How To Play Gta 5 Online Xbox One Without Gold? The 13 New Answer

Xbox players no longer need an Xbox Live Gold membership to play over 50+ online multiplayer games.

Microsoft provides over 50 games for free that you can play on Xbox without Xbox Live Gold membership. Now all Xbox players can play these online multiplayer games for free. The party chat feature for these free-to-play games also does not require an Xbox Live Gold membership. Microsoft will also open the “Search by group” option to all users via a system update this month.

The Xbox website has been updated with the list of games that are now free to play. It will also show if the game is free to play online or requires a subscription to the Microsoft Store. There are some features that still require a subscription, including premium or paid game modes and experiences. Game demos that require pre-order or purchase, early access edition, trial versions also require an Xbox Live Gold subscription. There is an FAQ page for Xbox players to get more details about this new update.

Here is the full list of free to play Xbox games:

3on3 FreeStyle

Aegis Wings

Apb reloaded

Apex Legends

Armed Warfare

Battle Islands: Commanders

blessing unleashed

brawl

Call of Duty: Warzone

crackdown

diarrhea 2

Crimson Alliance

outcrossing

CRSED: F.O.A.D.

Darwin project

fearless

DC Universe Online

Dead or Alive 5 Final Round: Core Fighter

Dead or Alive 6: Core Fighter

Despite 2050

destiny 2

Dorito’s crash course

Dungeon Defender II

registered

Eternal deck of cards

Game night for the family

fishing planet

Fourteen days

Galaxy Control: Arena

happy wars

danger zone

hawks

HyperScape

killer instinct

korgan

Minion Master

Never winter

Trailblazer (demo)

Paladins

way of exile

Fantasy Star Online 2

phantom dust

Pinball FX2

celebrity poker

Realm Royale

hobby room

Resident Evil Revelations 2

ROBLOX

rocket league

rogue society

Skyforge

HIT

space lords

spellbreak

Star Trek Online

Global Techwars Conflict

TERA

The Four Kings Casino and slot machines

Too human

treasure trove

power

WarThunder

war face

war frame

world of tanks

World of Warships: Legends

jaris

Rockstar Games has announced that it will be offering a new subscription service to GTA Online players. The subscription service, dubbed GTA Plus, grants players exclusive perks for $5.99 per month. According to the announcement:

As a GTA Plus member, you’ll receive a recurring GTA$500,000 monthly direct deposit into your Maze Bank account, as well as the ability to claim lots in and around Los Santos which unlock gameplay updates you may have missed, special vehicle upgrades and members-only rebates , GTA$ and RP bonuses and more every month.

Specifically, this membership is only available for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S / X players, not knowing if the service will be available on previous generation systems or PCs.

Here’s a full list of the first month’s rewards:

GTA$500,000 automatically deposited into your Maze Bank account.

The Principe Deveste Eight – along with a free Hao’s Special Works upgrade for it before it’s available for purchase to the general public – plus HSW Orange Trip and HSW CMYK Glitch Liveries.

The Auto Shop in La Mesa is introducing a series of gameplay updates from Los Santos Tuners. Current auto repair shop owners can relocate to La Mesa at no additional cost.

Waiver of LS Car Meet membership fees. Current LS Car Meet members with GTA Plus will receive a GTA$50,000 refund during this event.

Yacht owners can upgrade to the Aquarius Super Yacht at no additional cost.

The Gussét Frog Tee and Broker Prolapse Basketball Top and Shorts will be an automatic addition to your wardrobe.

The Conveyor livery for Mammoth Avenger, HVY APC and TM-02 Khanjali.

A selection of free Auto Shop colors and emblems.

3x GTA$ and RP on Haos Special Works Race Series.

2X Car Meet Street Race Series representative.

GTA Plus is one of the new game-specific subscription models alongside Fortnite Crew and Fallout 1st. Although all three offer similar monthly rewards, GTA Plus is half the price of either subscription. It’s been a little over a week since GTA V launched on PS5 and Xbox Series S/X after being pushed back from its original November 2021 release due to a delay. GTA Online was also part of this launch and is now a standalone game on the current generation, no longer requiring a copy of GTA V to play. Rockstar has also announced that the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series is in the works. GTA Plus will be released on March 29th.

