Looks like the Xbox Live Gold 12-month subscription option is getting phased out

It looks like Microsoft is getting rid of the Xbox Live Gold 12-month subscription option, as there's currently only one and three month packages available on both the UK and US sites.

In the UK, the one month option is £6.99 a month, while the three month subscription is a quarterly charge of £17.99 - that's 14% savings, if you struggle with math like I do. In the US, it's $9.99 a month with a quarterly option of $24.99 - and you'll save 17% if you choose the latter option.

An Xbox Live Gold subscription lets you game online, get 2-4 free games every month, and enjoy discounts of up to 75% off on Xbox One games. Now, the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription is an entirely different beast, and it looks like those prices and subscription options have remained the same - $14.99/month in the US and £10.99/month in the UK. With Xbox Game Pass Ultimate you'll get an Xbox Live Gold subscription, plus unlimited access to hundreds of PC and Xbox titles.

As an Xbox player, I can safely say that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the best gaming subscription service you can get for your money - and considering highly anticipated next-gen titles like Halo Infinite will be on Xbox Game Pass at launch, it's a no-brainer. And, as we just reported, Microsoft has just announced that xCloud, its game streaming service akin to Google Stadia, will be free with Game Pass come September.

However, if the Game Pass subscription isn't in the cards for you and you're just looking to do some Xbox Live Gold gaming, I'd say the three-month plan is the more economical of the two. Conversely, if you're considering switching allegiances in the future, the one month plan is certainly less of a commitment.

Check out some great Xbox Game Pass deals we've collected for you.

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Alyssa Mercante used to be a features writer at GamesRadar and is now a freelance writer and editor. Prior to entering the industry, she got her Masters's degree in Modern and Contemporary Literature at Newcastle University with a dissertation focusing on contemporary indie games. She spends most of her time playing competitive shooters and in-depth RPGs and was recently on a PAX Panel about the best bars in video games. In her spare time Alyssa rescues cats, practices her Italian, and plays soccer.