New Xbox Game Pass Service Doesn't Impact Games With Gold, Microsoft Says

Xbox Game Pass, a Netflix-like subscription service for Xbox One that gives members access to a catalog of free Xbox One and Xbox 360 games, was announced on Tuesday. After its reveal, some wondered what it might mean for the future of the Games With Gold program.

Microsoft has now explained that Games With Gold and Xbox Game Pass will live alongside each other.

"Games with Gold and Xbox Game Pass are two different service offerings with unique benefits," a Microsoft representative said in a statement to Kotaku. "Games with Gold is an added benefit specific to Xbox Live Gold members that rewards players with two to four free games each month to enjoy. Xbox Game Pass is a subscription-based service that gives you unlimited access to over 100 Xbox One and Xbox 360 backward compatible games for Xbox One for $9.99 USD per month. Xbox Live Gold is not required for Xbox Game Pass, however, Xbox Live Gold is required for multiplayer titles that are part of the Xbox Game Pass catalog."

The Microsoft spokesperson also clarified that the Xbox Game Pass catalog will update every month; only "sometimes" will games be removed. You will be able to play all the games in the library for as long as you remain a subscriber. If you cancel your subscription or a game is removed, save data is stored to your account so you can pick up where you left off in the future should you decide to re-subscribe or buy a game.

Xbox Game Pass is currently available on Xbox One for people in the Xbox Insider Program for testing (with a limited selection of titles) before its public rollout; that is slated for sometime this spring.

Microsoft says it aims to stock the Xbox Game Pass library with titles across a number of popular genres, including action, adventure, shooter, puzzle, strategy, and RPG. There are more than 10 confirmed titles already, including Halo 5, Fable III, and Payday 2--you can see all the confirmed games so far here.

The announcement of Xbox Game Pass wasn't good news for everyone, it seems, as GameStop's stock value took a dramatic hit after the reveal.

For lots more on Xbox Game Pass, check out GameSpot's previous coverage here.

As for Games With Gold, the first of March 2017's freebies are now available.