Update: Microsoft has reversed its decision toraise the price of Xbox Live Gold. It has also indicated plans to remove the Gold requirement for free-to-play online games.
Original story follows.
Xbox Live Goldhas been supplying gamers with online multiplayer and digital media delivery across three generations of consoles for the past 18 years. Every so often, Microsoft look at the pricing of this service and makes adjustments. Today, it announced certain regions will soon see an increase in price forXbox Live Gold.
Thankfully, Microsoft’s reworked membership plans aren’t a big change, so users likely won’t feel a dramatic hit to their wallets. According to the company, 1-month Gold memberships will be increasing by $1 USD, and 3-month memberships will see a $5 USD increase. This means a 1-month subscription will run for $10.99, a 3-month for $29.99, and a 6-month for $59.99.
RELATED:How Microsoft Could Improve Xbox Games with Gold in 2021
Existing 12-month or 6-month Xbox Live Gold members won’t be affected by the change until they renew next. Additionally, anyone who upgrades their membership toXbox Game Pass Ultimatewill have their remaining Gold time converted. Current members will have already been notified in the regions that are affected by the price adjustment either via email or through a message center notification, and Microsoft notes that the prices won’t adjust until at least 45 days after receiving the messages.
An Xbox Live Gold membership has long been a staple of Xbox console ownership. Aside from allowing online multiplayer, it comes with myriad perks, with one of the best being Games with Gold, which supplies members with at least four free games each month. TheJanuary 2021 Games with GoldincludesLittle Nightmares,Dead Rising, The King of Fighters 13, andBreakdown.
Microsoft has already announced the lineup for February, and it includes a lot of solid titles. TheFebruary 2021 Games with Goldwill seeGears 5,Resident Evil,andIndiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tombadded in the first half of the month, followed by two more titles in the second half.
As the price adjustments show, Microsoft services will constantly change and evolve. The biggest changes might be coming soon, now that the company’s next-gen Xbox console is available. The games on offer with Games with Gold are for Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One, but as players transition to the Xbox Series X, the service will have to grow. This leaves many to wonder what thefuture of Xbox Live Gold in 2021may look like.
