Just yesterday, the company announced Xbox Live Gold would see it’ prices increase to $11 for one month, $30 for three months, and $60 for 6 months (that’s £8, £22 and £43 respectively in the UK).
However, less than 24 hours after the news, Xbox has acknowledged it had “missed the mark” and promised it was “reversing [its] Xbox Live Gold pricing updates” after gamers slammed the company for the timing of the announcement, and the steep hike of the increases.
“We messed up today and you were right to let us know,” the company said in an updated blog post. “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. As a result, we have decided not to change Xbox Live Gold pricing.”
Microsoft also confirmed it would now also remove the need to have a live Xbox Live Gold sub to play free-to-play games, bringing it in line with Sony and Nintendo’s similar subscription services.
“We’re turning this moment into an opportunity to bring Xbox Live more in line with how we see the player at the center of their experience. For free-to-play games, you will no longer need an Xbox Live Gold membership to play those games on Xbox. We are working hard to deliver this change as soon as possible in the coming months.”
