Xbox Live Is Changing
After 18 years using the Xbox Live name, Microsoft has officially begun rebranding the service to the new Xbox Network. Earlier today, Xbox players began to notice that Xbox Live features have been changed to the new title “Xbox Network” leading to speculation over Microsoft dropping the Xbox Live branding entirely.
Turns out, they are. According to a report from The Verge reporter, Tom Warren. Warren received a comment on the matter from a Microsoft representative.
“’Xbox network’ refers to the underlying Xbox online service, which was updated in the Microsoft Services Agreement, the update from ‘Xbox Live’ to ‘Xbox network’ is intended to distinguish the underlying service from Xbox Live Gold memberships.”
In the past, there has been some speculation about Microsoft canceling their Xbox Live Gold subscription service as Xbox Game Pass becomes more and more popular. However, Microsoft has no plans of removing or discontinuing their Xbox Live Gold subscriptions, rather they are just using the Xbox Network branding to distinguishing the subscription from the service as a whole. Meaning the ‘Xbox Network’ encompasses everything from Xbox Live Gold to Xbox Game Pass and then some.
The plot has been thickening for some time on what Microsoft will do with the service. This past August, a spokesperson confirmed to Warren that they wouldn’t be rebranding the Xbox Live service anytime soon.
this follows “Xbox network” appearing in the dashboard instead of “Xbox Live.” I do not know exactly what’s happening, but the Gold price backlash was certainly a wake up call internally at Microsoft https://t.co/Ii6RJQgRNF
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) March 21, 2021
This past Sunday, Warren reposted the article in a response to the rumours of the rebranding happening sometime this week, stating that “the Gold price backlash was certainly a wake up call internally at Microsoft”.
Back in January, Xbox announced a substantial price increase for the service and was met with a barrage of criticism before promptly reversing their decision. Not only did they decide to keep the price the same, they even ensured that Xbox Live Gold would not be required for free-to-play games.