the most out of the deal.
For example, if you have zero time left on Xbox Live Gold, you could get two 12-month prepaid paid cards or online codes. When you add each code, the process should prompt you to turn on recurring payments, and doing so should reward you with an extra month for each code you add, bringing the total to 26 months. And when you sign in for the first time for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, buying one month for $1, you will get three months free, bringing the total month count to 29.
If you are able to find the 12-month Xbox Live Gold prepaid subscription for $50 , the cost will be $101 for the 29 months of Game Pass. Instead of $435, if you paid $15 for each month, saving you around $334.
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