Microsoft has raised the price for its Xbox Live Gold, the Xbox online service, the company announced Friday. Xbox Live Gold now costs $ 10.99 per month for a one-month membership – a $ 1 price increase. The three-month membership now costs $ 29.99, an increase of $ 5. A membership of six months is up to $ 59.99. Microsoft’s last price increase for Xbox Live Gold was in 2010.
“We regularly evaluate the value and pricing of our services to reflect changes in local markets and to continue investing in the Xbox community; we will make price adjustments for Xbox Live Gold in certain markets, ”Microsoft wrote in its announcement. “In many markets, the price of Xbox Live Gold has not changed for years, and in some markets it has not changed for more than ten years.”
Microsoft allows interested parties to turn their golden plans into Game Pass plans. Players who choose to upgrade from Xbox Live Gold to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – which gives players access to Gold and Game Pass services – will switch their membership time directly at no extra cost. “For example, if you now have 11 months of Xbox Live Gold and you upgrade to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, those 11 months will be converted to 11 months of Ultimate at no extra cost,” Microsoft said.
While the cost will eventually be higher, there is significantly more value to be paid for it – should you be interested in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. For the price of your current Xbox Live Gold membership, you get access to a Gold online membership, Game Pass for Windows PC and console, EA Play, and its cloud gaming service, xCloud. After renewal, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will cost you $ 14.99 per month. As a result, Microsoft’s latest rise seems to be pushing Xbox Live Gold subscribers to the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
If you are a subscriber who already has a 12 or six month Xbox Live Gold membership, the price will remain the same during the membership; then it will renew at the new price. If you upgrade to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, it will be renewed at the price.
Microsoft said existing subscribers would be notified by email of the price change, noting that prices would not rise “until at least 45 days after receiving the message.”