Xbox Live Gold Dead; New Xbox Series X Live Subscription Service Reportedly Underway

Xbox recently confirmed that it is no longer selling the 12-month subscription to Xbox Live Gold. Lately, there were several rumors that the latest Xbox Live framework and the possibility of how this could change in the future. Whispers online claim that Microsoft could be planning a massive overhaul for the Xbox online service in preparation for the arrival of its next-generation gaming console, the Xbox Series X.

No More 12-Month Xbox Live Gold Subscription

Xbox recently confirmed that it is no longer selling the 12-month subscription on its online store via True Achievements. The company is still offering the one-month and three-month subscriptions at present. The Xbox spokesperson did not reveal the reason behind the discontinuation of the 12-month Xbox Live Gold subscription.

For the uninitiated, the Gold subscription is required to play most of the Xbox content online. The subscription also offers free games to subscribers every month. According to the Xbox spokesperson, "At this time, Xbox has decided to remove the 12 months Xbox Live Gold SKU from the Microsoft online Store." He further explained that "Customers can still sign up for a one month or three month Xbox Live Gold subscription online through the Microsoft Store."

Microsoft's Xbox Initiative

Xbox has made several changes to counter the domineering success of the PlayStation 4. Although the PS4 widely outsold the Xbox One, Xbox fans enjoyed the expanded online service along the way. Xbox also launched the Game Pass, which is a Netflix-like subscription service for enjoying games on demand.

Microsoft also has the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative, which extended a lot of exclusive Xbox exclusive games to PC players. The company also launched the xCloud service to compete with Google Stadia. Many fans and gaming enthusiasts perceive the recent move by Microsoft as a foundation for expanding its services ahead of the Xbox Series X arrival.

The latest move comes following Microsoft's announcement of the bundle Project xCloud with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The recent confirmation on the discontinuation of the 12-month Xbox Live Gold subscription does not necessarily mean that the company would drop all Gold's features. But, Microsoft could be launching something new related to its Xbox Live subscription services.