GTA Online is consistently raised in conversations about the value of a single-player-like experience in typical multiplayer games. Rockstar Games’ history was deeply rooted in single-player games, which earned most of their critical acclaim from such titles.

From GTA to Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar Games are best known for their contributions to single player games. However, audiences and the industry have reacted more positively to online multiplayer gaming lately.

This is what prompted Rockstar Games to include online gaming in their most valuable franchise – GTA. The company currently has two ongoing online multiplayer games – GTA Online and Red Dead Online. Both have been incredibly successful, but a large segment of the fanbase feels alienated.

However, Rockstar may have just found the right balance between an online multiplayer and a solo experience.

Is GTA Online a Great Solo Experience?

Heists are one of the main reasons why GTA Online is attractive to any gaming enthusiast. They are PvE missions that you can play with your friends and crew, making for an extremely fun and social experience.

At the same time, the core Heist experience is one that’s also tremendously fun to play solo. Rockstar has proven this with its success in Story Mode and GTA Online.

Rockstar Games has been open to its audience, recognizing that many players appreciate the solo aspects of GTA Online. Certain activities, businesses, and missions can be completed solo, and many choose to experience the vastness of the online experience all on their own.

Recognizing this demand, Rockstar Games released the Cayo Perico Heist – the first solo heist in the game.

The success of Cayo Perico Heist

Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, recently stated that Rockstar has proven they can balance both multiplayer and single-player experiences.

He was obviously referring to the Cayo Perico Heist, which according to statistics was played completely solo by 50% of the players. This underscores the fact that even within online multiplayer games, there is a high demand for single player experiences.

Zelnick went on to explain how Rockstar, as a company, refused to embrace the idea that single-player games were “dead.”

Rockstar has consistently shown the demand for single player experiences with Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018 and the Cayo Perico Heist in GTA Online in 2020.

Is GTA Online fun playing alone?

One of the main reasons why many gamers choose to experience a typical multiplayer game all by themselves is the unnecessary risk of playing with other users.

Modders, cheaters, and griefers contribute to an environment where players feel their efforts are wasted time and time again.

Because of this, many users choose to play much of GTA Online all by themselves and stick to activities that do not involve other players. While this isn’t the typical way the game is meant to be played, it can still be incredibly fun.

Many players appreciate the game’s fair grind and how it rewards the hardest-working players. For example, completing air/vehicle cargo missions while playing solo is as rewarding as it is satisfying.

It guarantees both the rewards of the activity and the challenge of playing without much help, while eliminating the unwanted elements of a GTA Online session.

As such, GTA Online has existing value – and not just potential – as a solo experience.

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Having some GTA Online tips to refer to will give you a boost as you build your criminal ventures across the sprawling regions of Los Santos and Blaine County. New players are constantly coming into this world, partly due to the standalone release of GTA Online, but there’s no denying that the game has been running since 2013. That means there have been updates for almost nine years. Vehicles, weapons, lots and more to keep track of, which is a daunting prospect for newcomers and a solid platform for existing players to build on. Meeting these experienced individuals can lead to some unforgiving experiences, but if you keep these Grand Theft Auto Online tips in mind, you’ll at least have the best chance of standing your ground.

1. Complete the GTA Online tutorial

In order to get started in GTA Online, you must first complete the tutorial section. If you’re playing the standalone version of GTA Online you should be able to jump right in, but players with the full GTA 5 game that includes GTA Online may still need to complete the prologue of the main single player game to gain access receive.

You’ll be guided through a character creator to define your looks and traits before being taken to San Andreas to meet some familiar faces and learn the basics. The new GTA Online Career Builder system has also been introduced to give you a nice cash injection in your wallet to get your criminal enterprise up and running.

2. Buy a decent car and garage

We say buy, but you can actually buy one of the best sports cars in the game for the fuck everything grand prize. To get an Elegy RH8 completely free, simply join Rockstar’s Social Club (opens in a new tab). Once you’ve done that, this two-door speedster (resembling the Nissan GT-R) will be yours. It’s a great choice for racing thanks to its great traction. Make sure you invest in Loss/Theft Protection to stop other users from stealing your shiny new engine too. You should also invest in a garage to keep your cars safe. At $25,000, the Garage Unit 124 on Popular St is probably the best bet for beginners on a budget.

