Microsoft has removed the requirement of free-to-play games requiring Xbox Live Gold and reversed the decision to increase the price of Gold subscription.
In a strange move, Microsoft confirmed a price hike for the Xbox Live Gold subscription that effectively doubled its price compared to its competitor. This new pricing scheme made Gold almost as expensive as Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which already includes Gold, thus effectively rendering it worthless especially compared to the price of PS Plus and Nintendo Switch Online.
As expected, this move was met with a huge backlash from the gaming community and irked even the loyal Xbox fans. After the new pricing, the cost of 6 months of XBL Gold increased to $60 thus making 1 year of Gold equal to $120.
After the announcement that Microsoft made on their official blog, they updated it after a couple of hours basically reversing their decision and going as far as to remove the requirements of Gold subscription 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, ” reads the official statement posted by Microsoft.
“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.”
The pricing is now reasonable and remains the same as PS Plus which offers a similar advantage as XBL Gold. Microsoft has a slight hand in this regard with free cloud saves for everyone and no Gold requirement for free-to-play games.
