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Microsoft is reportedly looking to increase prices for its video game subscription services, namely Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass. To do that, the company is said to be planning to offer them as a bundle that would set a new base price.
The report comes from journalist Brad Sams, who said Microsoft has been looking for a way to keep the revenue of Xbox Live Gold while also bringing in more subscribers to the Game Pass. “I've heard that Microsoft is contemplating figuring out how to raise the price of these services to include Gold so that $15 per month is the new baseline, meaning you get Game Pass and you also get Xbox Live Gold,” Sams said.
Sams theorizes that the “new tier” and the implementation of new prices could happen after Microsoft completes its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The all-cash $68.7 billion deal was announced last January and, if approved by the government, it is expected to be completed in 18 months.
Xbox Live Gold used to be a requirement to play all multiplayer titles on Xbox. Last year, however, Microsoft faced backlash after announcing a price hike for the service.
The company quickly canceled the plan and told customers, “We messed up today and you were right to let us know.” A few months after the apology, Microsoft stopped requiring an Xbox Live Gold subscription to play free-to-play multiplayer titles, such as “Fortnite,” “Call of Duty: Warzone,” “Destiny 2,” and “Apex Legends.”
It remains to be seen if Microsoft would officially offer the new tier that bundles Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass at $15 a month. If it becomes a reality, it could signal a price change for the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate as well. The flagship gaming subscription tier currently costs $15 per month and comes with the Game Pass library, subscriptions to Xbox Live Gold and EA Play, and access to Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Sams referred to the potential bundled service as a “new tier,” but it is unclear if that would affect the availability and pricing for the current Xbox Live Gold and the Xbox/PC Game Pass. Both subscriptions are available for $10 a month.
Photo by Jacinto Diego on Unsplash
