Xbox Live Gold raised to 120 a year

quinnd6 · 22-01-2021 6:14pm #1

I was just reading Microsoft are raising the price of Xbox live gold to 120 dollars or euros a year.
It'll be 60 for a 6 month sub so you'd have to buy 2 6 month subs to get a year.
It's absolutely ridiculous.
I will not be going anywhere near a Series X because of this.
That would lock me out of multiplayer completely because there's no way in hell I would pay 120 a year or 60 for 6 months of multiplayer.
All I can say is screw them because that is ridiculous.
That is such an anti consumer move.
That's my take on it anyway.
Gamepass doesn't interest me because I like to own my games and play them in my own time and not have to rush it.
I hope people just stop buying Xbox and Microsoft have to reverse their decision because it's bad for gamers.

theteal · 22-01-2021 6:19pm

Yup, just saw. Trying to push people to GPU, I can't say it's a surprise.
Good thing most of us are stacked up for a couple of years as is.

Gamer Bhoy 89 · 22-01-2021 7:15pm

Saw Ryan McCaffrey tweet about it a few minutes ago. I always kept my subscription active alongside my PS plus account but with this I have choices to make and more important things to pay for. I did not expect a price hike from either service, not like this anyway.

I'm wondering, though; is this for Xbox Live Gold on its own, or is this Game Pass Ultimate (GP and Gold together)?

If it's the latter, then I'm not surprised, the affordability of Game Pass and the quality of games they allow people to play within a subscription is absolutely ridiculous. I said at the start that it sounded too good to be true. It turns out it was -- way too good.

If it's Gold on its own then that's an absolute scumbag move, because I'd only imagine how much Ultimate would end up costing then...

Of all times to do this price hike, and only 3 years after the last one, this is a really sh1tty move by Microsoft. This CANNOT land well with anyone who's a current subscriber or who plans on subscribing, surely?? I suspect huge, huge backlash from this.

RGARDINR · 22-01-2021 7:32pm

I better buy the 1 euro 3 month offer so as that ends 31st January.

Dravokivich · 22-01-2021 7:35pm

theteal wrote: »

Yup, just saw. Trying to push people to GPU, I can't say it's a surprise.
Good thing most of us are stacked up for a couple of years as is.

Yeah, I just got it last week myself.

theteal · 22-01-2021 7:48pm

There have been rumours of killing off XBL for quite a while now and personally I knew I would have limited options when my GPU expires next time around (thankfully not for a good while) but this really feels like a hamfisted way of doing it. I'm reading the outrage around and while I don't share it I can understand it. Looks like plenty are now going for a PS5 over the XSX if comments are to be believed. Could this really have a massively detrimental effect on sales? It'll be interesting to see how this pans out

dor83 · 22-01-2021 9:29pm

To me it looks like this is their way of stopping people from getting Gold cheap and converting to GPU, I would guess that too many people are doing that now and they see it as being too cheap. The only real way to stop it is to either stop doing the offer or just get rid of Gold altogether, they really want everyone on GPU anyway so they probably reckon that with the smaller price difference the people who haven't already changed to it will now.

DeSelby83 · 22-01-2021 11:57pm

Probably worth noting that this price is for new subscribers only. If you currently have a 6month membership with MS then you will still pay the same price you are paying now, it won't increase.

22-01-2021 11:59pm

So I'd been PS-only since 2007, but decided to jump into Xbox this gen, to go along with my PS5.

I got:

Xbox Series X for €529 (Shipped)
Xbox Series S + Elite Controller 2 for €453 (Shipped) (incl. 3.5 months of GPU)
3 years Xbox Live Gold for €171
Xbox Live Gold to GPU conversion €1 (incl. 3 extra months of GPU)

In total, I spent €1,154 and I have 42.5 months (1,260 days) of GPU.

That works out ~€27 per month, or about €0.91c per day all-in.

I think I might sell the Series S this week for ~€250 which brings it down to ~71c per day so I need to decide if having the XBox Series S is worth the extra 20c per day. I think it isn't worth keeping as the storage is just far too insufficient. (I bought the SS + Elite 2 bundle to test out the XBox ecosystem and found it to be decent, so I went for the Series X when it became available to me)

My plan is to sell the Series X after my GPU expires for ~€300, so it will bring my total outlay down to €604, or 48c per day.

