Microsoft has announced that the Xbox Games With Gold program will no longer include Xbox 360 games starting in October.
In an email to users (as reproduced on Reddit), Microsoft says, "Beginning October 1, 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 catalog; 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."
Games With Gold usually contains two Xbox One games and two Xbox 360 games that subscribers can download for free each month. However, during some months, one of the Xbox 360 games is replaced with an original Xbox title, such as July 2021 did with Conker: Live & Reloaded.
Whether the company substitutes the two Xbox 360 games with two additional Xbox One games, or simply downsizes Games With Gold to just two Xbox One titles is currently unknown.
Microsoft has slowly been consolidating its subscription services – Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes Xbox Live Gold, for example. Back in 2020, Microsoft confirmed that it had no plans to discontinue Xbox Live Gold despite putting an end to 12-month subscription options.
This month's Games With Gold line-up includes Beasts of Maravilla Island, Relicta, Thrillville: Off the Rails, and Torchlight.
George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @yinyangfooey