GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.

Free Xbox 360 Online Multiplayer This Weekend

Xbox Live Gold membership requirement dropped for the next few days.

By on

40 Comments

The Xbox Live Gold requirement for Xbox 360's online multiplayer is being dropped for the next few days, Microsoft has announced.

Halo 3
Halo 3

Beginning today, October 9, and running through October 11, Xbox 360 members worldwide can play their games online for free. You'll still need a free Xbox Live account in order to do so, but you won't need any kind of Gold trial or membership to get online, which normally runs $60 per year.

Keep in mind that, while you have access to online multiplayer, this isn't full access to Xbox Live Gold. You won't be able to take advantage of the ongoing Deals With Gold offers for the week, nor will you be able to grab the free Games With Gold titles that are currently available.

The free multiplayer weekend is now in effect and will be available until 11:59 PM PDT on October 11.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

Xbox 360
Join the conversation
There are 40 comments about this story
40 Comments  RefreshSorted By 
GameSpot has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to toxic conduct in comments. Any abusive, racist, sexist, threatening, bullying, vulgar, and otherwise objectionable behavior will result in moderation and/or account termination. Please keep your discussion civil.

Avatar image for the_holy_ninja
The_Holy_Ninja

6

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

The_Holy_Ninja

how about it's always free like Sony i like Xbox more but i would like to play online with out having to pend money

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Ripper_TV
Ripper_TV

2972

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 34

User Lists: 1

Ripper_TV

Can anyone recommed me fun multiplayers? Cause all games I'd play are DEAD, multiplayer wise. Like Bionic Commando - fantastic MP, but nobody plays (or servers closed, rather).

Upvote • 
Avatar image for jonexotic
JonExotic

411

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By JonExotic

@Ripper_TV:

Call of Duty

Halo

GOW

Upvote • 
Avatar image for sladakrobot
sladakrobot

11860

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By sladakrobot

@Ripper_TV: I dont play the X360 (online) anymore but i can assure you that the World of Tanks multplayer is filled with players.
Also,i guess the GoW 3 multiplayer should be also very active.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Marky360
Marky360

5549

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Marky360

I was able to re-up my Xboxlive gold sub on the Xbox One for a whole year for only $30 bucks thanx to CDkeys.com. I feel like Microsoft should just go ahead and make multiplayer free on the Xbox 360 and just make it where paying for XBL gold just gets all the other advantages of gold like the free games and discounts. And while we're at it Sony should adopt Microsoft's policy with the 360 on the PS3 in that all PS+ games obtained on the PS3 are yours to keep whether or not you are still a member or not.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for rosinmonkekyx17
rosinmonkekyx17

3019

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

rosinmonkekyx17

O_o people still play Halo 3? Oh wait, hardcore people, anyone that goes in Halo 3 will get rekt if they're not good enough...

2 • 
Avatar image for Marky360
Marky360

5549

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Marky360

@rosinmonkekyx17:

Man I freaking love Halo 3 although now a days it's full hackers

Upvote • 
Avatar image for deactivated-64efdf49333c4
deactivated-64efdf49333c4

21783

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 36

User Lists: 0

Edited By deactivated-64efdf49333c4

They should drop the requirement entirely for 360 ESPECIALLY if you can confirm that you own an X1. They could get a jump in 360 games sales over Live that way.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for iammcgruber
IAmMcGruber

1451

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By IAmMcGruber

@Barighm: Well if you own an X1 and pay for xbox live for it, then it counts towards your 360 as well. You don't need to buy 2 memberships, one for each console.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Marky360
Marky360

5549

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Marky360

@Barighm:

Yea that's what I said

Upvote • 
Avatar image for dominoodle
dominoodle

800

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

dominoodle

@Barighm: But... if you own an Xbox One then you'd need Xbox Live for that, and Xbox Live is shared between them so you'd have it for both anyway. So what would be the point?

And they're more likely to just shut down Xbox Live for 360 than they are to make it free.

6 • 
Avatar image for rosinmonkekyx17
rosinmonkekyx17

3019

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

rosinmonkekyx17

@dominoodle: They can't shut down Xbox 360 with BC out. It's pretty stupid to do that. Main reason BC is there is so Xbox One players to play with their friends on the 360, and you can't exactly do that if the 360 Live is shut down

Upvote • 
Avatar image for akires
Akires

47

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Akires

This is a good marketing strategy. Make it free so people play Halo and go "man, I forgot how fun this was. Maybe I will get an Xbox one for Halo 5!"