I'm writing all this to make it clear to myself how much money I'm giving Microsoft, and to compare the cost of what I did (which is a LOT of money spent) to this heinous price increase for Xbox Live Gold, at least in Ireland.

€120 per year of XBox Live Gold is 32c per day now just to play online or €414 for 1260 days.

€604 - 414 = €190. Woah, that's the MSRP of the Elite Controller 2! Which is all I'll end up with when my time with Xbox is over.

Gamer Bhoy 89 · 23-01-2021 12:13am

DeSelby83 wrote: »

Probably worth noting that this price is for new subscribers only. If you currently have a 6month membership with MS then you will still pay the same price you are paying now, it won't increase.

Doesn't make it that enticing either. It completely removes choice for people who want to go buy an Xbox. They might not want what's on offer with Game Pass for whatever reason (people who prefer to buy their games) but still want to play online. Xbox Live Gold on its own is not worth €120. Basically, if Gold is going to cost €120, what's the point in it even existing now?

wildrover444 · 23-01-2021 12:53am

Is this coming in straight away or do I have time to buy 12 months xbox live gold at the cheaper price.

23-01-2021 12:55am

wildrover444 wrote: »

Is this coming in straight away or do I have time to buy 12 months xbox live gold at the cheaper price.

You can buy 12 months now and redeem the code. You can stack up to three years if you want.

wildrover444 · 23-01-2021 1:02am

00011000 wrote: »

You can buy 12 months now and redeem the code. You can stack up to three years if you want.

I have a couple of months left on my 3 months of ultimate gamepass for 1 euro. I hadn't heard about the stacking when I got that deal so when my deal was up I was going to buy 12 months of live and then 1 month of game pass. If I bought the 12 months live code could I redeem it after the 3 months or would these price hikes null and void that.

23-01-2021 1:11am

wildrover444 wrote: »

I have a couple of months left on my 3 months of ultimate gamepass for 1 euro. I hadn't heard about the stacking when I got that deal so when my deal was up I was going to buy 12 months of live and then 1 month of game pass. If I bought the 12 months live code could I redeem it after the 3 months or would these price hikes null and void that.

I've heard reports that when the trial of GPU lapses, the offer is still open to convert Xbox Live Gold to GPU, but for the full monthly price of €12.99 per month. I personally don't have any experience of this myself, so I can't vouch for whether it actually works, and this loophole might be closed at any time too, but my instinct tells me it will be fine to convert, but I don't know if you will get a 1:1 conversion. (meaning 36 months of XBLG = 36 months of GPU).

For example, there's a thread here:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/xbox/forum/xba_console/xobox-live-gold-to-game-pass-ultimate-conversion/f122efb3-29b4-4456-b2b9-5164e6019146?auth=1

...about conversion rates, but this is outdated now... It's a confusing enough mess and I'm not sure when these conversion rates kick-in. I read somewhere that the conversion rate has been updated to 1:1, but again... I'm not 100% on this.

Something others suggested was just starting fresh with a new account, but I'm guessing you wouldn't wanna do that.

RGARDINR · 23-01-2021 8:59am

Read an article there that Microsoft have back tracked and now aren't going to raise the price for gold membership and keep it the same after the backlash from fans.

laneooo · 23-01-2021 9:10am

RGARDINR wrote: »

Read an article there that Microsoft have back tracked and now aren't going to raise the price for gold membership and keep it the same after the backlash from fans.

Yeah I saw it there also not even 24 hours later lol
But like...being honest what the hell were they thinking, hardly it was just to raise the price alone. Maybe they had plans for better monthly games or something and surely they would have thought people would just get Ultimate and not bother with gold

CatInABox · 23-01-2021 9:13am

RGARDINR wrote: »

Read an article there that Microsoft have back tracked and now aren't going to raise the price for gold membership and keep it the same after the backlash from fans.

In fact, they've gone a bit further and removed the gold requirement for free to play games as well, so we actually end up in a better position then we started with.

Still though, that's the worst unforced error that MS had made in years, so frustrating and unusual. I'm now waiting for the other shoe to drop now, my guess is that they'll mess with the gold to GPU upgrade deal, probably remove the 1 to 1 conversion rate.

What a mess.

