Have you been wondering what the difference is between Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate? You’re not alone! With so many subscription services to choose from these days, it’s important to understand what each one offers so you can make the best decision when it comes to your gaming experience.
In this article, we’ll examine the differences between Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and help you decide which is best for you.
Introduction
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is Microsoft’s latest subscription service offering access to a wide variety of Xbox games, including some of the newest titles. Compared to its precursor, Xbox Live Gold, it provides more features and exclusive discounts for members. This article will compare the two services in order to help you decide which one better suits your gaming needs.
Xbox Live Gold is Microsoft’s previous subscription service that gives users access to online multiplayer game play as well as exclusive deals on select titles. This service requires a monthly fee and requires you to renew your subscription each month in order to continue using the service.
On the other hand, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes all the features of Xbox Live Gold with additional discounts and perks such as early access to games, special member-only content, and unique experiences like a curated selection of free games available each month. It is also an all-in-one subscription that includes both console and PC games. In addition, this subscription provides access to an expansive library of over 100 high-quality games while eliminating most add-on costs on select titles.
For avid gamers who want more than just online multiplayer game play action or discounted content, Game Pass Ultimate may be the way to go!
Features and Benefits of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is an all-in-one subscription service that includes the best of Xbox Live Gold and access to over 100 high-quality games on console, PC, and Android mobile devices. With Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you can experience the ultimate gaming library with quality titles from multiple genres, from first-person shooters to sports games, adventure games, puzzle games, and more.
In addition to a robust library of more than 100 titles for Xbox One and PC that are available day one when you join Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with no additional purchase required, you’ll also get unlimited online multiplayer gaming for everyone on your family’s home console. That means no more waiting in lobbies—you can just queue up your favorite game and get back in the game fast.
Plus, with your membership you’ll get exclusive member discounts on select digital games in the Microsoft Store as well as access to special events hosted by developers such as virtual meetups and giveaways. And because Game Pass Ultimate includes Gold benefits like free monthly Games With Gold ($9.99 value), you can enjoy two free select games a month (one on each platform). Plus an exclusive 10% discount on buying or pre ordering select digital titles.
Enjoy all this plus exclusive perks each month in the form of member rewards that can include discounts or partner offers like free trial periods for music streaming services such as Spotify Premium or YouTube Music Premium. Join today to start playing unlimited playtime right at home right away!
Features and Benefits of Xbox Live Gold
Xbox Live Gold is Microsoft’s premium subscription service for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S owners. It provides access to online multiplayer gaming, many exclusive discounts, unique content, and more.
With an Xbox Live Gold membership, you can join your friends in online multiplayer games, get free Games with Gold titles each month, save up to 50-75% on select titles in the Xbox Store marketplace, receive exclusive rewards with MyVIP on Xbox Live, and keep conversations going across all your devices with the free SmartGlass app.
Xbox Live Gold gives you access to exclusive events such as “Games with gold” which gives away two free games per month; “Deals of the Week” which offers huge discounts off of select titles; and access to special tournaments like The Arena in Halo 5: Guardians.
Additional features include one-touch access to all of your friends that are on Xbox Live from your friend list; the ability to quickly find players across multiple game platforms by using Looking For Group and Clubs tools; messaging friends between different devices such as a smartphone or tablet using the SmartGlass app; as well as apps like YouTube & Netflix movie streaming that require an Xbox LIVE connection. With all these features, an Xbox LIVE gold subscription opens up a world of possibilities for gamers who want to experience more than just single-player experiences.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate vs Xbox Live Gold
For Xbox users, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Live Gold are two subscription services that offer different levels of access and features. But how do they compare?
On the surface, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is a more comprehensive package compared to Xbox Live Gold. For one monthly fee, it gives subscribers access to more than 100 high-quality games, including fan favorites like Halo 5: Guardians and Gears 5, on both console and PC. On top of that there’s a catalog of over 200 premium games to choose from in the form of EA Play Plus titles as well as access to exclusive perks like members-only discounts on games and add-ons in the Microsoft Store. Additionally, you get all the benefits from an Xbox Live Gold membership such as online multiplayer for game titles like FIFA 20 and CoD: Black Ops 4. With console versions of Ultimate even getting an added subscription of EA Access too with its 10% store discount ,it makes clear why many at first glance would prefer ‘Xbox Game Pass Ultimate’ over Xbox Live Gold when deciding on a subscription service.
