According to a new leak, Microsoft is preparing to end Xbox Live Gold and replace its long-running online subscription service with an additional tier of Xbox Game Pass

The rumor started with a (now-deleted) Windows Central article that Xbox Live Gold would end on September 1, 2023 According to the same source, Xbox Game Pass Core will replace it This new Xbox Game Pass will cost $999 per month (the same price as Xbox Live Gold) and will include access to online multiplayer on Xbox consoles, plus a number of additional benefits

The current Games with Gold benefits will reportedly be discontinued and instead a selection of over 25 Game Pass titles will be offered to new Core level members According to the same leak, the launch lineup will include flagship first-party games such as "Forza Horizon 4," "Gears 5," and "Halo 5: Guardians" as well as "Doom Eternal," "Dishonored 2," "Elder Scrolls Online", as well as games from Microsoft-owned publisher Bethesda, such as "Doom Eternal", "Dishonored 2", and "Elder Scrolls Online"

Xbox Game Pass Core will likely offer members exclusive deals and discounts, another benefit currently enjoyed by Xbox Live Gold subscribers According to the leak, free games purchased with Xbox Live Gold will also be available to users who have claimed them at the time of the switch to Xbox Live Gold

Existing Xbox Live Gold subscribers are expected to be automatically converted to the Xbox Game Pass core in September, a change that will effectively end the Xbox Live brand that has lasted for over 20 years However, it makes sense that Microsoft would want to unify its Xbox subscription services under a single umbrella, and Xbox Game Pass is arguably a stronger brand because of its ubiquity in the current Xbox ecosystem

The Core tier brings the total number of Xbox Game Pass membership options to four: Core ($999/month), Console ($1099/month), PC ($999/month), and Ultimate ($1699/month) And it will be much like Sony's revamped PlayStation Plus, which offers three different tiers, including "Essential," which is relatively similar to the rumored Xbox Game Pass Core

Of course, this news remains unconfirmed for now, but if true, this isn't the only time Xbox Game Pass has been on shaky ground Earlier this month, Microsoft announced that it was ending the "Friends & Family" plan for Xbox Game Pass, which had been tested in some markets No word yet on whether the plan will be revived at a later date or rolled out globally