Xbox free to play games no longer require Xbox Live Gold subscription

xbox free to play games
(Image credit: Microsoft)

After a brief but failed attempt to raise the price of new Xbox Live Gold subscriptions earlier this year, Microsoft confirmed that the paid barrier to free-to-play games would be abolished altogether. Today, that news is now reality and you no longer need an Xbox Live Gold or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription in order to access online multiplayer for free-to-play games.

In a post on Xbox Wire, Microsoft explained that over 50 free-to-play multiplayer games no longer require any subscription to access. This includes games like Call of Duty: Warzone, Dauntless, Destiny 2, Killer Instinct, Spellbreak and Warframe. This change is rolling out across regions today, so if you aren't subscribed to either of the aforementioned services, you should be able to access these games for free now.

This will also apply to new games going forward, including 343 Industries' upcoming blockbuster Halo Infinite, which is confirmed to have free-to-play multiplayer.

Lots of titles without a barrier

Below, you can check out the current full list of games on Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S that no longer require a subscription to access:

  • 3on3 FreeStyle
  • Aegis Wing
  • APB Reloaded
  • Apex Legends
  • Armored Warfare
  • Battle Ages
  • Battle Islands
  • Battle Islands: Commanders
  • Bless Unleashed
  • Brawlhalla
  • Call of Duty: Warzone
  • Crackdown
  • Crackdown 2
  • Crimson Alliance
  • Crossout
  • CRSED: F.O.A.D.
  • Darwin Project
  • Dauntless
  • DC Universe Online
  • Dead or Alive 5 Last Round: Core Fighters
  • Dead or Alive 6: Core Fighters
  • Defiance 2050
  • Destiny 2
  • Doritos Crash Course
  • Dungeon Defenders II
  • Enlisted
  • Eternal Card Game
  • Family Game Night
  • Fishing Planet
  • Fortnite
  • Galaxy Control: Arena
  • Gems of War
  • Happy Wars
  • Harm’s Way
  • Hawken
  • Hyper Scape
  • Killer Instinct
  • Korgan
  • Minion Masters
  • Neverwinter
  • Outriders (Demo)
  • Paladins
  • Path of Exile
  • Phantasy Star Online 2
  • Phantom Dust
  • Pinball FX2
  • Prominence Poker
  • Realm Royale
  • Rec Room
  • Resident Evil Revelations 2
  • ROBLOX
  • Rocket League
  • Rogue Company
  • Skyforge
  • SMITE
  • Spacelords
  • Spellbreak
  • Star Trek Online
  • Techwars Global Conflict
  • TERA
  • The Four Kings Casino and Slots
  • Too Human
  • Trove
  • Vigor
  • War Thunder
  • Warface
  • Warframe
  • World of Tanks
  • World of Warships: Legends
  • Yaris
Samuel Tolbert

Samuel Tolbert is a freelance games journalist. His bylines can be found at Android Central, Windows Central, iMore and TechRadar.