Microsoft has removed the 12-month Xbox Live Gold subscription from its online store, leaving only one- and three-month plans available for purchase, the company confirmed.
A Microsoft spokesperson told Neowin that “at this time, Xbox has decided to remove the 12-month Xbox Live Gold from the Microsoft online store.” The spokesperson added that customers can still sign up online for one-month or three-month Xbox Live Gold subscriptions through the Microsoft Store.
Alternate ways to gift or obtain a year of Gold
Although the direct 12-month purchase was removed, the site notes there are still ways to obtain a year of Xbox Live Gold. Users can buy a six-month subscription for a friend, and members of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can purchase a one-year subscription for someone else.
Those Ultimate purchases include the 12-month Xbox Live Gold component as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, along with access to the Game Pass library on console and PC and, starting in September, Project xCloud streaming.
Possible timing with Xbox Series X launch
The article suggests the change may be related to broader plans surrounding the Xbox Series X launch later in 2020, though Microsoft did not provide any additional explanation for removing the one-year option.
For now, customers who want Xbox Live Gold can subscribe for one or three months via the Microsoft site.
Game Pass cloud streaming included for Ultimate subscribers
Separately, Microsoft announced that starting in September, more than 100 games in the Xbox Game Pass catalog will be playable via cloud streaming on phones and tablets, allowing play away from the console.
Phil Spencer, head of the Xbox division, wrote on the company’s official blog that Project xCloud will let Ultimate subscribers stream those Game Pass titles without additional cost, provided they have a stable internet connection.
Source: MSPoweruser
