$99 Xbox Live Gold Family plan available this November

by JC Fletcher on Jun 22nd 2010 11:00AM

With Kinect, Microsoft is trying to get the whole family playing games. Now it hopes to get the whole family paying for Xbox Live as well, through a discounted "Family" offer. The Xbox Live Gold Family plan, available this November, offers a year of Xbox Live Gold membership to four different family members for a total cost of $99.99, half the normal cost of four individual memberships.

It also includes new features, including a "Family Center" menu for managing the family account and content restriction settings, activity reports on Xbox.com, the ability for the "primary account member" to buy and distribute points to other members, and "exclusive family content and discounts."

Microsoft is further expanding its family gaming functionality this November with new Family Settings, also due in November. "Family Programming" expands the parental controls to allow the removal of all video and game content of a certain rating level from the Dashboard for younger users, variable by account and password-protected. Title exceptions allow parents to permit certain games rated above the account's maximum level -- for those who can't bear to deny their kids access to Deadly Premonition.

Show full PR text

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.

1 ESPN on Xbox available for Xbox LIVE Gold members that are ESPN viewers in supported markets. ESPN on Xbox LIVE, providing great content from ESPN3.com and ESPN.com, is only available to Xbox LIVE Gold members. For access to ESPN3.com content, Gold members must receive theirinternet connection from an affiliated broadband provider. See ESPN3.com for details and providers.

Tags: Family-Settings, microsoft, Parental-Controls, xbox, Xbox-Live, Xbox-Live-Gold-Family

Reader Comments (88)

Wow, they're really pushing this family gaming thing now, aren't they?

THIS IS GREAT FOR FOUR FRIENDS. 25 each and they all get xboxlive for a year.

Well, it's about time!

@(Unverified) Yeah, thats what I was thinking too! Hopefully it doesn't have some weird restriction like two "kid accounts" required, or all 4 people can only play on a linked console, or something.

*insert facepalm picture*

@(Unverified)
Why the facepalm? This is actually a good deal for someone who is a father and has 2 kids that play on XBL.

@(Unverified)

"and has 2 kids that play on XBL."

The very essence of everything wrong with playing 360 games online.

@(Unverified)

I'm with you ice. This is perfect for my household. I'll definitely be dropping the extra $50.

I guess it's pretty decent for parents to get all these controls, but really, what parent wants to pay twice as much instead of just letting their kid share one account?

I for one actually like this idea. For the "gaming family" it's a great idea.

@(Unverified)
A family that plays together, stays together.
Unless it's a versus match. That could end up in a divorce fast.

Co-op only.

I wonder if you can take accounts on and off whenever because I wouldn't mind having it for friends when we all chip in $25 instead of $50.

@(Unverified)
This is a good idea.

@(Unverified)

I was thinking the same thing. Doing it this way would make XBL way more palatable for the wife.

@(Unverified)

Exactly. My friends and I would be all over this instantly. However, I have a bad feel that these accounts are going to be tied to the same Xbox console. Here's hoping...

I already have the PS3 family gaming plan ($0), the Wii family gaming plan (0$), the PC family gaming plan ($0), the DS family gaming plan ($0), and the PSP family gaming plan ($0).

Kinda hard to drop $99 in the face of all that free online family gaming.

@FOI

Clown.

@FOI

I have the same family gaming plan....except by "family" I mean me. Still at $0 that price can't be beat for all those systems. Microsoft needs to be more competitive before I consider them.

@FOI

I am happy my PS3 online is free, but I don't find the $50/yr (if you're a chump and can't find a better deal) worth it for such a great online experience on the Xbox. I also play way more online games on the Xbox than I do the PS3.

@FOI

I've played SSIV on the 360 and PS3, they both lag the same. I don't see how the experience is better. Neither have dedicated servers. If you're talking services like chat then sure the 360 does that better, but if the service isn't making the game experience any better then I really don't see the point.

@FOI

Well you do get what you pay for. I've got all those "free" online plans too. None of them even begin to match the experience I get with the $0.14 a day I pay for XBL.

It's kind of sad to see how conditioned people are to paying for online play. It can only get worse from here on out.

@FOI
I pay my ISP for my peer-2-peer bandwidth usage. Gold members pay their ISP and Microsoft for their peer-2-peer bandwidth usage.

It's not about the quality level of Live as a service but rather the fact Microsoft wants me to pay them for the usage of my bandwidth and even goes as far as to devalue most 360 games by removing a major component for non-subscribers = online multiplayer.

Were every single Live enabled game run on dedicated servers then Microsoft might have a case for charging users but as the service currently exists in a mostly peer-2-peer manner it simply is not worth it to anyone with more sense than money.

@FOI

Gold actually enables a lot more than just MP. You get all the various party and cross game chat features that make Live a seamless experience (you know, the same stuff Sony is about to charge for). And it's not pure P2P either. You don't get matches set up via magic. There's matchmaking going on in the middle. Claiming they're just charging you for bandwidth is silly.

When is ESPN coming to Live? They didn't say @ E3.