3. Continue cashing in at ATMs

Online Los Santos is a dangerous place. Any cash that your aspiring crook carries can be stolen by other players. To make sure you don’t lose all the moolah from your last job, make sure you redeem your coin at an ATM. There are many ATMs in Los Santos and Blaine County, and you can use the Quick GPS in the interaction menu (hold the touchpad) to guide you to the nearest one. Can’t get to an ATM? You can also visit Maze Bank’s website using your phone’s web browser and make a deposit there. Caution pays off in GTA Online.

4. Save and then buy an underground facility

To participate in the GTA Online Doomsday Heist, you will need a larger boat/underground facility to hang your hat. These giant bunkers are one of several key requirements to play the Bonkers heist (you also need to become a CEO), and as such, they’re expensive. The cheapest can be found in Paleto Bay and will set you back $1,125,000 from the Maze Bank Foreclosures website – funnily enough, $1,125,000 is just under what you would get with a $19.99/11th Great White Shark Cash Card Earn £.99. For that hefty fee, your criminal mastermind gets a safe room, lounge, and dormitories, among other luxuries.

5. Steal a helicopter

San Andreas is a big property, so stealing a helicopter can be a huge time saver. When you consider that one of Elitas Travel’s cheaper copters (the $780,000 Buckingham Maverick) will still flex your finances, your wallet will really thank you for stealing a whirling bird. Perhaps the easiest place to steal is at Los Santos International Airport, near the flight school. With skillful driving, you can jump over the nearby fence and claim it as your own. Let the heavenward crime begin!

6. Buy a high-end home

Before you can enjoy the awesome heists of GTA Online, you need to reach level 12 first. If you want to schedule these multi-part jobs yourself — and thus have control over how the takes are split — you’ll need to do the same to buy a high-end apartment. These snazzy apartments come with planning boards, which are vital for robberies, and the “cheapest” ones can be found in Del Perro Heights. Visit Dynasty 8 Real Estate on your character’s phone and the property will be yours for $200,000.

7. Keep an eye out for weekly events

Rockstar regularly hosts weekly events that reward players with double RP and double cash rewards, like the recent shotgun dodge Battle Week. Keep an eye on Rockstars Newswire (opens in a new tab) and the latest GTA Online patch notes for updates on these events, as participation often offers weekly discounts on cars and properties.

8. Play nice for rep rewards

As in life, in GTA Online it pays not to be an asshole… well, generally. If you frequently help other players with jobs and don’t try to rip them off by stealing their engine or money, you will earn the Good Sport award. This bonus usually comes in the form of additional reputation points or cash. See, it really pays to play nice with the others in your session.

9. Complete story missions

Playing through the huge range of deathmatch types and races in GTA Online can feel generic. For something more tailored, try out some story missions. The likes of Lamar, Gerald, and Simeon Yetarian are all moving from GTA 5, and each has missions packed with cutscenes to tick off. Most of these thieving tasks have a pleasantly personable feel to them, and completing them will earn you cash and job/reputation points. To access this, access the mission list from the pause menu.

Find out how to get free goodies for GTA Online with Amazon Prime as part of our Amazon Prime Day free games page!

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The “Your profile does not have permission to access GTA Online” error message is not what you want to see when trying to log in as it means you are blocked from entering the online game world and prevented from logging in a meeting. It can also lead to real concerns about the status of your account, especially if you’ve invested a lot of time and money into building your reputation in GTA Online, but don’t panic right away as there could be several reasons for this. You’re having connection problems with your account. Take our advice and we’ll share with you some potential fixes to fix your profile does not have permission to access GTA Online error so hopefully you can get back to Los Santos.

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How to fix “Your profile does not have permission to access GTA Online” error.

(Image credit: Rockstar Games)

The first and most obvious explanation for this error message is that your PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold subscription has expired as you need an active subscription to play GTA Online. To check your status on PS4, from the home screen go to Settings > Account Management > Account Information > PlayStation Subscriptions > PlayStation Plus. For Xbox One users, from the dashboard, go to Settings > Account > Subscriptions. If your subscription has expired, check out the best offers on PS Plus or Xbox Live to sign up and get back to online play.

