also @ TechSpot: Google warns users infected with DNSChanger malware, provides help

Xbox Live price to increase for US, Canada, UK and Mexico

By

On August 30, 2010, 2:42 PM EST

Folks hooked on Xbox Live may want to invest in a 12-month gold card before Microsoft jacks up prices. Starting November 1, users in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom will have to pay more for Live access. US customers will witness a price hike on all membership lengths (one, three and 12 months), while only the one-month fee will rise for Canada and UK users, and the yearly rate will increase for Mexico.

As it stands, the US pricing is $7.99, $19.99 and $49.99 depending on the above-mentioned durations. That will jump to $9.99, $24.99, and $59.99. Canada's one-month membership will go from $8.99 CAD to $9.99 CAD, while the UK's rate will jump from 4.99 GBP to 5.99 GBP, and 12 months of Xbox Live Gold will be 599 pesos instead of 499 pesos in Mexico.


Ahead of those increases, Microsoft is offering a "discount," charging US customers $39.99 for a year of Gold. While that may be lower than the official cost, you can typically find a similar (and often better) price online.

, ,

User Comments (17)

Post a comment
dustin_ds3000
on August 30, 2010
2:43 PM

LOL PC gaming FTW

Reply

TomSEA
on August 30, 2010
2:52 PM

Yeah, where are all those "PC gaming is too expensive" knuckleheads?

Reply

Julio Franco
on August 30, 2010
3:12 PM

Completely unjustified IMO considering how they've been able to scale the system and sell millions through Xbox Live. If anything they should try to make it cheaper or even free.

Reply

EXCellR8
on August 30, 2010
3:19 PM

XBL should be free for basic usage and then a premium fee for additional features. this is just another way for Microsoft to ring out our wallets and squeeze even more profit out of the Halo: Reach release.

Reply

Cueto_99
on August 30, 2010
4:22 PM

Xbox's bottlenecked so they can keep the performance of the old one... that's understandable... but a rise in XBL subscription fee... that's call greed! bad move MS.

Reply

mattfrompa
on August 30, 2010
4:28 PM

And I was just wondering if I should renew my subscription....Since I joined they have introduced more ads and clutter standing between me and playing online with my friends. I'm not ready to get rid of my Xbox, but I certainly won't be putting up with Live anymore.

Reply

Relic
on August 30, 2010
4:48 PM

Oh we're getting a bunch of cool new services for the 360! Say what Microsoft? You're just raising the price because you can? Well **** you too then.

Julio's right this is ridiculous, they've been making a killing off there current service and offering very little in return (faux services don't count). The best features of a gold membership outside of playing online is Netflix streaming and that's about it since everything else can still be bought through silver or be accessed freely on a PC. If they start setting up dedicated servers I might be okay with this, but they aren't. Since Reach is coming out in a couple of weeks I have to upgrade anyway and likely for the last time since everything else I have zero interest in playing through Live from as my PC does a way better job.

Reply

Tekkaraiden
on August 30, 2010
5:17 PM

I feel sorry for our neighbors to the south, that just sucks.

Reply

Cueto_99
on August 30, 2010
6:03 PM

Xbox's bottlenecked so they can keep the performance of the old one... that's understandable... but a rise in XBL subscription fee... that's call greed! bad move MS.

Reply

Guest
on August 30, 2010
8:21 PM

Ok, I don't know what you guys think of the Xbox, and MS for that matter, but this move is pure bullshit. So, they increased the price because they simply can?

Oh I forgot, XBL mainly consists of brainwashed CoD and Halo players.

Reply

Guest
on August 30, 2010
8:55 PM

The lemming shall pay............stupid,gullible Xbox owners.

Reply

Guest
on August 30, 2010
9:26 PM

I thought in November they were going to offer a family four pack for $99.

http://gamerscoreblog.com/press/archive/2010/06/22/hw622.aspx

Reply

gobbybobby
on August 31, 2010
4:46 AM

Easy just add 3 years to you account now. WIN!

Reply

gobbybobby
on August 31, 2010
4:49 AM

Edit. HAHA here in the UK there is NO price rise for a one year sub. Still £39.99 but I get it for £28 off Cheapxboxlivecodes.com

Tho people in US get more services then here in UK. We get Sky rv but its an extra £15 a month, You getting ESPN is free isnt it?

Reply

Richy2k9
on August 31, 2010
6:11 AM

hello ...

I'm sorry for the Xbox owners, just hope others don't follow. I know it's impossible to raise the price of free for the PSN or PC, yet they could someday limit content, i hardly doubt for PC, but for others we don't know. SONY did promise they would never change PSN with the coming of PSN+, yet we don't know maybe some new features that could give more value to the service would from now on be accessible only through premium accounts.

OK, it's business, i Understand, but i hope MS do make the Live experience far better to those who will continue, till then, so sorry for them.

cheers!

Reply

Guest
on August 31, 2010
12:38 PM

as if XBL isn't already overpriced, way to go Microsoft.. could you be anymore greedy?

Reply

Relic
on August 31, 2010
1:08 PM

gobbybobby said:

You getting ESPN is free isnt it?

No, they market it that way but it's false. You can get ESPN 3 if your ISP signed a deal with ESPN which in turn raised your bill, pretty much the same way cable works you pay for all channels no matter if you watch it or not. And ESPN3 isn't actually the real ESPN, while it does have a lot of content it does not cover everything you'd get on the other two channels. Definitely misleading, but then again most Live services are and can be accessed elsewhere they just market it as something special.

Reply

Browse more commented news

Post a new comment

Guest user

To post as an anonymous
user click here
.

Members

If you are a TechSpot member,
please login first.


By signing up you gain complete access to the TechSpot community. Join thousands of computer and technology enthusiasts that contribute and share knowledge in our forum. Post messages, get a private inbox, upload your own photo gallery and more.

Subscribe to TechSpot

Get free exclusive content, learn about new features and tech breaking news.