Xbox Live Gold is the subscription-based upgrade to Xbox Live, Microsoft’s online service. The free version of Xbox Live lets you connect to the store and community pages on your Xbox in order to download new games. However you can’t play online games, such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare multiplayer, without paying for Xbox Live Gold.
That’s not the only benefit you get with Xbox Live Gold, as there are also game discounts every week and free games every month, known as Games With Gold. You can also stream from video services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and NowTV.
Xbox Game Pass is a bit more like one of those video services, and it has been described as the Netflix of games. You pay a monthly, or yearly, subscription fee and get access to an ever-expanding library of games that you can download and play for no additional cost. There are currently
more than 100 games to play, and they can range from brand new games on the day of release to old classics. Some are also available to play on PC as well as Xbox, so you can choose when and where to play.
Bear in mind that with Xbox Game Pass you are subscribing to a library, not actually buying all of the games. However, if you do enjoy a game a lot and don’t feel like you’re going to be playing any of the hundred other games you have access to, then you can buy that game at a discounted price before it leaves the Game Pass rotation. Games rotate in and out of the library on a monthly basis, though usually they’ll stay in the rotation for a lot longer than just one month.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate combines the best of both of these subscription services, by giving you access to the Game Pass library and Xbox Live Gold benefits, including Games With Gold, discounts and online multiplayer. There are a number of introductory discount offers for Ultimate meaning you can get your first month, or sometimes up to three months, for just a dollar, handy for when you want to check out a brand new Xbox exclusive.
The benefits of Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass laid out.
ag.hyperxgaming.com
"This is especially exciting for Xbox players, as
EA Play is joining forces with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, meaning anyone subscribed to
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which is already the best value in all of gaming by including
Xbox Live Gold,
Xbox Game Pass for console and PC, and
Xbox Cloud Gaming (Project xCloud) into one low monthly cost, will also have full access to every title available through EA Play. Pretty soon, this also includes Jedi: Fallen Order. "