2 • 
Avatar image for deactivated-64efdf49333c4
deactivated-64efdf49333c4

21783

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 36

User Lists: 0

Edited By deactivated-64efdf49333c4

@akires: More like they will say "Man, I can't believe how much Halo has changed since the good ol' days".

5 • 
Avatar image for Marky360
Marky360

5549

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Marky360

@Barighm:

LOL True dat

Upvote • 
Avatar image for rosinmonkekyx17
rosinmonkekyx17

3019

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

rosinmonkekyx17

@Barighm: "Upvote"

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Anutha_One
Anutha_One

53

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Anutha_One

Was wondering, when is the best time to pick up a Xbox Gold Live membership? Are the best deals for one around Black Friday like they are for PlayStation Network deals? I remember the PSN 12 month cards being like $27.99 for a 12 month membership at GameStop so I'm hoping they do something similar to this for Xbox Live Gold cards as well.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Marky360
Marky360

5549

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Marky360

@Anutha_One:

Dude just go to CDkeys.com the always have good deals on XBL Gold I just got a full year of Gold for $30 bucks today I haven't paid full price for Gold since I got my Xbox One last year. Last year when I got it I bought a year of Gold for $36 off of Ebay.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for mrblondex
mrblondex

7813

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

mrblondex  Staff

@Anutha_One: You can always check out the deals posts we do on Monday/Wednesday/Friday to see if there's a deal going on. You can get a year for $35 right now from Newegg or eBay, which is about as cheap as you'll ever get it from a trusted site.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gaming-deals-25-bloodborne-55-20th-anniversary-ps4/1100-6431301/

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Marky360
Marky360

5549

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Marky360

@MrBlondeX:

CDkeys has it for $30 I just got a 12 month card for that price today it's sent to you in your email

Upvote • 
Avatar image for sargentpsgamer
sargentpsgamer

1190

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

sargentpsgamer

@Anutha_One: Just go on Ebay. Xbox Live isn't region locked like PS Plus is so people will sell them cheaper. I got Live for a year for 30 dollars.

2 • 
Avatar image for sladakrobot
sladakrobot

11860

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By sladakrobot

Ladies and gents...start your CODs,GoWs and Halos :-)

Upvote • 
Avatar image for davillain
DaVillain

56040

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

DaVillain  Moderator

@sladakrobot: Sorry but I'm on PC gaming duties this weekend. Sorry sladakrobot :(

Upvote • 
Avatar image for sladakrobot
sladakrobot

11860

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

sladakrobot

@davillain- What are you sorry about?

Upvote • 
Avatar image for ZamboniGamer
ZamboniGamer

530

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

ZamboniGamer

Anyone who pays $60 for Live is crazy! It can always be found for $30.

3 • 
Avatar image for DeadPhoenix86
DeadPhoenix86

2001

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 0

DeadPhoenix86

@ZamboniGamer: agreed. I can get mine for 35 euro with 14 months. no way I'm paying 60 euro for 12 months.

2 • 
Avatar image for suicidesn0wman
suicidesn0wman

7490

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 10

User Lists: 0

suicidesn0wman

With last gen winding down, and Phil admitting that MS has a lot of work to do gaining the customers trust, MS should drop Gold requirement for multiplayer for the remainder of the 360's life.

6 • 
Avatar image for deactivated-64efdf49333c4
deactivated-64efdf49333c4

21783

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 36

User Lists: 0

deactivated-64efdf49333c4

@suicidesn0wman: I was about to say the same.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for sladakrobot
sladakrobot

11860

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

sladakrobot

@suicidesn0wman: Awesome idea

Upvote • 
Avatar image for deactivated-5938196c2bbcb
deactivated-5938196c2bbcb

344

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

deactivated-5938196c2bbcb

Sweet. Any idea of when something similar goes to PS4 as well?

Upvote • 
Avatar image for sargentpsgamer
sargentpsgamer

1190

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

sargentpsgamer

@LauriAJ: They usually do it shortly after a big online game releases. So they will probably do it in November or December for COD and Destiny.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for eloguvna
Eloguvna

345

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Eloguvna

@LauriAJ: PS4 already did this a few times, and I do believe the last one was in March of this year. Hopefully they do another one of these sometime soon.

2 • 
Avatar image for punksterdaddy
punksterdaddy

1410

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 36

User Lists: 0

punksterdaddy

Well the price is good.

Upvote •