Xbox 360 games will no longer be part of Xbox Games with Gold in October

Microsoft is planning to remove Xbox 360 games from its monthly Games with Gold offer in October. The software maker has started emailing Xbox Live Gold subscribers to warn them of the change, noting that the company has “reached the limit of our ability to bring Xbox 360 games to the catalogue.”

Games with Gold is a monthly benefit for subscribers of Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Microsoft hand picks free games each month, and all Xbox 360 titles are playable on the latest Xbox Series X / S consoles and Xbox One.

Microsoft’s Xbox backward compatibility program briefly returned with 76 new games last year, but the company made it clear it had “reached the limit of our ability to bring new games to the catalog from the past due to licensing, legal and technical constraints.” That would explain why it has now reached the limit on new Xbox 360 titles for Games with Gold.

If you’ve already downloaded or redeemed Xbox 360 games through Games with Gold, this change won’t impact those titles. This just means starting October 1st, Microsoft won’t be adding any additional Xbox 360 titles to the Games with Gold offering.

While Xbox Game Pass has become the must-have subscription for Xbox owners, Xbox Live Gold is still incredibly popular. Microsoft attempted to double the cost of a yearly subscription to the service last year, but after a backlash the company reversed course and even removed the Xbox Live Gold requirement for free-to-play games.

Xbox Live Gold also provides monthly discounts for the Microsoft Store, but most of the subscription’s core features are now free to all modern Xbox owners. You’ll still need an Xbox Live Gold subscription for an Xbox 360, though. As for the future of Xbox Live Gold, Microsoft started moving away from the Xbox Live branding last year, as it now refers to the set of software and services as Xbox network.

Here’s the full email from Microsoft to Xbox Live Gold subscribers:

From 1 October 2022, the monthly games provided to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Live Gold members via Games with Gold will no longer include Xbox 360 titles.

We have reached the limit of our ability to bring Xbox 360 games to the catalogue; however, Games with Gold will continue to include exciting Xbox One titles and exclusive savings each month.

This will not impact any Xbox 360 games that you downloaded before October 2022. Any Xbox 360 titles that you redeem via Games with Gold before that time are yours to keep on your Xbox account, regardless of whether you continue your subscription.

Thank you for being a loyal member.

Team Xbox