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Xbox has announced that it has begun trialling the removal of the Xbox Live Gold subscription requirement for free-to-play games and several online features through its Xbox Insider Program, with many users able to try the service changes now.
In a tweet announcing the move, the official Xbox Insider account announced that those on the Alpha Skip Ahead and Alpha groups—which get to try out new service and dashboard features before they’re made available to the public—are the first to feel the benefit of the new system changes, which also include dropping the Xbox Live Gold requirement for Party Chat and Looking 4 Groups as well as free-to-play games such as Fortnite, Apex Legends and Call of Duty: Warzone. Those wanting to enrol on the Xbox Insider program to get the jump before the changes go public can do so here.
There’s currently no timeframe on when the features will go live to the wider public just yet, but it’s a change Xbox announced was in the works back in January when it reversed a decision just 24 hours earlier that it was to increase the price of an Xbox Live Gold subscription.
Xbox Insiders in Alpha Skip Ahead & Alpha today we are flighting some new features. Multiplayer in Free-to-play games, Looking 4 Groups and Party Chat on Xbox no longer requires an Xbox Live Gold membership as we flight and test these service changes ahead of general availability
— Xbox Insider (@xboxinsider) March 24, 2021
