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If you’re a PC gamer and like multiplayer modes, you may be a little confused about the various services from Microsoft with “Xbox” in their name. To clear up this confusion, we ask the important question: do I need Xbox Live for PC games?
No Xbox Live subscription is needed to play games on PC. However, all Xbox console players must have an Xbox Live Gold membership to play multiplayer.
Let’s talk about the differences between Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold and which membership you need as a PC gamer.
Is Xbox Live on PC?
To answer this question, we need to talk about the recent brand changes that Microsoft has made. Recently, consoles and PCs were added to the same ecosystem.
In this ecosystem, there are the following services that you can buy or become a member of:
- Game Pass: You can play hundreds of games for free by subscribing to this service, which comes in three versions: Ultimate, PC and Console.
- Xbox Live Gold: If you want to play multiplayer and online games on any Xbox console, you should purchase this membership. It is included with Game Pass Ultimate.
So Microsoft doesn’t have a service just called “Xbox Live”. So you don’t have to subscribe to anything to play games on PC.
Can you play games without Xbox Live?
Yes. Whether you are a console player or PC, you can play single-player games as long as you have a Game Pass membership. However, Xbox players who want to play multiplayer games must purchase a Live Gold membership.
This rule applies to all games with cross-platform support. All Xbox players need an Xbox Live Gold membership to play online with other players or PC. However, if you are a PC player, you do not need to purchase an additional membership.
Do You Need Xbox Live to Play Sea of Thieves on PC?
No. You can play with all your friends, no matter what platform they’re on, without having an Xbox Live Gold membership. That’s, of course, if you’re playing the game on PC. For console players, the situation is exactly the opposite. They’ve to complete this subscription before they can embark on a pirate adventure with their ships.
Or they can buy Game Pass Ultimate and benefit from the Live Gold membership included in it.
Conclusion: Do I Need Xbox Live for PC Games?
You can subscribe to any Game Pass version that suits you and play hundreds of games for free. You do not need an Xbox Live Gold membership as a PC player to play these games’ multiplayer and online modes.
It’s a different story if you own an Xbox One, Xbox Series S, or Series X. While you can play single-player games the way you want, you’ll need to purchase either Xbox Live Gold or Game Pass Ultimate to play online.
This includes games like Sea of Thieves, FIFA 23, NBA2K23.
