Microsoft Raises The Price Of Xbox Live Gold (Updated: Prices Are Not Changing)

UPDATE (12:38 AM ET): Microsoft has reversed their decision to raise the price of Xbox Live Gold. In an update to their earlier blog post, the company posted a statement apologizing for their initial decision and announced that prices will remain what they are for new and existing subscribers. In addition, Xbox Live Gold will no longer be required for free-to-play games.

“We messed up today and you were right to let us know. Connecting and playing with friends is a vital part of gaming and we failed to meet the expectations of players who count on it every day. As a result, we have decided not to change Xbox Live Gold pricing.

We’re turning this moment into an opportunity to bring Xbox Live more in line with how we see the player at the center of their experience. For free-to-play games, you will no longer need an Xbox Live Gold membership to play those games on Xbox. We are working hard to deliver this change as soon as possible in the coming months.

If you are an Xbox Live Gold member already, you stay at your current price for renewal. New and existing members can continue to enjoy Xbox Live Gold for the same prices they pay today. In the US, $9.99 for 1-month, $24.99 for 3-months, $39.99 for 6-months and $59.99 for retail 12-months.

Thank you.”

It’s shocking to see Microsoft walk this move back so quickly, but it’s the right move for them to make.

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Original story follows:

In a blog post on Xbox Wire, Microsoft has announced that they will be raising the price of Xbox Live Gold. It will cost $10.99 for a one-month subscription (a $1 increase), $29.99 for a three-month subscription (a $5 increase), and $59.99 for a six-month subscription. This is the first time in over 10 years that the price has increased for some regions of the world.

Messages are being sent out to Xbox Live Gold members in affected regions, and the price hike won’t go into effect until 45 days after users receive the message. Any existing twelve-month or six-month subscribers will not see an increase in their subscription price if they choose to renew their membership.

This change is understandably upsetting a large number of gamers. For one, with the new prices, it now costs $120 for a full year of Xbox Live Gold, an amount that’s double the price of PlayStation Plus. In addition, Xbox owners can’t play free-to-play games unless they’re an Xbox Live Gold member, something that’s not the case for PlayStation owners. Given the fact that big games like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone are free-to-play, doubling the price that people have to pay in order to play them on Xbox is not a move that people like.

Some are seeing the price increase as a very aggressive move from Microsoft to get more people to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. It’s a viewpoint that makes sense due to the fact that Game Pass Ultimate is a much better value and Microsoft wants to have as many people as possible subscribed to the service. Ultimately, the drastic increase comes at a poor time because of the ongoing pandemic. The company has yet to address the response to this change, so we’ll just have to wait and see if they choose to speak out.