If your family currently uses Microsoft’s Xbox Live Gold Family pack, your online gaming is about to get a lot more expensive, as that plan has reportedly been killed. You read that correctly: Microsoft hates you and your family and now wants you to pay somewhere between $160-$240 for the same features (depending on sales) that previously cost just $100 a year.
It’s not quite clear why Microsoft has pulled the plug on this feature, but Microsoft support forums user Mister Ohnaka, who has the title of "Official Support," has indicated that the family pack is dead. This move will likely peeve off quite a few people, as the $100 family pack was a great value for those with multiple gamers in the household – but alas, Microsoft’s money saving offer is now gone.
While we don’t see this driving users away from the Xbox platform in bulk, it could weigh into the purchase of a next-generation console for some households. If Sony offers free or significantly reduced pricing on online gaming for the PlayStation 4, those with several gamers in the home could look to the platform as a way to save money in the long run.
While the only news here is that Microsoft axed the family bundle, it does make you wonder if Microsoft is considering upping the fees for Xbox Live when the next-generation console arrives. Microsoft currently has the best-in-class online gaming experience, but it also charges the highest premium for the service. If Microsoft does introduce more features, it wouldn’t be unheard of for them to try and squeeze a few more pennies out of your wallet.
Source: Xbox Support Forums via Windows Observer