Microsoft is increasing the prices of its Xbox Live Gold subscription soon. The software giant has started notifying existing Xbox Live Gold members of the changes in certain markets, and it will see the price rise.
One month goes up from £6.99 to £7.99.
Three months goes up from £17.99 to £21.99.
And six months goes up from £29.99 to £42.99.
This means 12 months of Xbox Live Gold now costs £86. You can currently get 12 months for £49.99.
Microsoft is also allowing Xbox Live Gold members to convert their remaining Gold time into Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (up to 36 months). The conversion means if you have 11 months of Xbox Live Gold left on your account, you can upgrade to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and convert it into 11 months of Ultimate with no extra costs.
Unless you subscribe to Xbox Live Gold, this does mean the price of the service is moving from $60 a year to $120. Microsoft quietly removed its 12-month option last year, which used to be priced at $60. Sony still offers 12 months of PlayStation Plus for $60, and it’s not clear what Microsoft will offer to justify the sudden price jump. Either way, it looks like the move is designed to push Xbox Live subscribers towards Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which offers Xbox Live Gold access, xCloud streaming, and access to more than 100 games.
“Periodically, we assess the value and pricing of our services to reflect changes in regional marketplaces and to continue to invest in the Xbox community,” Microsoft said.
“We’ll be making price adjustments for Xbox Live Gold in select markets. In many markets, the price of Xbox Live Gold has not changed for years and in some markets, it hasn’t changed for over 10 years.”
Xbox Live Gold subscriptions last got a price hike in the UK back in May 2019, when a 12-month subscription was raised from £39.99 to £49.99, while monthly subscriptions increased from £5.99 to £6.99. Three-month subscriptions also got a price hike, from £14.99 to £17.99, but a six-month membership stayed the same at £29.99.
At the time, Microsoft said it made the change “to ensure gamers have consistent pricing for Xbox Live Gold across Europe” following changes made in the region in 2016.
Perhaps mindful of questions over the value of an Xbox Live Gold subscription, which is required to play Xbox console games online, Microsoft announced a strong lineup of free games due to be released in February.
February’s titles include Gears 5, Resident Evil, and Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb (the latter two of which are well-timed, given recent eye-catching announcements).
Here’s the list:
Gears 5: 1-28 Feb
Resident Evil: 1-28 Feb
Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition 16 Feb to 15 Mar
Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb: 1-15 Feb
Lost Planet 2: 16-28 Feb
Many had been hoping, and expecting, Microsoft to scrap its Xbox Live charges altogether, or at least allow free-to-play games to access multiplayer features on Xbox consoles free of charge. That’s clearly not the case now, and for many this marks the first Xbox Live Gold price increase in years. “In many markets, the price of Xbox Live Gold has not changed for years and in some markets, it hasn’t changed for over 10 years,” says the Xbox Live Gold team.
The changes won’t take effect until at least 45 days after Xbox Live subscribers receive a message from Microsoft notifying them of the price increases. Some regions have already started receiving notifications, but most haven’t. “If you’re in a region where prices are being adjusted, you will receive an email and a message center notification over the next month letting you know what the new pricing is for your membership,” says Microsoft.
