Xbox Live Gold Is Getting More Expensive

Xbox Live Gold is about to get more expensive for some people. Microsoft confirmed on Friday that the cost of a one-month subscription is going up by $1 USD, while 3-month subscriptions will now cost $5 USD more.

The new pricing structure for Xbox Live Gold will be as follows:

  • 1 month – $11
  • 3 months — $30
  • 6 months — $60

This is only a little bit less than a Game Pass Ultimate subscription, which is priced as follows:

  • 1 month – $15
  • 3 months – $45

Sony’s PlayStation Plus service is now priced much lower than Xbox Live Gold if you’re not renewing a membership:

  • 1 month – $10
  • 3 months – $25
  • 12 months – $60
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Explaining the price hike, Microsoft provided the following statement:

“Periodically, we assess the value and pricing of our services to reflect changes in regional marketplaces and to continue to invest in the Xbox community; we’ll be making price adjustments for Xbox Live Gold in select markets. In many markets, the price of Xbox Live Gold has not changed for years and in some markets, it hasn’t changed for over 10 years.”

Existing subscribers on a 6-month or 12-month subscription to Xbox Live Gold will not see a price increase to their plan, and they can resubscribe at the same price.

Xbox users who want to upgrade from Xbox Live Gold to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (which includes Gold and Game Pass), the remaining Gold time will covert to Ultimate.

“For example, if you have 11 months of Xbox Live Gold now, and you upgrade to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, those 11 months convert to 11 months of Ultimate at no additional cost,” Microsoft said.

Players will be notified of the price increases through an email and via an Xbox message that should arrive in your inboxes over the next month. The price increases won’t go into effect until at least 45 days after you receive the notification.

Xbox Games With Gold For February 2021 Features 5 Free Games, Including Gears 5

Xbox’s Games With Gold typically features four free games each month, but Microsoft is kicking it up a notch for February. Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members who have an active subscription can get the excellent Gears 5 along with Resident Evil, Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition, Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb, and Lost Planet 2. As always, the games remain free as long as you have an active subscription, and all of them are playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

Set after the events of Gears 4 and featuring Kait Diaz in the lead role, Gears 5 is a horror-inspired entry in the series that digs deeper into the mysterious origins of the Locusts as well as the role humanity played in the conflict. Its excellent campaign is complemented by a beefy competitive multiplayer mode and several cooperative offerings, including Horde mode.

Resident Evil is a great choice for February, seeing as it’s only a few months before we get Resident Evil Village, and the version included with Games With Gold is the remaster from a few years back. It’s a tense and smaller-scale game than some of its successors, but it emphasizes classic horror over action for a less mindless experience. It also introduces us to some of the series’ best characters like Jill and Chris.

Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition may not be a household name, but the pixel art action game is an acclaimed and mysterious adventure that has elements of Metroidvania games. If you like Celeste, the chances are pretty high that you’re going to like Dandara, as well, and there’s even more focus on the narrative in this version.

Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb was released way back on the original Xbox, taking place in China during the ’30s in a classic action-adventure that also includes a trip to Istanbul. You’ll have access to Indiana’s classic equipment, including his whip, and there’s also a hand-to-hand combat system so you can lay down the smack.

Lost Planet 2 is the last freebie of the month. Capcom’s sequel takes you out of the frozen hellscape of the original and into something a little warmer. However, it retains the first game’s excellent blend of exploration and third-person combat, and it’s generally considered to be superior to the third game, which released three years later.

Free Games With Gold for February 2021

  • Resident Evil: February 1-28
  • Gears 5: February 1-28
  • Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition: February 16-March 15
  • Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb: February 1-15
  • Lost Planet 2: February 16-28

Now Playing: Gears 5 Video Review

Halo: MCC’s Huge Season 5 Update Is Almost Here, Adds 80 Pieces Of New Armor

343 Industries continues to expand on Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and now the latest substantial update has been announced and detailed.

Season 5 begins on January 27, and it sounds like yet another massive update for the compilation package of classic Halo games. The season will introduce a whopping 80 pieces of armor for Halo 3 and Reach that players can unlock through a battle pass-style system. There will also be more weapon skins and additional seasonal challenges to get more rewards.

Season 5 goes live on January 27 across all platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The seasonal refreshes usually also include a new menu screen, but this hasn’t been divulged yet.

The new armors for Halo 3–along with the new weapon skins–have been controversial in some circles, as players have said these new additions are taking away from the OG flavor of the game. In response to this, MCC now lets you toggle off weapon skins and armor.