If you’re using an Xbox One, it’s also possible that your Xbox Live Gold subscription information is conflicting on your console. You can fix this by removing and re-adding your Xbox Live account from the console, but make sure you have your correct email address and password before doing this, otherwise you will need to contact the Contact Microsoft Support. To remove your account, go to Settings > Account > Remove accounts on the dashboard, then select the profile to remove. Once done, you can sign in to add your account back to the Xbox One, which will resolve any Xbox Live Gold subscription conflicts.

(Image credit: Rockstar Games)

Unfortunately, if the information above didn’t help you, it could mean that your Social Club account has been banned by Rockstar. This is more likely if you’ve used a trainer, macros, exploits or glitches to gain an unfair advantage in GTA Online, although the system isn’t perfect and legitimate accounts are also occasionally targeted. Account bans imposed by Rockstar can be temporary or permanent, and the only way to confirm if your account has been impacted is to contact Rockstar Support (opens in a new tab) and submit a ticket for investigation. Bans can and will be lifted, so please be respectful and comply with all support team requests for the best chance of accessing your Social Club account and returning to GTA Online.

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You can also check out the best GTA 5 cheats in the video below:

Xbox Live Gold is your gateway to multiplayer on console, having been the go-to Xbox subscription for nearly two decades. With more games than ever designed for multiplayer, online membership ensures you get the most out of your Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S libraries.

But the last year has brought network-wide changes, shaking up Xbox Live Gold deals for the latest generation of consoles. Microsoft has removed the paywall for free-to-play content, removing the mandate for some of the most popular games on the market in the process. The company also continues to regularly offer free games with gold, but with declining quality as Xbox Game Pass takes center stage. Here’s what’s happening with Xbox Live Gold for 2022 and if the subscription is right for you.

(opens in new tab) Xbox Live Gold Subscription Bottom line: Xbox Live Gold remains a staple when using Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S online, unless it’s strictly tied to free-to-play titles bound. Subscription’s value comes solely from its multiplayer benefits, with gold-exclusive rewards declining in 2022. $60 at Amazon (opens in new tab) For multiplayer for all Xbox games

Affordable, especially when purchased in advance

Four free games every month

Exclusive Discounts Against Games with Gold program is a mixed bag

Not for those who only play free-to-play games

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers much better value for money

Xbox Live Gold price and availability

Source: Daniel Rubino | Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Daniel Rubino | Windows Central)

Xbox Live Gold is available as a monthly subscription for $9.99 per month in the US and over 40 other territories. It’s also available in upfront payments for savings over the usual monthly rate, costing $24.99 for three months, $39.99 for six months. Xbox Live Gold is available via a 12-month prepaid membership for $59.99 through third parties like Amazon, GameStop, and Walmart, though no longer through Microsoft. This tiered pricing structure makes it better to buy Xbox Live Gold in bulk upfront beyond the monthly fee.

Microsoft’s all-inclusive Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription also includes Xbox Live Gold coupled with Xbox Game Pass for console and PC, cloud gaming on mobile, and other perks like EA Play. The subscription is available in the US for a flat monthly fee of $14.99. While Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers significantly more benefits, you can’t buy it in bulk at a discount.

While Microsoft outlined plans to increase Xbox Live Gold prices back in January 2021, it later reversed the decision after widespread backlash.

Xbox Live Gold has changed: What’s new?

Source: Epic Games (Image credit: Source: Epic Games)

Microsoft rolled out sweeping changes to Xbox Live Gold back in 2021, shaking up the value proposition for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S owners. The drastic change in policy altered a subscription that had remained untouched for years, opening up previously paid features to every Xbox console owner. Most notably, this includes omitting the Xbox Live Gold requirement for free-to-play multiplayer titles, as well as opening up several social features for everyone on Xbox.

Xbox consoles have required an Xbox Live Gold membership to access online multiplayer since their launch, but changes introduced last April dropped that mandate for free-to-play gaming. You no longer have to pay the monthly fee for many popular titles, including Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, Halo Infinite, and Apex Legends to name a few. While all paid Xbox games still require Xbox Live Gold, free entry games are completely free on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

The platform also removed the Xbox Live Gold requirement for party chat and group finder (LFG) on Xbox consoles, two popular multiplayer social features. The former, Microsoft’s basic voice chat system for Xbox, eventually opened up communication between all gamers. The LFG system also provides a platform for finding teammates and like-minded players across the Xbox network, filtering users by game and various social preferences.

