Do You Need to Pay for Xbox 360 Online Play Now?

No. Xbox Live for Xbox 360 was discontinued on July 1, 2020. The service is no longer active, so:

• No subscription (Xbox Live Gold) is required or available for purchase.
• Online multiplayer for Xbox 360 games no longer functions.

To play online today, you need a current-generation console (Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S) with an active Xbox Game Pass Core or Ultimate subscription.