In other Halo news, Microsoft is releasing a new Halo audiobook that is narrated by none other than the voice actor for 343 Guilty Spark. 2021 is a big year for Halo and the Xbox brand, as both celebrate their 20th anniversaries this year, and Halo Infinite is finally releasing following a delay.

Genshin Impact Celebrates New Year With Update 1.3 Lantern Rite Event

Genshin Impact was one of the biggest success stories of 2020, and the free-to-play action-RPG is showing no signs of slowing down this year. Beginning next month, the game’s Tayvat setting will celebrate the new year with the Lantern Rite event.

Starting February 3 with game version 1.3, all players will be able to participate in Lantern Rite at the Liyue Harbor. Those who participate will receive the free four-star Liyue character along with 1,600 Primogems, and you’ll see special lanterns float into the sky as the first full moon of the year appears overhead.

You’ll have to complete several different requests from the other people celebrating to help them prepare, and this will raise the “Festive Fever” level and let you complete even more quests.

One of the special additions for the event is a tower defense game called Theater Mechanicus, and it’s available to play either alone or with a group. You can receive special Peace Talismans for winning that can be used in the Xiao Market on a variety of items.

Developer miHoYo promises there are some other surprises in store during the event, too. Genshin Impact has been updated with new content since its release in 2020, adding new heroes and missions to keep players engaged. It’s available now on iOS, Android, PC, PS4, and PS5 via backward compatibility, with a Nintendo Switch planned for the future. It’s free on all platforms, with a gacha system used for unlocking new characters.

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Halo Infinite Beta Test: Developer Is “Actively Drafting Plans” For 2021, Report Says

It appears Microsoft will make good on its promise to let people beta test Halo Infinite before the game releases publicly. Windows Central reports that developer 343 Industries is “actively drafting plans” for multiple beta tests for Halo Infinite to come later in 2021.

Microsoft refers to these testing periods as “flights,” and they have been and continue to be used by the studio for new Halo: The Master Chief Collection updates.

According to the report, the beta tests for Halo Infinite will begin small and grow in size over time. As was the case with the Halo: MCC flights, the feedback from the beta tests will help inform key decisions about Halo Infinite as 343 prepares to release the game publicly.

343 will select beta testers from the Halo Insider program, so be sure to sign up for it if you want to have a chance to play Halo Infinite early.

This reporting from Windows Central appears to signal a change of plans from 343 Industries. In July 2020, the studio said it was scaling back its beta-testing plans for Halo Infinite and the team could no longer commit to releasing any public beta tests for the game. Those plans have now seemingly changed, which is good news for fans who want to try Halo Infinite a little early.

Back at E3 2018, Microsoft announced an ambitious beta-testing program for Halo Infinite that would see 343 invite people to test the game ahead of launch and give feedback to the studio. Those plans got uprooted due in part to COVID-19, which impacted the development of Halo Infinite and led to the game getting delayed to fall 2021.

When Halo Infinite is finally released, it will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and Game Pass subscribers can get the game for no extra charge. 2021 is a big year in general for Halo and Xbox, as the game and the platform celebrate their 20th anniversaries.

Now Playing: Halo Infinite Full Presentation | Xbox Games Showcase 2020

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Hitman 3 Has Strong Start, Sets New Digital Sales Record

Hitman 3 is finally out, and the stealth-action game is off to a strong start. Developer IO Interactive announced that Hitman 3 came out hot out of the gate, quickly becoming the “biggest digital launch” across the entire franchise dating back years.

IO did not share any specific sales numbers or other metrics that speak to Hitman 3’s sales story so far, however. Normally we’d be able to see how many players the game has on Steam thanks to the platform’s public stats page, but the PC edition is exclusive to the Epic Games Store. Microsoft and Sony similarly do not have public sales data available for digital console games.

Hitman 3 took a more unique path to release than the earlier games, as IO self-published the game. Previously, IO worked with Square Enix and Warner Bros. to publish the earlier games.

Hitman 3 concludes the World of Assassination trilogy, and to that end, players can import the locations from Hitman 1 and 2 into the new game. There have been some issues with this, but IO is working to improve the situation.

As for what IO is making next, the company has partnered with MGM to produce a new James Bond video game that tells an original story in the 007 universe.

Now Playing: Hitman 3 Review

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EA Sports UFC 4 Brings Conor McGregor’s 2014 Look As Free DLC Ahead Of UFC 257

Ahead of UFC 257 this weekend, UFC legend Conor McGregor is also returning to the latest UFC game with a classic look. You’ll even be able to get it for free.