Source: Matte Brown | Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Matt Brown | Windows Central)

Changes to Xbox Live Gold have undoubtedly changed the value of the subscription and made various features once reserved only for paying customers available to all users. That means Xbox Live Gold isn’t for everyone and depending on your favorite games, it can be a waste of money. This review highlights some of the top perks Xbox Live Gold offers today and whether the price is worth it for you.

It’s worth noting that these changes came during a period of transition for Xbox Live Gold, with more optimizations potentially to come in the years to come. Changes made in 2021 overshadowed botched plans to increase Xbox Live Gold prices, increase the monthly cost and double annual prices to $120 per year. Those plans were later rolled back in response to the pushback, with Microsoft committing to current pricing while flipping its free-to-play approach on its head.

The net result offers better value for everyone right now, but it’s clear that Microsoft is interested in shaking up Xbox Live Gold, especially with the continued success of Xbox Game Pass. With more changes likely to come, it’s worth double-checking if Xbox Live Gold is right for you and the alternative plans available in the Xbox ecosystem.

Xbox Live Gold: What you’ll love in 2022

Source: Matte Brown | Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Matt Brown | Windows Central)

Xbox Live Gold offers several benefits to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S owners, most notably providing the best online services from Microsoft. It allows access to the full multiplayer experience across the Xbox network, coupled with exclusive subscriber benefits. Xbox Live Gold offerings have evolved over time, but it remains an essential membership for Xbox consoles.

The subscription unlocks access to basic Xbox features, and multiplayer is the crucial component that justifies this price. From competitive multiplayer shooters to cooperative adventures, Xbox Live Gold is essential for playing console games online with friends. Subscription grants access to thousands of Xbox experiences and gets the best value from purchased titles. Some might criticize the move as free multiplayer gaming on PC is the norm, but it’s the reality of gaming on modern Xbox and PlayStation consoles.

Xbox Live Gold offerings have evolved over time, but it remains an essential membership for gaming

Recent changes to Xbox Live Gold affect free-to-play games, which only apply to a portion of the Xbox Live user base. Only those who cycle through the small free library benefit from the policy, while top franchises from Call of Duty to FIFA still require a paid membership. Unless you’re exclusively playing free titles like Call of Duty: Warzone, Fortnite, and Apex Legends, you’ll need to rely on the paid subscription or limit the titles you play.

Microsoft’s Xbox Network has proven consistently reliable over the past few years, with robust connectivity, proven security, and generally infrequent outages. The monthly Xbox Live Gold subscription helps support the underlying Xbox service by contributing to servers, maintenance, and day-to-day operations. Yes, Microsoft could easily offer these Xbox Live Gold perks for free, but it’s all part of the price of the closed Xbox ecosystem.

Source: Activision (Image credit: Source: Activision)

The benefits of Xbox Live Gold aren’t just about multiplayer, the service also offers exclusive benefits for members. The Games with Gold program, first introduced in 2013, continues to offer regular free Xbox games. Microsoft also offers various subscriber-only discounts and “Free Play Days” for demos of paid titles. They are not individual reasons to subscribe, but welcome bonuses for those who have invested in the multiplayer services.

Games with Gold offers all Xbox Live Gold subscribers free rewards of four games per month – two for Xbox One and two backward compatible Xbox 360 games. Each track must be claimed manually, with each monthly quartet often being worth between $50 and $100. The titles are rarely new or relevant, with a recent drop in perceived quality, but they’re still free titles to bolster your library.

Microsoft also hosts “Deals with Gold,” offering weekly Gold-exclusive discounts on Xbox One titles. Members can also see other discounts on seasonal deals, making it a handy addition to those virtual shopping sprees.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

Xbox Live Gold currently costs $10 per month when purchased monthly, which aligns with many digital subscriptions available today. The real value comes when purchasing a membership in an upfront purchase, where 12-month codes more than halve the cost at $60 per year. That brings Xbox Live Gold at an incredibly affordable price, making it easier to recommend to undecided Xbox owners.

Microsoft also has some lucrative family incentives by applying an Xbox Live Gold membership to all accounts on the same console. Families using multiple Xbox profiles on a shared device automatically share the benefits of Xbox Live Gold perks, so you don’t have to double-up on the subscription. It is an ideal means of getting the whole family on board.

