News

Xbox Will Retire Games With Gold On September 14

Existing subscribers will get a handful of free titles, but new monthly additions are disappearing.

Published

1 year ago

July 18, 2023

Nour Nasir

xbox will retire games with gold on september 14

Microsoft

Xbox parent company Microsoft has revealed that Xbox Live Gold will be replaced with a Game Pass Core tier on September 14, 2023. As before, the $60 per year (or $10 per month) subscription will be necessary to play most online multiplayer games, but how Xbox handles free game downloads will change.

The steady flow of unique titles will be replaced by a base collection of over 25 games, with new additions limited to bi or tri-annual additions. Most titles will come from Microsoft’s catalog, including franchises such as Doom, Forza Horizon, and Halo 5. Third-party content will be far more limited, though titles such as Among Us and Human Fall Flat are known to be included.

Existing Xbox Live Gold members will automatically switch to Game Pass Core when the old service ends on September 1st. However, subscribers can still access any Xbox One games claimed if they’re either a Core or Ultimate member. Redeemed Xbox 360 games will be yours to keep forever, even if your subscription lapses.

Also Read: Top 10 Best Video Games Set In The Middle East

The change might be disappointing for players used to Games with Gold’s more frequent catalog refreshes. While you do get some hits, Microsoft is obviously trying to steer gamers towards an Ultimate subscription, where a much larger selection of titles can be found, including cloud gaming and an EA Play membership.

Microsoft stopped offering year-long subscriptions back in 2020 and ditched Xbox 360 games in 2022. The company announced plans to raise Gold prices in 2021 before quickly reversing its decision.

News

Paymob Extends Series B Funding To $72M Amid Continued Growth

The financial services provider has secured an extra $22 million after strong performance in its core market of Egypt.

Published

21 hours ago

September 12, 2024

Nour Nasir

paymob extends series b funding to $72 million amid continued growth

Leading financial services provider Paymob has secured an additional $22 million in a funding extension, bringing its Series B total to $72 million.

The funding was spearheaded by EBRD Venture Capital, with support from Endeavor Catalyst. Existing backers such as PayPal Ventures, BII, FMO, A15, Nclude, and Helios Digital Ventures also participated, reaffirming their confidence in Paymob’s business model and potential in the regional fintech industry.

This extension comes on the back of Paymob’s strong performance in its core market of Egypt, where it has experienced 6x revenue growth since the initial Series B in Q2 2022. With the Series B extension and continued profitability in Egypt, Paymob is well-positioned to further its expansion strategy across the MENA region.

Islam Shawky, Co-founder and CEO of Paymob, commented: “We are very excited by our strong prospects in Egypt – where we hold a market-leading position – and the significant traction experienced in the UAE since launching operations there. This funding will help Paymob fully capitalize on the momentum in our established markets, as we accelerate our GCC roll-out. We remain committed to creating cutting-edge infrastructure enabling SMEs across the region to thrive in the digital economy and are proud of our continued impact”.

Also Read: Zoho Expands Qatar Operations & Releases New Survey Data

The expansion into GCC markets has been driven by Paymob’s initial Series B funding of $50 million, raised in 2022 and led by Kora Capital, PayPal Ventures, and Clay Point. The investment fueled Paymob’s growth, allowing it to launch its mobile app in 2023 and grow its merchant base by 3.5 times, now serving nearly 350,000 merchants across MENA.

Paymob has also expanded its payment acceptance suite to offer 50 payment methods through its gateway, POS terminals, and the Paymob app, providing the region’s most comprehensive fintech solution. The company recently introduced embedded checkout services for Shopify and WooCommerce, further demonstrating its commitment to empowering small and medium businesses across the region.