Microsoft is upping the price for its Xbox Live Gold, the Xbox online service, the company announced Friday. Xbox Live Gold will now cost $10.99 a month for a one-month membership — a price increase of $1. The three-month membership will now cost $29.99, an increase of $5. A six-month membership is up to $59.99. Microsoft’s last price increase for Xbox Live Gold was in 2010.
“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; we’ll be making price adjustments for Xbox Live Gold in select 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 hasn’t changed for over 10 years.”
Microsoft is allowing those interested to convert their Gold plans into Game Pass plans. Players that choose to upgrade from Xbox Live Gold to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate — which gives players access to Gold and Game Pass services — will have their membership time converted directly for no extra cost. “For example, if you have 11 months of Xbox Live Gold now, and you upgrade to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, those 11 months convert to 11 months of Ultimate at no additional cost,” Microsoft said.
While the cost will eventually be higher, there’s considerably more value to offset it — should you be interested in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. For the price of your current Xbox Live Gold membership, you’ll 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 a month. Because of this, Microsoft’s latest increase appears to incentivize transitioning Xbox Live Gold subscribers toward its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
If you’re a subscriber that already has a 12- or six-month membership to Xbox Live Gold, the price will remain the same for the duration of that membership; then, it’ll renew at the new price. If you upgrade to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, it’ll then renew at that price.
Microsoft said that existing subscribers will be notified by email regarding the price change, noting that prices won’t increased “until at least 45 days after you receive the message.”
Update: A 12-month membership to Xbox Live Gold is available on Amazon for the original, $59.99 price — half of the new price. It’s unclear how long this offer will be available.
