Rumoured Xbox Live Gold pricing details emerge

Online reports are indicating that Microsoft is planning to encourage 12-month subscriptions to the Xbox Live Gold service for the Xbox 360 with a pricing plan that offers major discounts for long-term commitments.

French website XboxLive.fr claims to have stumbled across the US pricing bundles for the Xbox 360 Live service, with similar details being reported on the website of major North American retailer EB Games.

According to the reports, a Premium Gold Pack will be priced at $69.99 and will get you a 12 month subscription, an Xbox Live headset, $20 off an Xbox 360 game and 200 Xbox Live marketplace points. Plus, subscribers can play Billiards in the Xbox Live Arcade.

For those who don't need the extras a 12 Month Gold Card will be made available, offering a year's subscription only, for $59.99.

If that sounds like too much commitment, the 3 Month Premium Gold Pack is just $39.99. It includes - as you might have guessed - a three month subscription, plus a headset, $10 off a game, 100 marketplace points and access to Xbox Live Arcade game Joust. A straight 3 Month Gold subscription is $19.99.

And finally there's the 1 Month Gold Card, priced at just $7.99. Of course, those who don't want to pay at all can stick with the free Xbox Live Silver subscription - but this will only let you log on to use the marketplace and chatrooms, and you won't be able to play games online.

Microsoft was unavailable for comment so we've really no idea if this is the real deal or a hoax - but the same details have recently appeared on the Electronics Boutique website, only they've priced the 12 Month Gold card at $49.99 instead of $59.99.