Xbox Live Gold subscription on sale at Amazon for $29.97

You heard it right! Microsoft's Xbox Live Gold subscription, which normally runs $50 annually, is being sold by Amazon right this very instant for $29.97. A similar discount was apparently going on at Buy.com last week, so we're not sure what it all means, but we suppose it could mean that Microsoft might possibly be moving toward a lower price for the subscription (don't hold your breath). We don't really know "why" or "how" this has happened, but it "rules" and we're looking forward to all the extra cash our avatar's going to have in the coming year for new hats and fingerless gloves.

[Via PC World]

[SABRAGE @ Jan 19th 2009 3:53PM]

This happens like 2-3 times a week... My conspiracy sense tells me that Amazon wants a sell-out and thus contacted its lacky, Engadget.

[thethirdmoose @ Jan 19th 2009 3:54PM]

God forbid Engadget just wants to inform its readers about a good deal, right?

[Kris120890 @ Jan 19th 2009 4:00PM]

Well they contacted every other site then because this has been reported on every other site before engadget.

[Laura June @ Jan 19th 2009 4:23PM]

Your conspiracy sense is pretty zany.

[adrian @ Jan 19th 2009 4:51PM]

Charging for online gameplay is a rip off. Still, If users are willing to pay then Microsoft might as well continue to mug them off.
It's good business on their part.

[xnifex @ Jan 19th 2009 5:25PM]

seeing as how X3F reported this first yesterday, as well as the Buy.com sale the day before....

YOU FAIL!

[oghowie @ Jan 19th 2009 5:27PM]

If only the PS3 had online features. MS would then be forced to make Live free.

[oghowie @ Jan 19th 2009 5:29PM]

*better

[JAmerican @ Jan 19th 2009 6:08PM]

In other news,

I got 4 LIVE 12+1 month Cards :).

[Almo @ Jan 19th 2009 6:17PM]

Just went back up to $42.79!

[oghowie @ Jan 19th 2009 7:02PM]

@ Almo

No, it hasn't. The link is taking you to the HubbaGames seller for some reason. Amazon still has it for $29 on the right of the page.

[000000 @ Jan 19th 2009 7:51PM]

I think 30 bucks a year is fair. Not a cent more though.

[ajoan0077 @ Jan 19th 2009 8:36PM]

what it was when i got my year subscription (one and a half years ago) i thought it was a rip off...and i still think it is and i haven't renewed it because of that and well i cant afford it...but $30!!! hell yeah im gettin it!!

[Brad @ Jan 19th 2009 8:43PM]

@adrian

You're right, because when companies give online play away for free like with PS3 or Wii, it is so much better, right? All the money they're investing in making a smooth, seamless online experience for you?

Or you could just get the damn free Silver account. Quit your FUD-ing.

[Cat Pwner @ Jan 19th 2009 9:37PM]

@ SABRAGE

You need a tin foil hat to go along with your conspiracy, sir.

[Metkis @ Jan 19th 2009 10:52PM]

@Brad: Something I always loved: even though the consumer is paying for their online service, Microsoft has the audacity to still put ads everywhere. I'm not pro PS3, though. I'd much rather PC, where X-Fire, Steam, and Ventrilo are all you need to have a good time (and free).

[WixosTrix @ Jan 20th 2009 1:15AM]

@ Metkis

Are the ads really that much of a bother to you? Just because you pay for something doesn't mean it should be ad free (in some cases). I never had an Xbox but I do have a Zune from what I read Microsoft seems to be trying to do a good job in keeping their customers happy. Yea, they totally screwed up on the assembly end of the Xbox but they spent a lot of money in trying to fix the issues. Don't blame them for trying to make that money back.

[SneezyPorcupine @ Jan 20th 2009 5:05AM]

Dude, the argument about ads on Live is so weak.

First of all, give me one ad that you see on Live that is not related to content that they provide. Be it ads for latest movie releases, latest game DLCs or sponsored gamer pictures etc. At least they aren't trying to sell you OxyClean or a new car with their ads.

You fanboys can be so intolerable sometimes. You pay 10x a year as much for cable television which has 8 minutes of ads in every half an hour of show time. So why is this double standard acceptable?

Besides, do the ads on Live stop you during a game to show them like television does? NO. So please, elaborate on why you believe the ads are in any way intrusive???

On a more related note, this discount offer isn't available through Amazon Canada... boooo =(

[adrian @ Jan 20th 2009 8:14AM]

@Brad

I don't think I mentioned Sony or the PS3 in my comment, So why bring that console into the debate.

I suppose XBox users have never demanded credits or refunds from Microsoft because XBox live is always so smooth like you say.

I suppose if one of the big search engines wanted to charge 1$ per search query you would think it okay?. In fact don't answer, as you would pay up.

Microsoft is laughing at you lot. Continue being mugged via XBox Live just like those XBox hard drives their selling.

Christ, some people will never learn.

[Kuryakin @ Jan 19th 2009 3:55PM]

Yeah, but how much can you buy it for at Circuit City??

[SDotCiRe @ Jan 19th 2009 4:03PM]

$55 bucks plus 10% off, so about $50! Enjoy!

