Do 12-month Xbox Live Gold cards still work in 2024?
Yes – 12-month subscription cards for Xbox Live Gold still work perfectly fine despite Microsoft removing the direct purchase option. You just need to buy the cards from third-party retailers now.
As a passionate gamer and Xbox expert, I‘ll provide a detailed analysis below on everything you need to know about 12-month Gold cards in 2024 and beyond.
Where to Buy 12-Month Xbox Live Gold Cards
While Microsoft no longer sells 12-month Gold subscriptions in their online stores, you can still easily purchase 12-month membership cards from major retailers:
- Amazon – 12-month card
- Best Buy – 12-month card
- Walmart – 12-month card
- GameStop – 12-month card
- Target – 12-month card
The cards contain a 25-digit code that you can redeem directly on your Xbox console or at redeem.microsoft.com to add 12 months of Xbox Live Gold access.
Number of Searches for "Buy 12 Month Xbox Live Gold" Per Month
| Month | Searches |
|---|---|
| January 2023 | 22,200 |
| February 2023 | 16,500 |
| March 2023 (first 2 weeks) | 9,900 |
[Source: Ahrefs Keyword Data]
As you can see, there is still significant demand from gamers looking to purchase 12-month Xbox Live Gold cards in 2024.
Why Did Microsoft Remove the 12-Month Gold Option?
In August 2021, Microsoft quietly removed the option to purchase a 12-month Xbox Live Gold subscription directly through their online stores.
This change is likely a push to move more gamers over to their Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription instead, which bundles together benefits like:
- Xbox Live Gold
- Xbox Game Pass
- EA Play
- Perks & exclusive deals
For just $14.99 per month, Game Pass Ultimate provides much higher value compared to a 12-month Gold subscription alone.
Average Monthly Active Users on Xbox Services
| Service | 2020 Users | 2021 Users | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox Live Gold | 90 million | 86 million* | -4% |
| Xbox Game Pass | 10 million | 18 million | +80% |
*Estimated based on Microsoft financial disclosures
Additionally, by removing the 12-month Gold option, gamers are more likely to select 1-month ($9.99) or 3-month subscriptions ($24.99) if they do not want Game Pass Ultimate. This results in 12x – 4x as many recurring transactions for Microsoft.
Can I Stack Multiple 12-Month Gold Cards?
Fortunately, redeeming 12-month Gold cards from third-party retailers allows you to extend your membership duration out further.
Microsoft supports stacking up to 36 months of Xbox Live Gold at one time on your account.
So by redeeming 3 x 12-month cards back-to-back, you could prepurchase Xbox Live Gold at its cheapest yearly rate for the next 3 years!
Stacking 12-month cards locks in that $59.99 yearly pricing and saves you from paying higher month-to-month rates when your renewal comes due later on.
What Happens When My Gold Subscription Expires?
If your Xbox Live Gold subscription eventually expires after 36 months, here is what you lose access to:
- Online multiplayer gaming
- Monthly Games with Gold
- Deals and discounts for Gold members
However, any Xbox 360 Games with Gold titles you previously claimed are yours to keep forever, even without an active Gold subscription.
You can also continue playing single-player campaigns, modes, and experiences in games without having an active Gold membership. But online multiplayer does require either Xbox Live Gold or Game Pass Ultimate in nearly all cases.
Existing Xbox One/Series Games with Gold titles also remain accessible if you resubscribe to Gold later on.
Key Differences Between Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass Ultimate
If you‘re trying to decide which subscription to choose, here are some of the most important differences between Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate:
| Feature | Gold | Game Pass Ultimate |
|---|---|---|
| Online Multiplayer | ✅ | ✅ |
| Games with Gold Monthly Titles | ✅ (4 games) | ✅ (4 games) |
| Member Deals & Discounts | ✅ | ✅ |
| Xbox Game Pass Title Access | ❌ | ✅ (100+ games) |
| EA Play Game Access | ❌ | ✅ (60+ games) |
| Monthly Price | $9.99 | $14.99 |
As you can see, Game Pass Ultimate includes Xbox Live Gold benefits plus game catalog access at the best value.
For passionate gamers looking to play online and also explore new titles, Game Pass Ultimate is often the better choice over a standard Gold membership.
So in summary, while Microsoft wants to guide gamers towards Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, 12-month Xbox Live Gold subscription cards still certainly work by purchasing them from major retailers in 2024.
You can stack multiple 12-month cards to extend your membership duration for up to 3 years at a slight discount over month-to-month renewal rates.
Just consider whether Game Pass Ultimate‘s additional benefits like in-game perks, DLC access, game deals/discounts, and huge catalog of titles to download makes more sense for your needs as an avid Xbox gamer.
Let me know in the comments if you still have any other questions around 12-month Gold cards!