@MLC I have heard November. Which sucks because I was really excited to be able to watch college football on it this year.

I guess November is better than never though. :)

Well that's not *too* unreasonable. I guess it can't hurt to push this whole family gaming thing a bit too. Kinda shows you the direction Microsoft is headed in though. =/

I agree, but what MS really should have done was allow users from the same ID'ed Xbox 360 console to play online as well. Far too many times I've had my nephew over and his friends wanting to play co-op or multiplayer games online but they can't, only the kid using my account could though.

I feel for those parents having to pay extra for their kids Live Gold account. This is far better an option than paying individually though...

Great idea. I've seen families buy 3 or 4 XBL subscriptions at the same time. This is a great way to save money.

This is also a great deal for roommates who play on the same console, but on different gamertags.

Roommates I could understand, but you've seen families buy 3 or 4 accounts?? Wow, seems I stand corrected... I would certainly have thought they'd just share the one account...

Alright.. so... great news for them, then!

@Xoonaka

You can't use parental controls on different people playing the same account, now can you? And I would think the parental controls for a 14 year old should be different than a 9 year old.

I think it's a great thing that parents are willing to spend 2-3x more money to make sure they have some sort of control over what their younger ones are doing. Sure, they shouldn't have to pay that much, but it at least shows that the parents are getting involved in their children's activities.

The internet doesn't have to be a place without children. It just shouldn't be a place with children that have no supervision whatsoever or those who have horrible parents.

If they allow marketplace item sharing between members on the family plan, that would be awesome. I'd be tempted to get my wife a LIVE account, but the fact that items (say for an avatar) I buy I can't give to her really irks me.

@SpartacusMagnus
Marketplace sharing has always been there. If I buy an XBLA game, anyone else on my console can play (full version) and obtain gamerscore.

Yeah, I know. I said ITEMS, not GAMES. I like that with one family "account" you can manage all the linked gamertags, like distributing MS points, I'm just hoping they carry that one step further and allow you to share things like avatar clothing and items.

@SpartacusMagnus buy her real heels- women can't have too many pairs of shoes, men can though- anyway, it's far better than anything on LIVE!

Heels come with a surprise bonus too, if you get my drift. ;)

How about a couple plan for my wife and I?? Oh wait, thats $100 too.

@mirage
Or be a smart consumer, do a little research, wait for some sales, and buy your year subscriptions for $29.99 each. You know, instead of being sarcastic.

Hmmm, I like this. I always wanted my wife to have a gold membership. If I can have up to 4 for 100 bucks that takes the sting out of paying for Gold Membership.

@Fminus Negativity To The Rescue

I'm more worried about my family catching something from my computer. Do you know what seedy corners of the internet that thing has gone to?

So I take it all the accounts have to be on the same console? Otherwise couldn't we all just split these among 4 friends (not that $25 each is much, if any cheaper than most people pay for Live anyway, but I'm assuming this thing will go on sale just like the 1-member plans do)?

You could make the accounts on one console, then sign in with them on your own, I'd guess that'll work.

@Fminus Negativity To The Rescue

How does this related to the topic?

So...me and my friends could get together and sign up for this? Or do they all have to log in from the same console?

I actually think the distribute points thing is the best part of this - every so often I want someone to pick up some DLC or an arcade game and they get fussy over $5.

@SteamPunkJin

I find this comment relevant and am wondering the same thing

if they added this years ago i probably would have bought a 360 before PS3.

XBox LIVE has some better features, but PSN at least allows a single account to be used on multiple consoles (and for free). Plus XBox 360 allows you to simply have "guests" along on the same screen when playing online, so what's the real difference? Save your money unless you REALLY gotta each have your own distinct single-player accounts. The family thing's irrelevant because it's just an indirect promotion for Kinect's upcoming onslaught of casual-centric shovelware.

@(Unverified) Uh, you can use a single XBL account on as many consoles as you want.

@Vcize

Just not as conveniently. Unless something has changed that I don't know about, you've either got to put it on a card/stick that you have to tote around or you have to go through that stupid import process. Then any XBLA games you have will only work offline on one of the consoles... not a big issue most of the time, but sort of annoying anyway.

@Vidikron
My USB stick is about the size of my thumbnail... I don't think slipping it in my pocket would qualify as "toting" it around.

@(Unverified) Now that PSN is in competition to XBL, as you said, why pay for an online service ever again? Most of the services, or features, that are attached to Xbox Live can be accessed from other devices for free. Last.FM, for example, I can access that on my phone for free, hook it up to my car stereo or home theater system, and I have all the free music available to me. Facebook and Twitter can be accessed from the computer for free - even on the PS3 it's free through it's built-in web browser. Almost everything that XBL has are available elsewhere for free. Especially on the PS3. So yes, I agree with your statement. Paying for Microsoft's service is just pissing money down the toilet. And if people are going to spend that kind of money they might as well give it to charity.

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$99 Xbox Live Gold Family plan available this November

Reader Comments (88)

Posted: Jun 22nd 2010 11:04AM RobS the 3rd said

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