Epic Games head honcho Tim Sweeney petitioned Xbox boss Phil Spencer to ditch Microsoft’s Xbox Live Gold requirement for free-to-play games last summer.
The exchange is one of several revealing, private emails sent between company top brass made public as part of the ongoing Apple vs Epic Games trial.
Last August, Sweeney emailed Spencer to suggest Microsoft drop the F2P Xbox Live Gold firewall and time it alongside Fortnite’s Marvel season launch and permanent V-Bucks price-drop.
“Hi Phil,” Sweeney wrote. “Long ago, we talked optimistically about the possibility of subscription-free multiplayer on Xbox. (PlayStation requires subscriptions for multiplayer but exempts free-to-play games including Fortnite.)
“If this is coming, please consider the possibility of timing the program to support Fortnite Season 14 launch on 8/27. This launch will follow the confidential Fortnite Mega Drop 20 percent price drop that’s coming in mid-August, and will be our biggest and best Fortnite season thanks to a huge collaboration with Disney/Marvel.