Xbox Live Gold and ultimate are getting massive price drops in South Africa

Back in 2016, Microsoft increased the local price of Xbox Live and its associated services, to align with the local exchange rate a little better. At the time, it was around R15.6 to the Dollar, but Xbox Live Gold – which cost $10 a month – was available for about R50 a month. The price was raised to R159, sparking outrage.

“We have updated the South African pricing model to provide a balance of service and value, and to meet currency fluctuations within the region,” Microsoft said back then. “We do so always keeping in mind that our goal is to offer our members the premium gaming and entertainment service at a fair price. With Xbox Live Gold, subscribers have access to a premium multiplayer gaming experience, free games, exclusive discounts of up to 75 percent in the Xbox Store and more. And through Home Gold, a single Gold membership provides all of these benefits to everyone in your household. Furthermore, with Backward Compatibility, all future Games with Gold titles for Xbox 360 will be playable on Xbox One, giving subscribers double the free games to play each month. Altogether, there’s never been better time to be an Xbox Live Gold member.”

For the last while, a monthly subscription to Xbox Live Gold has remained an eye-water R159 per month. The more recently added Xbox Live Ultimate subscription, which includes Game Pass on PC and Xbox One on top of Live Gold, was available for R199. The price of both has just dropped locally, as many local users have confirmed via emails or messages from Microsoft.

Xbox Live Gold on its own will now cost R99 per month from January 1, while the incredible value bundle including Game Pass will drop to R149 per month. Of course, applicable discounts on extended subscriptions apply; The annual fee for Gold is dropping from R979 to R599. That’s a decent reduction in price. We don’t, unfortunately, have the full range of pricing as Microsoft hasn’t said a thing, but it’s a welcome change for cash-strapped South African consumers and another arrow in the Xbox Quiver as we head towards the next generation.

Last Updated: December 17, 2019