That said, while Xbox Game Pass Ultimate may be seen as slightly more expensive than Live Gold in terms of monthly cost (Ultimate currently costs $14.99/month), many users find that its overall value makes up for it when taking into account the added features offered by this service tier compared to its counterparts like Live Gold or Silver any day of the week!
Cost Comparison of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Live Gold
When weighing the benefits of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate versus Xbox Live Gold, cost plays a major role in making the final decision. Although streaming services like Netflix and Spotify offer subscription plans at different levels of costs and features, Xbox offers two main choices for its gaming services on console – Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass Ultimate.
The breakdown of fees is specific to the type of subscription: -Xbox Live Gold costs $59.99 USD annually, while three-month subscriptions cost $24.99 USD -Xbox Game Pass Ultimate also charges $59.99 USD annually with no available month-to-month option
However, when you look deeper into each package offering the differences become more apparent: -With Xbox Live Gold members receive online multiplayer access, free games every month with Games with Gold, as well as discounts up to 75% on select titles in the Microsoft Store during Deals with Gold -With Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members also gain access to over 100 high quality games for one low monthly price as well as exclusive member discounts and perks like exclusive content from top industry partners including EA Play (formerly known as EA Access). Additionally, you gain access to both console and PC gaming platforms.
Therefore when deciding between Xbox Game Pass Ultimate versus Xbox Live Gold you need to consider all that is included in that price tag—for the same cost users can decide between players solely for Console Access vs players including PC gamers who are looking for a variety of content options delivered at an economical rate. Ultimately features such as free monthly games offered by both services need to be considered within your own preferences when selecting either package depending on if it fits your gaming needs at a reasonable cost.
Pros and Cons of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Live Gold
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is Microsoft’s subscription-based gaming model that offers access to over 100 Xbox games for a fixed monthly fee. It combines the services previously known as Xbox Live Gold (which provides access to online multiplayer modes) and Xbox Game Pass (an on-demand subscription service). On the other hand, Xbox Live Gold is Microsoft’s dedicated gaming membership program that offers exclusive features, like free games and early access to game demos and betas.
Pros of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate:
– Includes a library of more than 100 games, including new releases.
– Gives members exclusive discounts on select digital games and add-ons in the Microsoft Store.
– Allows simultaneous multi-device gaming with friends by streaming or downloading Xbox Games Store titles to Windows 10 PCs.
Cons of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate:
– Although it includes all features from both of the services, some titles may require an additional fee for certain content or multiplayer mode between members.
– Accessibility to select titles may be limited from one country to another due to local regulations or laws.
Pros of Xbox Live Gold:
– Includes a library of more than 200+ titles, with new releases added regularly.
– Gives members free access to two Games with Gold each month – four free Games a month on both Xbox One and Xbox 360 systems; allowing users to download theirs at no additional cost during their membership period.
– Enables users to interact with other players via voice chat over headset or Kinect for missions and tournaments within multiplayer games.
Cons of Xbox Live Gold:
– Offers limited catalog when compared to its competitor experience from other platforms like PlayStation Plus (PS Plus).
– Fees can add up quickly; requiring regular reference checks before buying in order for gamers not to pay more than necessary for their needs.
Conclusion
When comparing Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Live Gold, we must take into consideration what each service offers and how they differ. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate provides access to hundreds of games, a collection of online and multiplayer titles, access to EA Play titles, discounts on games and more. Xbox Live Gold provides access to multiplayer games, free monthly game downloads, multiplayer features like cross-play and more.
Ultimately the choice for most gamers will come down to the cost of each option. If you are looking for an affordable way to access all the games you love on your Xbox console along with exclusive perks like discounts on games then Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is likely your best choice. However if you’re looking for more reliable options for keeping up with the latest releases or want exclusive titles that only come available with a subscription then Xbox Live Gold could be the better fit for you.