23-01-2021 9:24am

CatInABox wrote: »

In fact, they've gone a bit further and removed the gold requirement for free to play games as well, so we actually end up in a better position then we started with.

Still though, that's the worst unforced error that MS had made in years, so frustrating and unusual. I'm now waiting for the other shoe to drop now, my guess is that they'll mess with the gold to GPU upgrade deal, probably remove the 1 to 1 conversion rate.

What a mess.

It makes much more sense to drop the conversion deal. I dont think anybody expects it to last forever.

I'm surprised the rumours about dropping XBL didn't come true. They were on a role with consumer friendly decisions. Coupled with that I would have expected the Gpu conversion deal to end. GPU is now their business model, they're not going to make money giving it away for peanuts.

RGARDINR · 23-01-2021 9:24am

CatInABox wrote: »

In fact, they've gone a bit further and removed the gold requirement for free to play games as well, so we actually end up in a better position then we started with.

Still though, that's the worst unforced error that MS had made in years, so frustrating and unusual. I'm now waiting for the other shoe to drop now, my guess is that they'll mess with the gold to GPU upgrade deal, probably remove the 1 to 1 conversion rate.

What a mess.

yeah a very big error but least they didn't let it drag on for days and days and nipped it right in the bud. Suppose last major error I remember them doing was for the prior release with stating to have to have the console online always. I ended up going with Sony ps4 then instead of getting the xbox one straight away, 1 of my friends were the same and he hasn't gone back to Microsoft. They can really mess up some times but least this was sorted in real fast order.

23-01-2021 9:31am

I'd love to know the percentage of GPU subscribers who have used the conversion deal. I wonder could it be ridiculously high like 80-90%.

laneooo · 23-01-2021 9:39am

Deleted User wrote: »

I'd love to know the percentage of GPU subscribers who have used the conversion deal. I wonder could it be ridiculously high like 80-90%.

Hmm that could very well be why they did it...but then I got an offer for 12 months ultimate for 60 on my account so dunno.

mrcheez · 23-01-2021 9:49am

what's GPU? you pay something to enable your graphic processing unit??

theteal · 23-01-2021 10:00am

mrcheez wrote: »

what's GPU? you pay something to enable your graphic processing unit??

Game Pass Ultimate. Its xbl gold bundled with games pass (and now ea play) so you get a massive library of "free" games. Normal price is quite steep at about £10 per month but theres a much, much cheaper workaround that most of us have used.

Anyway, I've just woken up to the positive news. I have to say, its dented my confidence in MS and im probably 50/50 over which console I buy now

everlast75 · 23-01-2021 10:08am

theteal wrote: »

Game Pass Ultimate. Its xbl gold bundled with games pass (and now ea play) so you get a massive library of "free" games. Normal price is quite steep at about £10 per month but theres a much, much cheaper workaround that most of us have used.

Can you link the method please?

Thanks

TitianGerm · 23-01-2021 10:21am

theteal wrote: »

Game Pass Ultimate. Its xbl gold bundled with games pass (and now ea play) so you get a massive library of "free" games. Normal price is quite steep at about £10 per month but theres a much, much cheaper workaround that most of us have used.

Anyway, I've just woken up to the positive news. I have to say, its dented my confidence in MS and im probably 50/50 over which console I buy now

Ultimate also gives you access to Game Pass on PC.

TitianGerm · 23-01-2021 10:23am

everlast75 wrote: »

Can you link the method please?

Thanks

The top sticky in the Xbox Forum.

23-01-2021 10:42am

They've done an about face on this according to kotaku and others.

Treppen · 23-01-2021 11:27am

https://twitter.com/Xbox/status/1352845180735393793?s=20

jimbob_jones · 23-01-2021 11:50am

Looks like they are dropping the Gold requirements for Free To Play games too.

https://t.co/tWomNAwmp9?amp=1

chavezychavez · 23-01-2021 12:47pm

Fairly out of the box type of announcement for modern days. Raise awareness with shock value and then sell the story you want heard. The whole thing was a calculated click bait approach to their news.
Worked perfectly, everyone is thinking and talking about it.

Mundo7976 · 23-01-2021 12:49pm

Cheapest free worldwide advertisement they can get!

Xbox Live Gold raised to 120 a year

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