Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsMicrosoft’s proposed U.S. Xbox Live Gold price increase never took effect. On January 22, 2021, the company announced higher prices, faced immediate backlash from players, and withdrew the plan later the same day—less than 24 hours later. Microsoft also said free-to-play games would no longer require Gold for online multiplayer, although that change was scheduled for the following months rather than taking effect immediately.
What Microsoft announced
For new U.S. customers, Microsoft proposed these Xbox Live Gold prices on January 22, 2021, according to TechCrunch’s same-day report:
| Plan | Existing price | Proposed price | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| One month | $10 | $11 | Never implemented |
| Three months | $25 | $30 | Never implemented |
| Six months | $40 | $60 | Never implemented for new customers |
These were announced U.S. prices, not prices subscribers ultimately paid. The proposal concerned new customers; the reporting did not establish a separate quantified change for every existing subscriber or every region.
Why Microsoft reversed the increase
Players strongly objected to the announcement, and Microsoft acknowledged that its decision had failed to meet expectations. Later on January 22, the company posted a reversal statement on the Xbox blog, carried by TechCrunch:
#1 Best Overall
- FASTEST, MOST POWERFUL XBOX — Experience next-generation performance with 12 teraflops of processing power, delivering smoother gameplay, richer worlds, and faster responsiveness than any previous XBOX.
- TRUE 4K GAMING UP TO 120 FPS — Enjoy breathtaking visuals with true 4K resolution, HDR, and frame rates up to 120 FPS, plus hardware-accelerated ray tracing for a heightened level of realism.
- 1TB CUSTOM SSD AND XBOX VELOCITY ARCHITECTURE — Reduce load times dramatically with the custom 1TB NVMe SSD and XBOX Velocity Architecture, enabling lightning-fast performance and seamless world streaming.
- QUICK RESUME — Seamlessly switch between multiple games and resume exactly where you left off. No more waiting through title screens and loading bars.
- FOUR GENERATIONS OF GAMES — Play thousands of games from XBOX Series X|S, XBOX One, XBOX 360, and Original XBOX, with many titles enhanced for better visuals and performance on XBOX Series X.
“We messed up today and you were right to let us know. 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.”
The available reporting describes the backlash qualitatively. It does not provide a verified complaint count, demographic breakdown, survey, or evidence that one specific reaction channel alone caused the reversal.
Rank #2
- What's in the box: Xbox Series X console, 1 Xbox Wireless Controller - Carbon Black, Ultra High Speed HDMI cable, Power cord.
- Equipped with AMD's Zen 2 and RDNA 2 architectures, DirectX ray tracing delivers true-to-life lighting, shadows and accurate reflections to create dynamic, living worlds.
- Memory: 16GB GDDR6 w/320 bit-wide bus; Memory Bandwidth: 10 GB @ 560 GB/s, 6 GB @ 336 GB/s; Internal Storage: 1TB Custom NVME SSD
- Gaming Resolution: True 4K; Performance Target: Up to 120 FPS; High Dynamic Range: Up to 8K HDR; Optical Drive: 4K UHD Blu-Ray; HDMI Features: Auto Low Latency Mode, HDMI Variable Refresh Rate, AMD FreeSync.
- Bundled with HDMI_Cable
Did Xbox Live Gold prices actually go up?
No. Microsoft canceled the proposed increase before it took effect. The reported $11 monthly, $30 three-month, and $60 six-month figures should therefore be described as planned prices, not 2021 prices that were charged under the revised schedule.
The separate change for free-to-play games
Alongside the pricing reversal, Microsoft announced that Xbox players would eventually be able to play free-to-play games online without an Xbox Live Gold subscription. The company said it was working to deliver that change in the coming months.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Rank #3
- BEST VALUE IN GAMING — Experience next-gen speed and performance in the smallest XBOX ever. The XBOX Series S delivers powerful all-digital gameplay in a sleek, compact design.
- UP TO 120 FPS GAMEPLAY — Enjoy smooth, responsive gaming with frame rates up to 120 FPS, powered by XBOX Velocity Architecture, a custom NVMe SSD, and DirectX Raytracing for a heightened level of realism.
- 512GB CUSTOM SSD AND XBOX VELOCITY ARCHITECTURE — Reduce load times dramatically with the custom 512GB NVMe SSD and XBOX Velocity Architecture, enabling lightning-fast performance and seamless world streaming.
- QUICK RESUME — Seamlessly switch between multiple games and resume exactly where you left off. No more waiting through title screens and loading bars.
- FOUR GENERATIONS OF DIGITAL GAMES — Play thousands of digital games from XBOX Series X|S, XBOX One, XBOX 360, and Original XBOX with backward compatibility. Many titles are enhanced for better visuals and performance. Smart Delivery ensures you always get the best version for your console.
That timing matters: removing the requirement was a separate policy commitment and was not presented as a feature that became available on the day Microsoft withdrew the price increase.
What happened, in order
- January 22, 2021: Microsoft announced proposed higher U.S. Gold prices for new customers.
- Later the same day: Players objected publicly to the increase.
- Within 24 hours: Microsoft said it had “messed up,” canceled the pricing change, and committed to keeping Gold prices unchanged.
- Following months: Microsoft worked toward removing the Gold requirement for online multiplayer in free-to-play games.
What the service is called now
Microsoft’s current product page identifies Xbox Live Gold as “Xbox Game Pass Core.” The renamed membership includes console multiplayer and access to a selection of console games. That is a later product and naming development, not part of the January 2021 reversal. Current benefits and regional prices should be checked on Xbox’s live product page because they can change by country and date.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- What's in the box: Xbox Series S 512GB console, 1 Wireless Controller, High Speed HDMI cable.
- CPU: 8X Cores @ 3.6 GHz (3.4 GHz w/SMT) Custom Zen 2 CPU; GPU: 4 TFLOPS, 20 CUs @1.565 GHz Custom RDNA 2 GPU; SOC Die Size: 197.05 mm2.
- Memory: 10GB GDDR6 128 bit-wide bus; Memory Bandwidth: 8GB @ 224 GB/s, 2GB @ 56 GB/s.; Internal Storage: 512GB Custom NVME SSD
- Gaming Resolution: 1440p; Performance Target: Up to 120 FPS; HDMI Features: Auto Low Latency Mode, HDMI Variable Refresh Rate, AMD FreeSync.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
