The next-generation Xbox console may offer free online multiplayer, according to a new insider report that also outlines additional alleged details about the upcoming system. Removing the subscription requirement could be a major selling point for the Series S/X successor, while marking a return to the Xbox ecosystem's original approach to online functionality.
Though Microsoft's gaming hardware business has been losing momentum for years, the Xbox division has been a major industry influence since the early naughts. Among other things, it pioneered the concept of a universal multiplayer subscription, helping to normalize paid online services among console users. The trend began with the 2002 launch of Xbox Live, introduced as a $49.99-per-year service. Sony initially offered online multiplayer for free, but adopted a paid model with PlayStation Plus on the PS4 in 2013. Nintendo followed suit in 2018 with the debut of Nintendo Switch Online.
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Next Xbox Console May Drop Online Multiplayer Fees
Xbox Live was rebranded as Xbox Network in 2021, but the core principle of paying for online functionality remained the same, though Microsoft is nowadays bundling this perk into its various Game Pass tiers. All of this may change in the coming years, with Windows Central's Jez Corden reporting Microsoft is considering dropping multiplayer fees for the next-gen Xbox, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Free Online Multiplayer Aligns With Next Xbox Console's Rumored Design Philosophy
The possibility of dropping the multiplayer paywall ties back into another aspect of the upcoming console that Corden reported on in the past: its design philosophy. Specifically, the next-gen Xbox is said to have been envisioned as a Windows PC with a TV-friendly shell, not unlike how the ROG Xbox Ally line is a PC with a portable gaming-friendly shell. Since the PC gaming community has never embraced paying a universal subscription for online multiplayer, attempting to impose such a model on a console designed to resemble a PC could risk alienating potential users. This concern is reportedly a key reason why Microsoft is considering dropping the charge.
PC or Not, the Next Xbox Will Reportedly Offer Extensive Backward Compatibility
Corden also reports that the Series X/S successor will offer "full" and "native" access to the existing Xbox console library. Earlier this month, the insider said Microsoft was working on official Xbox emulation for Windows, but suggested it would be more limited than "full" due to various licensing challenges associated with offering old titles on a platform they weren't made for.
PC Game Pass May Not Be Long for This World
Another tidbit from the new report concerns an earlier rumor that Microsoft canceled its first-party Xbox handheld following its partnership with ASUS that yielded the Xbox-branded ROG Ally and ROG Ally X devices. According to Corden, the company still wants a first-party portable gaming system "eventually." Prior leaks and insider accounts suggested that the next Xbox generation may arrive in late 2027. As the Series X/S successor is expected to blur the line between console and PC gaming, it may also prompt another revamp of Game Pass tiers to better reflect Microsoft’s platform-agnostic vision. The next logical step could be phasing out the only one of the four active Game Pass tiers that is not multi-platform: PC Game Pass.