Microsoft discontinues 12-month Xbox Live Gold subscriptions

midian182

Posts: 9,662   +121
Staff member
What just happened? It seems Microsoft hasn't finished killing off some of its most familiar products. Not only has the company just discontinued two of its consoles, it's also phased out the 12-month option for Xbox Live Gold subscriptions.

In a statement to TrueAchievements, Microsoft confirmed that going forward, only one-month and three-month Xbox Live Gold options could be purchased.

"At this time, Xbox has decided to remove the 12 months Xbox Live Gold SKU from the Microsoft online Store. Customers can still sign up for a one month or three month Xbox Live Gold subscription online through the Microsoft Store."

The move comes soon after Microsoft announced it was discontinuing the Xbox One X and Xbox One S All-Digital Edition.

Exactly why Microsoft is killing off the 12-month Xbox Live Gold SKU wasn't revealed, but it's likely an attempt to push people toward its successful Xbox Game Pass service, which already comes with an 'Ultimate' option that includes all the features of Xbox Live Gold. Additionally, we recently heard that Microsoft's Project xCloud game streaming service will launch in September and is included free with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

With the upcoming arrival of the new Xbox Series X line, it seems Microsoft is starting to overhaul its services, and could eventually eliminate the Xbox Live Gold brand, merging its functions with Xbox Game Pass. Or perhaps a new online subscription service will arrive with the Xbox Series X. We'll just have to wait and see.

Image credit: Tom Whitehead

Permalink to story.

 
This may be my last year as an XBL member

I’ve been with them over 10 years but PC gaming is just so much better
 
And by coincidence, subscribing monthly to game pass costs twice what a 12 month xbox live subscription costs. total coincidence I'm sure.
 
Hmmm. You would think this would get slipped in with this week's event and news if they were trying to do something stupid.

I hope this is preceding a gamepass type of announcement to replace the yearly sub (for about the same cost).
Otherwise, if they wanted things to cost more, they could've just upped the price.
 
Hmmm. You would think this would get slipped in with this week's event and news if they were trying to do something stupid.

I hope this is preceding a gamepass type of announcement to replace the yearly sub (for about the same cost).
Otherwise, if they wanted things to cost more, they could've just upped the price.
Why would they do that when they have so many paroting how the game pass is a "great deal"? They have the hype on their side. Now they can promote that for the SAME PRICE you could be getting GAME PASS instead of just XBLA gold and people will go "that's a great deal" without considering what 12 month used to cost.

the streaming wars have shown people will fork over stupid money if something is promoted as a "great deal" with a bunch of extras, even if it costs more.
 
This may be my last year as an XBL member

I’ve been with them over 10 years but PC gaming is just so much better
It’s the same thing at this point. Except the Xbox app is just one of many launchers on the PC. I don’t understand why anyone with a half decent PC would buy an Xbox, unless you have a burning desire to play Halo 5!
 
It’s the same thing at this point. Except the Xbox app is just one of many launchers on the PC. I don’t understand why anyone with a half decent PC would buy an Xbox, unless you have a burning desire to play Halo 5!


It's because I left PC Gaming for the original Xbox launch and Xbox One X launch.

Then I built a monster PC instead of buying an Xbox One X.

Xbox isn't getting many exclusives worth a damn lately and I've never been a huge Halo or Gears fan.

On my PC, I virtually have everything.
 
It's because I left PC Gaming for the original Xbox launch and Xbox One X launch.

Then I built a monster PC instead of buying an Xbox One X.

Xbox isn't getting many exclusives worth a damn lately and I've never been a huge Halo or Gears fan.

On my PC, I virtually have everything.
Yeah but I think it’s good that there are no exclusives on Xbox. It’s good that we don’t have to use that budget plastic leaf blower to play games at 30fps!

Sony on the other hand can do one. Imagine if we could play the last of us, god of war or FF7 remastered on our PCs!? That would be amazing. Well Sony pay the developers to not release games on the PC. Dickheads.
 
It’s the same thing at this point. Except the Xbox app is just one of many launchers on the PC. I don’t understand why anyone with a half decent PC would buy an Xbox, unless you have a burning desire to play Halo 5!
Friends
 
Yeah but I think it’s good that there are no exclusives on Xbox. It’s good that we don’t have to use that budget plastic leaf blower to play games at 30fps!

Sony on the other hand can do one. Imagine if we could play the last of us, god of war or FF7 remastered on our PCs!? That would be amazing. Well Sony pay the developers to not release games on the PC. Dickheads.

Might’ve been a budget plastic leaf blower last gen, but $400-500 for a 3700X, 16GB RAM, 1TB NVME and a 5800XT would be a ****ing steal. Wish I could run Windows on the new one.
 
Back