Nevermind

Xbox announced that they were doubling the price of Xbox Live Gold yesterday, but thanks to some good old fashioned internet bullying – they’ve backtracked and reversed all changes.

What’s more, they’ve also decided to follow suit with Sony and Nintendo by eliminating the need to have Xbox Live Gold whatsoever to play already free-to-play games (like Fortnite) online. That change is coming “in a few months”.

In their most recent blog post, this is what Xbox had to say.

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.

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.

If you are an Xbox Live Gold member already, you stay at your current price for renewal. New and existing members can continue to enjoy Xbox Live Gold for the same prices they pay today. In the US, $9.99 for 1-month, $24.99 for 3-months, $39.99 for 6-months and $59.99 for retail 12-months.

Thank you.

No Changes to Xbox Live Gold Pricing, Free-to-Play Games to be Unlocked [Update], Xbox.com

Make no mistake – Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is still the best deal in gaming, but there’s no doubt that doubling the price of Gold in the midst of a climate like this was going to be met with… Strong reactions.

Personally I think people should’ve kept this same energy with the developers announcing $70 games, but hey – what do I know.