Microsoft swiftly backpedaled last night on a planned increase of Xbox Live Gold membership prices after a torrent of negative feedback, pledging to keep prices the same and removing the Xbox Live Gold requirement for online free-to-play games.
“We messed up today and you were right to let us know,” Microsoft wrote. “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.”
The prices will stay at $9.99 for a one-month membership, $24.99 for three months, $39.99 for six months, and $59.99 for 12 months. The originally planned price hike meant that new members would need to pay at least $120 for a year-long subscription.
Free-to-play consumers looking to jump online will need to wait for a while, with Microsoft promising to implement the change “as soon as possible in the coming months.”
Microsoft’s offer for Xbox Live Gold members to upgrade to the company’s Game Pass Ultimate remains live, however. Consumers who choose to upgrade will gain access to cloud gaming across multiple platforms, including PC and Android, and will get up to 36 months of remaining Xbox Live Gold membership converted at no additional cost.
