[Update: Microsoft has since clarified that it has no plans to discontinue Xbox Live Gold, having stated:
“The update to ‘Xbox online service’ in the Microsoft Services Agreement refers to the underlying Xbox service that includes features like cross-saves and friend requests,” says a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to The Verge. “This language update is intended to distinguish that underlying service, and the paid Xbox Live Gold subscription. There are no changes being made to the experience of the service or Xbox Live Gold.”
The original story continues below.]
The future of Xbox looks all but confirmed to revolve around the Xbox Game Pass subscription service, as Microsoft is slowly removing Xbox Live Gold subscription options from its storefront. Xbox Live Gold currently comes included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, the version of the Game Pass subscription service that costs $15 USD a month and offers additional benefits alongside the usual lineup of game titles that has made the service so popular.
With Xbox Series X on the horizon, analysts are beginning to speculate on what the next-gen console means for the future of Microsoft's many online Xbox services, some of which have already begun to be shuffled around. The company recently announced that Project xCloud will be joining the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate service at no additional cost to consumers, which prompted rumors that suggested Microsoft was beginning to make its move to establish what Xbox Series X subscription services would look like at launch.
Whether or not the above is true, however, it's now become clear thanks to a report from True Achievements that Microsoft is discontinuing its Xbox Live Gold 12-month subscription option. The option has been delisted from the company's storefront, but consumers can still purchase one or three month Xbox Live Gold subscription options currently. With only the shorter Xbox Live Gold subscription options available, it seems clear that there will be some changes to Xbox Live prior to the launch of Xbox Series X, whether that's a refreshed and reconfigured service or the retirement of its functionality altogether.
Given the success of Xbox Game Pass, it wouldn't be surprising to see Microsoft shift to a model for the Xbox Series X that simply lumps in the best parts of Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold into one more convenient package. Online play is becoming an increasingly crucial function in many high-profile games, so it's also possible Xbox is looking to pivot towards increased accessibility by having online multiplayer free while Xbox Game Pass soaks up the bulk of subscription fees with its appealing library.
Whatever happens to Xbox Gold Live, it's become pretty obvious that the future of the console's online presence will run through Xbox Game Pass, which continues to set the standard for console subscription service. If this is truly the end of Xbox Gold Live, however, it had a good run - its earliest iteration was launched way back in 2002, and it has become synonymous with a lot of key multiplayer moments for a number of fans' childhoods. It's too early to tell if Xbox Live will be leaving altogether, though, and selfishly, we hope it sticks around in some form or another to continue the legacy of Microsoft's online service.
Source: True Achievements