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No XBL price hike for Australia

  • By James Kozanecki, GameSpot AU
  • Posted Aug 30, 2010 7:47 pm PT

Microsoft AU confirms current Xbox Live price structure will remain the same down under.

Microsoft announced overnight that it is raising the price of Xbox Live Gold subscriptions in the US, Canada, Mexico, and the UK, but it seems Australians have so far been spared from the price hike.

While Australia usually gets the raw end of the deal when it comes to game prices, the good news is that Microsoft AU isn't following suit in raising XBL prices down under. A Microsoft spokesperson told GameSpot AU that: "There are no plans or announcements locally regarding this."

An Xbox Live Gold 12-month subscription currently costs A$79.95 ($71) in Australia. Of course, a price increase may still be imminent--Microsoft's Aussie arm is hosting a major media event tomorrow morning, so stay tuned to GameSpot AU for any local news that may occur.

24 Comments

  • Rusty010

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 11:17 am GMT

    What do you think about the XBL price increase? Check out my profile blog for more.

  • SLY_JD

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 8:56 pm GMT

    Not many people I know in Aus pay for XBL via card on live anyway. Cheaper to buy from a local store when on special (a special is going to occur within 12 months) or from GameCard for $50.

  • soulessblade

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 8:03 pm GMT

    ...which I take to mean we were being shafted anyway. That said I do enjoy the service and it's nice not to get caught up in a global increase. @TurambarGS: Agreed. Getting super laggy connections to the US (not their fault) for SSFIV is getting real old. I only bother against my local buds now.

  • TurambarGS

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 6:00 am GMT

    ... which is nice, considering it's seriously slow software and the inbuilt matchmaking system constantly puts us into American and European games where we lag horribly. I'd hope that they'd get around to fixing that little problem before bumping up the price.

  • E-i-N-e

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 5:54 am GMT

    For once I am happy to call myself an Aussie Gamer. All they need to do now is allow the R 18+ Classification into Australia and for the government to treat us like adults, not children.

  • chris_yz80

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 5:52 am GMT

    *witchsight, yeah arrogant, my mistake

  • SuprSaiyanRockr

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 5:33 am GMT

    That's great; we pay enough for games already. Good to see they're cutting their Aussie customers some slack.

  • Witchsight

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 5:32 am GMT

    *waiting for arigant american to enter this thread and start abusing us*

    You mean Arrogant?

    Its ok, im Canadian

  • chris_yz80

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 5:27 am GMT

    *waiting for arrogant american to enter this thread and start abusing us*

    But seriously this is good news, im sick of $80-$120 for a new game and live ontop of that

  • Vaultboy-101

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 4:05 am GMT

    @criegz youve got a point there mate.

  • dean797

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 4:05 am GMT

    We are not winning one finally, we are just losing a bit less.

  • SwiftusMaximus

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 4:04 am GMT

    Good news ,we were about to cancel our subscription.
    70 odd bucks is more than enough. Quite frankly i think its still over priced for the quality of online access.

  • criegz

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 3:27 am GMT

    Everyone else is complaining? REALLY? Not to whine and cry, but us Aussies do usually get the royal screwjob. What with the no R18+ rating, inflated prices on consoles, inflated prices on games...Aside from the chicks, what else is there?

  • majikninja69

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 3:12 am GMT

    it wont last, its M$ theyll screw us over, & we live at the a ss hole of the world we get sh it last its fu ckn anoying as hell + sh it internet rates & speed + higher cost to things, its just bull sh it

  • isshiah

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 2:45 am GMT

    i paid $145 for the adapter and then $80 for the subscription. i didn't really want to get gold in the first place because of the price so i was a silver member for a year. anyway it about time australia gets thrown a bone.

  • Vaultboy-101

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 2:38 am GMT

    For once microsoft didnt choose money over the community. But how about making the price go DOWN $10 for everybody? Its ridiculous that we have to pay for Live,games,equpiment,subscription,etc. Bu the time you buy a 12 month subscription and the adapter you have already spent over 200 dollars.

  • mtenn1

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 2:02 am GMT

    HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Aussie gamers win one finally.

  • spirit_777

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 1:34 am GMT

    I'll be happy if prices don't go up. It's a great service xbox live but I don't think upping the price is necessary.

  • Weddum

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 12:51 am GMT

    The prices here are inflated enough already as it is. They don't need to be any higher. Gaming related sales are bad enough here with consoles that cost $500 and $120 games.

  • burtonboy05

    Posted Aug 31, 2010 12:28 am GMT

    its good to be an Aussie gamer for once lol. While we can argue the service should be free, $80 a year or $6.65 a month is not going to break the bank. It's the cost of a new game which to me seems ok for a pretty good service. I'd still buy it if the price went up providing killer games were still hitting the shelves and live service was improving. Let's face it you don't get much for free in this day and age and I'm sure in time Sony will implement a fee of some sort. $6.65 is cheaper than a baguette at lunch. Go hungry one day a month to satisfy your online gaming hunger lol.

  • realone2005

    Posted Aug 30, 2010 11:01 pm GMT

    very good news

  • owza48

    Posted Aug 30, 2010 10:30 pm GMT

    If you can be bothered to look around you can usually find cheaper 12 month subscriptions

  • CamoBullo

    Posted Aug 30, 2010 10:15 pm GMT

    It still costs quite a bit of money, though. Any word of it rising in Australia and LIVE can go to hell.

  • benboz

    Posted Aug 30, 2010 9:44 pm GMT

    I hope it doesn't rise at all for us aussies.

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