Microsoft has communicated to subscribers of Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate that starting in October the Games with Gold or Games with Gold initiative included in both services will no longer offer Xbox 360 titles backwards compatible with Xbox One and Xbox Series. From then on only Xbox One games will be delivered. This decision is made because according to Microsoft the limit has been reached and no more Xbox 360 games can be provided.
Games with Gold will stop offering Xbox 360 titles, but all games claimed before October will still be available for download. Additionally, Xbox 360 titles redeemed through this initiative remain in the user’s account even if they decide to unsubscribe. As a result, the collection of Xbox 360 games that Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers have been able to build over the years will remain intact and available.
“As of October 1, 2022, the monthly games available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Live Gold members through Games with Gold will no longer include Xbox 360 titles,” says the statement sent by the Xbox team. “We have reached the limit of our ability to include Xbox 360 games in the catalog; however, Games with Gold will continue to include exciting Xbox One titles and exclusive offers each month. This will not affect any Xbox 360 games you downloaded before October 2022.”
“Xbox 360 titles that you redeem through Games with Gold before that date will appear on your Xbox account, regardless of whether you continue your subscription. Thank you for being a faithful member”, concludes the message. This is not the first time that Microsoft has reached the limit of the catalog of a pre-Xbox One console. The situation of Xbox 360 is similar to what Xbox experienced last year, when its backwards compatibility program was terminated “due to restrictions of licences, legal and technical”.
Despite the fact that Microsoft promotes Game Pass as its main subscription and workhorse, the truth is that Xbox Live Gold is still a very popular option as well as a requirement to play all games online except free-to-play . Microsoft tried to raise the price of Xbox Live Gold early last year, but the pushback caused by the move was so great that the company ended up backing down. Xbox Live Gold is priced at 6.99 euros per month and is included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for 12.99 euros per month.