Starting today, all Xbox One and Xbox Series X / S owners can play online multiplayer games for free without an Xbox Live Gold membership. All in all, that means more than no longer require a subscription to play online with your friends. Some of the more notable inclusions on the list include Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Warzone, Destiny 2, Fortnite, Roblox and Rocket League. As part of today’s update, party chat and group search functionality is also available for that same group of people.
Microsoft’s decision to drop the paywall requirement for freemium multiplayer games came after a price hike of Xbox Live Gold in late January. Initially, the company planned to double the cost of an annual Xbox Live Gold subscription. Most Xbox fans criticized Microsoft for the plan, and it quickly went back. “We messed up today and you were right to let us know.” the company said after the reversal. “Connecting and playing with friends is an essential part of gaming and we fell short of the expectations of players who rely on it every day.” After the episode, Microsoft said it would drop the Xbox Live Gold requirement for free-to-play multiplayer games and got started.
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