Yesterday, Microsoft announced an increase in its Xbox Live Gold subscription services with 1-month memberships increasing by $1 to $10.99 a month, while 3-month and 6-month subscriptions saw a $5 and $20 increase, respectively. However, this was not received well by the community and today, the company decided to reverse its decision, stating that they "messed up". Microsoft updated its announcement, stating that there is no changes to Xbox Live Gold pricing.

This means that Xbox Live Gold subscription is back to $9.99 for 1-month, $24.99 for 3-months, $39.99 for 6-months and $59.99 for retail 12-months. The company also mentions that free-to-play games, "will no longer need an Xbox Live Gold membership to play those games on Xbox" and that they "are working hard to deliver this change as soon as possible in the coming months".

You can read Microsoft's statement below as excerpted from a blog post update:

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.

We’re turning this moment into an opportunity to bring Xbox Live more in line with how we see the player at the center of their experience. For free-to-play games, you will no longer need an Xbox Live Gold membership to play those games on Xbox. We are working hard to deliver this change as soon as possible in the coming months.

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.

Thank you.

SOURCE

 

[Deleted User]

you know they'll get that money by including less valuable ganes now, right?

the games were valuable to begin with?

 

[Deleted member 668561]

Ps3 was by far the superior system (unless you liked HD disks I guess) it had been player, better graphics, no stupid ass proprietary HD that cost a fuckin fortune to upgrade, and way better exclusives. Plus free online. The Xbox kiddies ruined it for everyone. BTW how old were you when you and your friends had that perspective.

The Xbox hardware was better to program/port for/to, unified ram, efuses/hardware crypto, hypervisor, the 360's hardware is better suited for multiplayer/online/dynamic games than the ps3.

you know the ps3 was originally not going to have a gpu? The cell (cpu) was going to handle graphics, until rsx was added last moment, the real advantage is that the ps3 supported blu ray, so disks held 25GB instead of ~10GB for dual layer dvd, less compression and higher quality textures/models can be stored

 

[solitaire4eva]

Interesting. I can see them now thinking let's give the players free to play game online access for free.

But we got to announce it. Let's pretend we raising gold prices then say we made a mistake.

Oh then we can announce f2p online access among the free publicity.....

Genius marketing.

 

[Vineezy]

If Nintendo increased the NSO prices and got the same backlash that Microsoft got, they honestly would charge us a further $20-30 for complaining just to add insult to injury. At least Microsoft KNEW they fucked up big.

Imagine in 20-45 years that you have to pay the government $59.99 every month just to hang out with your friends in real life. Yikes!

 

[Plasmaster09]

*Stares at Nintendo*

At least NSO is cheap. Like, hilariously cheap. And for what it is, the retro library is nice (and I love that they've started using it as a way to give formerly Japan-only games an effective international release).

If Nintendo increased the NSO prices and got the same backlash that Microsoft got, they honestly would charge us a further $20-30 for complaining just to add insult to injury. At least Microsoft KNEW they fucked up big.

Imagine in 20-45 years that you have to pay the government $59.99 every month just to hang out with your friends in real life. Yikes!

I hate to side with the corporation, but... that's a bit far.
Nintendo might not do shit, but they don't actively make things worse as a response.

 

[xdarkx]

The most likely reason Microsoft increase Xbox Live Gold is because they want to get people off this subscription and into Game Pass. Also, they aren't backtracking because they are trying to be consumer friendly. They are doing this so they don't lose their current subscribers as well as new potential subscribers to their gaming services.

Basically, Microsoft is like any other gaming companies who are not looking out for you, and are trying to increase their profit.

 

[NNate]

Impressed with Microsoft's more consumer friendly moved in the recent years. They took that beating with the Xbox one release announcement and really turned it around

 

[Purple_Shyguy]

Microsoft is so consumer friendly it's honestly suspicious at this point.

They wouldn't have tried to double the Live cost for no reason if they were consumer friendly

 

[leon315]

Microsoft is so consumer friendly it's honestly suspicious at this point.

i believe $ony did same about PSN+ subscription too. but they didn't got such outcry and backlash.....

 

[|<roni&g]

Online needs to be free. Hate the term "Service", they aint serving shit.
1 of the first comments says Sony would never do that but Sony's online was free until they put up a paywall, the "players" accepted the fee like morons.

 

[Pacheko17]

What a shame, I don't wanna play with poors who make $7/hour. GAMING IS FOR THE ELITE.

/s

 

[Julie_Pilgrim]

What a shame, I don't wanna play with poors who make $7/hour. GAMING IS FOR THE ELITE.

/s

Exactly why I hate that pc has free online

 

[MrCokeacola]

Exactly why I hate that pc has free online

PC players are too poor to afford online with their over-priced GPUs and RGB.

 

[tech3475]

PC players are too poor to afford online with their over-priced GPUs and RGB.

Just wait until they introduce RGB CPUs.

 

[Pacheko17]

Just wait until they introduce RGB CPUs.

RGB PSUs

 

[tech3475]

RGB PSUs

But they exist:
https://www.scan.co.uk/shops/thermaltake/power-supply

 

[Julie_Pilgrim]

RGB PSUs

Rgb cables

 

[nashismo]

Microsoft whole online model was and is a damn cancer on gaming. Having to pay in order to play online was never a thing till xbox/Microsoft started doing it and ignorant kids (yeah kids because only 13 y/o dip shits didn't have a real system (aka ps3) back in the day) paid for it from mommy and daddy's pocket. After they got away with it everyone else started following suit and now nintendo (with there below subpar online shit) is getting away with it for the same damn reason.

At first, when the original Xbox did it, then, it made sense, because Microsoft HAD TO lay down their own servers for online gaming as the infrastructure simply didn't exist!

So in that case, it made sense. But after 2009 or so, servers were already built around the world and cheaper, and not only that, but many many games started using a new feature at the time, peer to peer gaming, the "torrent" way of online gaming, making server based online gaming, a niche thing.

So yeah, specially in the world today, there is simply no reason we should pay to play online! People should simply stop paying, and the problem would be solved! Is like stopping wearing the stupid mask, when everyone stops wearing the face diaper, the pandemic hoax stops.

Sadly, people in mass are stupid, only individually we can exert wisdom and truth.