For the first time since its inception back in 2002, the cost to become an Xbox Live Gold member is about to become a bit steeper. In the US, Canada, UK & Mexico only the Xbox Live pricing scheme will jump on November 1. See the chart above to see how the change will affect you. In the U.S., the yearly subscription will increase from $59.99 to $49.99; the three month sunscription from $19.99 to $24.99; and the one month subscription from $7.99 to $9.99. Super lame, I know. Industry analyst Jesse Divnich tries to cushion the news of the price increase: “When originally launched in 2002, a Gold subscription cost the same as an AAA video game, $49.99. When taking into account for inflation ($50 in 2002 is roughly $60 in 2010) and the additional services available to Gold subscribers in 2010, such as ESPN, Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, Last.fm and Video Kinect, a $10 price increase still represents an incredible value to consumers.” Alright, I guess that makes sense. But for those of you who may still be fuming over this news Xbox’s Major Nelson has a special incentive for you. Microsoft is offering a limited-time savings deal to “lock in” Xbox Live gamers before the price increase becomes effective. You can upgrade or renew your account today for an additional year for $39.99. That’s $10 cheaper than the current one year subscription, and $20 cheaper than the new price coming in November. Head over to the Xbox price lock site to secure an addional year of Live Gold membership at the cheaper before before it’s too late.
[Via MajorNelson; Engadget]
