Xbox Live family subscription plan available starting in November for $99
By Laura June 
posted June 22nd 2010 11:39AM
posted June 22nd 2010 11:39AM
Microsoft's just dropped details on its new Xbox Live family subscription plan. Starting in November, it will offer the Gold Family Pack, enabling up to four users to have Xbox Live Gold subscriptions, for $99.99 a year. It'll also debut the Family Center, a new menu accessible from the dashboard for customizing account settings. We've certainly wished for something like this in the past, and the pricing sounds like a pretty good deal to us -- we'll be able to afford a new cap for our avatar, afterall! Full press release is below.
New Xbox LIVE Gold Family Subscription Plan Delivers More Value and Family Fun
Xbox 360 makes family time, quality time. Only Xbox LIVE delivers a world of games, movies, social entertainment and starting this November, live sports, allowing you to share them with the people you care about, around the world.
This November, the new Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack will offer up to four individual Xbox LIVE Gold memberships for only US$99.99 – the price of two regular Xbox LIVE Gold subscriptions. Now as you prepare for the launch of Kinect for Xbox 360, which makes YOU the controller, consider giving your family premium Gold experience and access to the biggest names in entertainment.
Perfect for families, the Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack will also offer access to additional conveniences and services including the new Family Center, accessible on the Xbox dashboard and Xbox.com for easier family management, access to activity monitoring reports, and the ability to purchase and give Microsoft Points to other Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack members.
An Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack includes:
* Up to four individual Xbox LIVE Gold memberships for the price of two – (US) $99.99.
* Family Center – a single, easy to use, destination for Family Settings and account management, accessible on the Xbox dashboard and on Xbox.com.
* The primary account member has the ability to purchase and dispense Microsoft Points to other Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack members.
* Activity monitoring reports viewable on Xbox.com to help encourage discussions about safer more balanced gaming and entertainment habits.
* Simplified billing that applies all purchase charges to the primary account holder's billing account and the ability to authorize purchases, helping to manage the family's entertainment budget.
* Exclusive family content and discounts.
The industry-leading, built-in Xbox 360 Family Settings are also being taken to the next level this November. It's Microsoft's goal to provide parents and caregivers with tools and resources to manage their children's gaming and entertainment experiences, and these features are available to all Xbox LIVE members:
* Family Programming that removes all mature games, movies, and content from the dashboard, based on ESRB, Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) ratings and the TV Parental Guidelines system . Family Programming is password protected, and easy to turn on and off for each member. (Compatible with international ratings systems.)
* Title exceptions – the ability to allow your family members to play specific games above the console's designated ESRB rating if you deem appropriate. (Compatible with international ratings systems.)
* Intelligent default settings for child, teen, and adult profiles. Xbox will automatically assign default privacy and activity settings for each member that can later be individually customized.
* Family Settings are displayed prominently in the MyXbox channel. Current tools include the Family Timer, which allows you to control the amount of time - either daily or weekly - your children may use the console.
Whether you want to play your favorite games, stream movies and music from Zune, or watch the latest sporting event together via ESPN on Xbox LIVE1, Xbox 360 brings the best family-friendly entertainment straight to your living room.
Xbox 360 makes family time, quality time. Only Xbox LIVE delivers a world of games, movies, social entertainment and starting this November, live sports, allowing you to share them with the people you care about, around the world.
This November, the new Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack will offer up to four individual Xbox LIVE Gold memberships for only US$99.99 – the price of two regular Xbox LIVE Gold subscriptions. Now as you prepare for the launch of Kinect for Xbox 360, which makes YOU the controller, consider giving your family premium Gold experience and access to the biggest names in entertainment.
Perfect for families, the Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack will also offer access to additional conveniences and services including the new Family Center, accessible on the Xbox dashboard and Xbox.com for easier family management, access to activity monitoring reports, and the ability to purchase and give Microsoft Points to other Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack members.
An Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack includes:
* Up to four individual Xbox LIVE Gold memberships for the price of two – (US) $99.99.
* Family Center – a single, easy to use, destination for Family Settings and account management, accessible on the Xbox dashboard and on Xbox.com.
* The primary account member has the ability to purchase and dispense Microsoft Points to other Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack members.
* Activity monitoring reports viewable on Xbox.com to help encourage discussions about safer more balanced gaming and entertainment habits.
* Simplified billing that applies all purchase charges to the primary account holder's billing account and the ability to authorize purchases, helping to manage the family's entertainment budget.
* Exclusive family content and discounts.
The industry-leading, built-in Xbox 360 Family Settings are also being taken to the next level this November. It's Microsoft's goal to provide parents and caregivers with tools and resources to manage their children's gaming and entertainment experiences, and these features are available to all Xbox LIVE members:
* Family Programming that removes all mature games, movies, and content from the dashboard, based on ESRB, Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) ratings and the TV Parental Guidelines system . Family Programming is password protected, and easy to turn on and off for each member. (Compatible with international ratings systems.)