[Corey Koltz @ Jan 19th 2009 4:16PM]

Circuit City I guess wasn't allowed to drop the prices of the Xbox Live Subscription / Points cards (per sales associate at CC).

[Why should I have all the fun? @ Jan 19th 2009 4:29PM]

Circuit who? Seem I've forgotten already.

[Brian @ Jan 19th 2009 5:27PM]

Incorrect. Because the company is going out of business, they are no longer obligated to observe the minimum prices. Just like CompUSA. They can sell the cards as cheaply as they want. When CompUSA went out of business, I bough four 1600 point cards for $20/ea.

[emagius @ Jan 19th 2009 5:33PM]

A 1600 point card goes for $20 at many online stores (and even B&M stores when there's a sale).

[Philip (Fernando Rocker Defence Force) @ Jan 19th 2009 8:30PM]

1600 points for $20 is retail price.

[Like_A_Glove @ Jan 20th 2009 12:49AM]

@SDotCiRe

"$55 bucks plus 10% off, so about $50! Enjoy! "

I had high hopes for people's mathematics skills........ Turned out, it's overrated.

[Abuzar Baloach @ Jan 20th 2009 4:28PM]

Yeah it's almost 53 dollars with taxes ;)

[Colin Jones @ Jan 19th 2009 3:54PM]

No UK love says the River to the Englishman.

[marky-b @ Jan 19th 2009 4:28PM]

Im going to buy two. maybe i can email you a code for some monies? :]

[Colin Jones @ Jan 19th 2009 4:49PM]

Only if it works for the UK... which IIRC, doesn't :/

[KyleK @ Jan 20th 2009 3:47AM]

I was just wondering: Would the code work with a German Xbox 360? Then I'd order one in a second.

[raaaaaa @ Jan 19th 2009 4:09PM]

walmart has had it for $29.97 plus $.97cents shipping

[Krazykipa @ Jan 19th 2009 4:31PM]

Is it available at their retail locations?

I still haven't hopped onto the online shopping bandwagon... call me old-fashioned

[Sudo @ Jan 19th 2009 3:57PM]

A good looking deal.

[Bender123 @ Jan 19th 2009 4:00PM]

I got mine in November for $32...now I feel ripped off. Think of all the extra avatar crap I could have bought.

[LiqwidZero @ Jan 19th 2009 4:42PM]

Right now, Avatar crap is free. Unless there's stuff to buy that I haven't seen.

[SDotCiRe @ Jan 19th 2009 4:01PM]

My 2005 360 just red ringed on me, so I won't be needing this.

[Samboini @ Jan 19th 2009 4:17PM]

The vindaloo I had on Saturday red ringed me too.

:(

[smokey31 @ Jan 19th 2009 4:32PM]

You can find tutorials on line how to fix the red ring. Usually its something got disconnected. Or you could just return it to best buy and get a jasper.

http://www.anonboard.com

[Brad @ Jan 19th 2009 8:41PM]

My launch XBOX360 red ringed about 2 months ago and they fixed it without issue. What are you complaining about, they'll send you another one.

[SDotCiRe @ Jan 19th 2009 9:03PM]

@Brad

Well technically it's one month out of the 3 year warranty, it was manufactured Dec. 16th 2005, but I've heard that they will fix red ringed 360s even if it's out of warranty since it's a known issue. Any truth to this?

-(Might be a repost, urgg.)

[Andy @ Jan 19th 2009 4:05PM]

I got mine from Walmart.com 2 weeks ago for the same price.

[Kelly Spongberg @ Jan 20th 2009 6:57PM]

Not on the Canadian Amazon store. $55 plus taxes!

[Vander @ Jan 19th 2009 4:38PM]

Headlines:"Canadian games market hits a record $1.66 billion"...yeahhhh Kelly, pretty weird huh?, pretty weird.

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Jan 19th 2009 4:08PM]

This happens every 13 months from the initial release date for some reason.

I personally think MS will be changing Live so that you don't need Gold to play online. You'll still need it for "early" access and for streaming Netflix though.

[Chris @ Jan 19th 2009 4:27PM]

The last numbers Microsoft released said they have 17 million XBL users and the majority are gold. That's 8.5 million people (minimum) paying $50 a year. I don't think Microsoft will be giving up almost half a billion a year.

[Vander @ Jan 19th 2009 4:31PM]

Not really, because Netflix run just in US and Gold it's worldwide subscription. Anyways this price-cut is sweet, I remember when I bought my very first annual subscription hopping to finish it until RRoD could knock my door ...and IT DID (finish the sub) T____T, then I sell it to buy Elite u_u

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Jan 19th 2009 6:18PM]

I think you only read half of my post.

Microsoft has no intention of losing the paying gold customers. They will just try to win them using different enticements. Early access to demos (as now), Netflix, perhaps even beta access to hot upcoming games or a free game each quarter.

[Sid @ Jan 19th 2009 9:09PM]

Personally, I think that all of LIVE should be free. They earn enough from their online sales of videos and stuff anyway. Well, at least Netflix shouldn't require LIVE Gold as you'd have to first pay for a Netflix membership and then for LIVE Gold - that's kinda much. Unless they allow Gold members to view online Netflix videos without being Netflix members.