Published , by Donovan Erskine
Published , by Donovan Erskine
Before Xbox Game Pass, there was Xbox Live Gold. Required to play any game online, Xbox Gold has been a part of the Xbox ecosystem since the original console. Despite the runaway success of Game Pass, Xbox Live Gold has remained a central part of the Xbox experience. Now, it’s getting a bit pricier, as Microsoft has announced that it’s raising prices for Xbox Live Gold.
This news comes via an official post made by Microsoft to Xbox Wire. In the future, monthly subscriptions to Xbox Live Gold will increase by $1, and the 3-month membership is being raised by $5. Here are the new prices for the different subscription options for Xbox Live Gold:
Microsoft states that users will be notified by email if their respective subscription option will be receiving a price change. The new prices will go into effect 45 days after this email is sent. Those currently subscribed to a recurring 12-month or 6-month subscription will be able to maintain their current price if they renew the current plan.
As you’d expect, Microsoft has been met with a bit of backlash following this announcement. Despite prices going up, practically nothing else is changing about Xbox Live Gold. This has led many to speculate that it’s a part of Microsoft’s plan to push more of its subscribers towards Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, the premium version of its gaming service. The new prices for Xbox Gold puts it right in-line with the prices for Game Pass.
It’s yet to be seen how this move will impact the Xbox ecosystem in the long run, or if Microsoft could potentially walk back the decision if met with enough backlash. For future updates, stay tuned to the Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass topic pages here on Shacknews.