EA Sports has announced that it is adding a new version of McGregor to UFC 4 that shows the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion as he looked back in 2014 when he first squared off against Dustin Poirier.

The big thing you’ll immediately notice is that McGregor’s braided ponytail is back, while he’s wearing his white vale tudo shorts just like he did in 2014.

There is new McGregor-themed gear to earn as well in the form of t-shirts and shorts that display some of the fighter’s famous lines such as “The king is back” and “I’d like to apologize to absolutely nobody.”

EA is also bringing a brand-new playable character to UFC 4. Lightweight Jiri Prochazka, who has a 27-3-1 record, is now playable in the game ahead of his February 27 fight with Dominick Reyes. On top of that, Andre Bishop and Isaac Frost from the Fight Night games are back in UFC 4 and available to use as playable fighters right now.

Looking ahead, EA will bring boxing champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury to UFC 4 on February 8 as a free update.

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UFC 4 was released in August 2020 for PS4 and Xbox One. EA introduced in-game ads for Amazon’s The Boys and other content, but the publisher quickly removed them after an outcry.

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Playdead’s Next Game Is A Multi-Platform ‘3rd-Person Science Fiction Adventure’

Some details have been revealed about the new project coming from the creators of Limbo and Inside.

Playdead’s currently untitled project will be a “3rd-person science fiction adventure set in a remote corner of the universe,” according to the job listings page on the studio’s website. Within the Technical Director listing the ‘Who We Are’ section is slightly altered, adding that the game is being “built for multiple platforms on Unreal Engine.”

The openings also mention Playdead’s company culture, noting that the studio’s approach to development “does not include crunching towards arbitrary deadlines.” Some new art from the game has also been found in the listings, which you can see in the gallery below.

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It also notes that the game will be published by Epic Games, which we’ve known since March of 2020, when it was revealed that the publisher would be responsible for publishing the next games from gen Design (The Last Guardian), Playdead and Remedy Entertainment via its Epic Games Publishing division.

The game was first teased back in March 2018, via postcards given out at the Game Developer’s Conference. We still don’t have a name or a release window for the game, but as the studio gears up for development, we’ll be sure to let you know if we hear anything more.

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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Switch Joy-Con Drift: Nintendo Now Facing Potential Legal Trouble in Canada, US, and Across Europe

Nintendo is the subject of yet another class-action lawsuit over its Switch console’s ongoing Joy-Con drift issues, this time in Canada. It means Nintendo is now facing down potential legal trouble in Canada, the US, and across Europe.

Québec-based law firm Lambert Avocat filed an application to bring a class action suit against Nintendo on January 15, seeking to “obtain a compensation for all Québec consumers who bought the Nintendo Switch™ and Nintendo Switch™ Lite gaming systems, as well as Joy-Con™ and Nintendo Switch Pro controllers.”

The firm says that drift – which sees Joy-Cons registering analog stick movement, even if they’re not being touched – represents “an important, serious and hidden defect” that was not properly revealed by Nintendo. Lambert Avocat is now asking Québec residents to register as part of the suit on its website.

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The issue of Joy-Con drift has been rearing its head since the Switch’s release in 2017 – last year, we called it a disaster for the Nintendo. It’s become a widespread enough issue that Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa formally apologised for the problem.

This latest class action suit is just one of a slew of potential issues for the company surrounding the defect. Nintendo is facing down at least four drift cases in the US, with class action suits in Illinois, California, and two in Washington. Two of those suits are now in arbitration, with a judge in the earlier Washington case refusing Nintendo’s request to dismiss it.

In Europe, Nintendo is being sued by a French consumer organisation because of potential planned obsolescence, compounded by Nintendo’s ongoing repairs of Joy-Cons while not providing a more permanent fix. That was followed by a joint investigation by 9 organisations based in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Greece, Norway, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia. The findings of that investigation could lead to further action. At a smaller scale, in the UK, a single customer recently took Nintendo to small claims court and won back the cost of their defective Joy-Cons, and their legal fees.

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Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser recently said that Nintendo is ‘focusing’ on existing Switch models, rather than the much-rumoured Switch Pro model. Bowser addressed Joy-Con drift in that discussion, but made no promises about a more permanent solution to the ongoing issue, saying, “We’re always looking at what is being sent in and for what reasons, and understanding that better. And without going into any details, it always gives us an opportunity to make improvements as we go forward.”

While not 100% effective, we have a guide on how to fix Joy-Con drift in some situations, as well as a list of known Switch and Joy-Con problems that could help you diagnose problems.

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].