* Title exceptions – the ability to allow your family members to play specific games above the console's designated ESRB rating if you deem appropriate. (Compatible with international ratings systems.)
* Intelligent default settings for child, teen, and adult profiles. Xbox will automatically assign default privacy and activity settings for each member that can later be individually customized.
* Family Settings are displayed prominently in the MyXbox channel. Current tools include the Family Timer, which allows you to control the amount of time - either daily or weekly - your children may use the console.
Whether you want to play your favorite games, stream movies and music from Zune, or watch the latest sporting event together via ESPN on Xbox LIVE1, Xbox 360 brings the best family-friendly entertainment straight to your living room.
If I can do this for multiple Xboxes, count me IN.
I like this.
Peter Griffin: Wait, People, we have to handle this delicately. Microsoft ....wants....to plow you.?
Just get Red Dead Redemption. I got 3 hats from that game.
I think that this is going to be a waste of moolah
I just paid for 1 year of live from Walmart.com for $34.
My guess is that you won't be able to sign on to each account at the same time from different xboxes. If I have an xbox upstairs and one downstairs I would assume if one is signed in the other will not. If it allows it I could see live sharing taking place but the $100 is too steep when you can get live for less than the advertised $50 per year.
@Kurto2021 I can't see them not allowing the separate accounts on different boxes simultaneously. If it's for a family, siblings would quite frequently have their own boxes. It would kind of make it nearly pointless.
This is really a good deal and with all the content they are about to add and the fact that the same stuff besides online pay you will have to pay for with PS3 not bad. I can share with my brother, sister, and to of my friends
i just want to play games, ill stick to free with my ps3 thanks.
Or they could just tie it to the console rather than the account...
Multiple consoles?
Simultaneous login?
Good, but what about families that have more than one 360?
Maybe I'm cynical, but I find it hard to believe that MS would let someone buy four open accounts like this and just let them share them with anyone. I'm sure they're going to tie them to a single console so you have to have four users in your household to take advantage of the deal.
@hobbes99 If that's the case, then count me OUT. I have 2 360's already with a shiny black one on the way. If I can't split them, No deal.
@hobbes99 maybe...but then people would game less often.
the more consoles they have in your house, the more simultaneous gaming goes on which equates to more games sold.
Think about it, if they restrict it to one console, that just means 1 copy of Halo sold. If they allow you to use multiple, that means 2 copies of Halo sold. Times that by every other FPS...especially the COD series which doesn't let you do hotseat multilayer like Halo and there's big bucks in it.
@tkuhl87 good point. But if they were looking to do as you say and encourage more game sales then wouldn't it make more sense to just skip the bundling concept and lower the price of Gold to $25 each? I think MS is more likely providing an incentive for the family-style interface that it seems to be targeting with Kinect.
I love this. I pay 150.00 a year for myself and my to teenage stepsons, and will soon be adding my younger son. This is like being told I get 50% xbox live forever. I LIKE THIS...ALRIGHT...
I like this, but what if I need more than 4? 5 kids and two geeky parents...
@mbmanning well...$200 a year then for you! :)
seriously...a lot better than $420 a year for each having their own account.
@tkuhl87 For real, I like the $200 price tag! I'm just wondering if I can tie all the accounts under one master account or will I have to deal with two master accounts (one for each family pack).
Woof! I'm tired. I was reading:
XBIX
LOVE
/*
'Going to Nap-ville.
*/
Pretty damn sweet, definitely going to tell my buddies about this.
So does anyone know if I get the family plan can I use it on 2 different 360's. I have one in the living room and one in my bedroom. I would like to have netflix on both, but can only get live gold on one box at a time. Anyone know a way around this?
Great!
now my son can stop screwing up my create a classes on MW2 ;)
do these all have to be used on the same console or can 4 friends split the $99 for cheap Xbox Live subs?
This is sweet
wait a second, is this for 4 who share the same IP address? They never said anything about 4 can use it at different location.
Woot 2 more free accounts, the wife and I already have accounts so this is great
This is perfect for out fam. Me and my son both have accounts and shell out $100 already for those. Not the gals get their own account. Sweet deal!
you can play online with xbox live with silver on some games
@big nazty
I didn't know that. It's a shame it's not all games, because that's such a great aspect to why the PS3 is a great value. Sure, that extra stuff is neat for some people, but this is a gaming machine and online gaming is central to gaming in 2010.
Finally some REAL news, i just got so sick of all the damn iPhone and Apple shit all over the homepage.
MORE REAL NEWS like this one requested !!! :D
Now that is a great solution. Living with two brothers sharing the same box, I always wanted something like this.
Hmm...this is a great idea...Better than paying for 4 seperate live accounts.
Some questions:
will it allow the different users to be on different systems or only a single system?
Will it make logging in with your account easier across multiple systems??
Will they allow someone to combine multiple accounts into this new Family account?
Will purchasing DLC or items with one of the accounts allow access for all the accounts?
I'd rather they offer four years of Gold for one user for $99.
I don't have three other family members that would use it in a year. Why should people with kids get a discount, anyway?