Following yesterday's announcement of gold's rise, users and the press condemned Microsoft for the move, calling gold the "worst deal in gaming" and making pitiless comparisons to the competition. Redmond's house, however, was listening, and decided to do immediately behind-the-front cancelling the price increase and, indeed, announcing that in the near future gold will no longer be necessary for free-to-play games,bringing it in line with what happens on the other platforms.

Here is the full communiqué:

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We made a mistake today, and you were right to point it out to us. Connecting and playing with friends is an important component of gaming, and we've failed to meet the expectations of players who rely on it every day. We therefore decided not to change the prices of Xbox Live Gold.

We also take this opportunity to put Xbox Live more in line with the way we see players at the center of their experience. You will no longer need an Xbox Live Gold subscription to play free-to-play titles. We are working hard to release this change as soon as possible in the coming months.

If you are already an Xbox Live Gold member, the renewal will take place at the current price. New and existing members will continue to pay the same prices they pay today.

Thank you.

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In short, it seems appropriate to say "everything is fine that ends well": we will update you on the timing of the removal of gold from F2P titles.