For many Xbox owners, investing in Xbox Live Gold is a no-brainer. It’s mandatory for most multiplayer experiences, and for many it’s an assumed cost of using the console. Those existing subscribers probably don’t need convincing that Xbox Live Gold is worth paying for, and free-to-play changes had little impact on subscription value. While some may be reluctant to pay for multiplayer access, you get access to a consistently robust and reliable network for gaming.

Xbox Live Gold: What’s not going well in 2022

Source: Microsoft (Image credit: Source: Microsoft)

While Xbox Live Gold delivers on all of its promises and unlocks the full multiplayer experience on Xbox consoles, the subscription has its flaws. For some it’s the concept of paid multiplayer, while for many on PC free online gaming is an overlooked luxury. But the subscription’s current offering has also come under scrutiny, especially given previous changes to free-to-play games.

While paying for online multiplayer has proven to be the norm for Xbox, that doesn’t mean it’s escaped rigorous scrutiny at times. According to reputable reports, Microsoft even attempted to phase out paid multiplayer in 2019 as Xbox Game Pass takes the spotlight in the future. Recent tweaks to free-to-play multiplayer have since materialized in a move that could eliminate the need for Xbox Live Gold for some players.

Free-to-play games now make up some of the most popular Xbox games like Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, Halo Infinite, and Apex Legends. There’s a strong case for canceling your Xbox Live Gold subscription if you’re only using one console for these free titles. This severely limits the experiences you can play, but it’s an ideal way to save on your ongoing gaming costs.

Previous Xbox Live Gold-exclusive features are also freely available, including Party Chat and LFG services after changes were made to the service over the last year. They probably shouldn’t have been locked behind a paywall to begin with, but they still lost the benefits of the subscription. It’s now clear that Xbox Live Gold aims solely to provide a full multiplayer experience and not a blanket “all inclusive” online service.

Source: Microsoft (Image credit: Source: Microsoft)

But it’s clear that Xbox Live Gold has fallen out of favor in recent years as Microsoft has doubled down on its Xbox Game Pass subscription. The Netflix-style subscription offers hundreds of games for a flat monthly fee, including all Microsoft-made titles from launch and various third-party experiences. There’s also the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, its all-inclusive tier that bundles Xbox Game Pass for Xbox and PC, Xbox Live Gold, EA Play, and Xbox Cloud Gaming into a single $15 plan.

Xbox Game Pass continues to score big deals, from popular existing Xbox games to upcoming ones being rolled straight to the service. That ranges from in-house exclusives like Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5, while Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six Extraction recently hit service day and date. The benefits of recent Microsoft acquisitions like Bethesda Softworks haven’t impacted the Games with Gold program either, while the best Xbox Game Pass games only get better.

Microsoft wants to sell you Xbox Game Pass, and as the latest focus for the platform, Redmond has been aggressively pushing this new monthly model. Meanwhile, Xbox Live Gold feels like a necessity, something you must buy, without the perceived value of Xbox Game Pass. That’s the difference in image between each service, which can make Xbox Live Gold feel a bit lackluster in comparison.

Xbox Live Gold 2022: Is it worth it?

Source: Matte Brown | Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Matt Brown | Windows Central)

You should buy it if…

You want to play multiplayer games on Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S

You want an affordable subscription (prepaid best)

You don’t want Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

You shouldn’t buy it if…

You want affordable games (Xbox Game Pass is better)

They only play free games like Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone and Apex Legends

You only use Xbox services on Windows PCs

Xbox Live Gold enhances your Xbox gaming experience, and while it has changed over the years, for most the service still serves the same purpose. It is the only gateway to play multiplayer games on Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S, although the value will be different for each user. While frequent online gaming in various titles requires Xbox Live Gold, those who prefer single-player games or stick to popular free-to-play experiences like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone have little reason to pay.

Xbox regulars shouldn’t overlook Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Microsoft’s new higher-tier subscription that bundles Xbox Live Gold among other perks. It costs more at $15 per month but unlocks hundreds of games in the price as one of the best modern gaming deals.

Free-to-play changes also mean that many of the most popular Xbox games no longer require Xbox Live Gold, which is especially great for casual users who only play a few titles and can’t justify subscribing for infrequent gaming sessions. But once you move away from this curated list, investing in a 12-month Xbox Live Gold membership offers the best value on the market.