From Eric Qualls,
Your Guide to XBox Games.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

Microsoft has announced the prices and packages that will be available for Xbox Live on the Xbox 360 and things are looking pretty good. You can upgrade your Silver Xbox Live membership to Gold for just $49.99 for a year, $7.99 for one month, and $19.99 for three months.

You can also buy subscriptions in package deals. For $39.99 you will get three months of Xbox Live Gold, a headset, $10 mail in rebate, and 100 points to use in the Xbox Live Marketplace. For $69.99, you'll get a full year of Xbox Live Gold, a headset, 200 points for the Xbox Live Marketplace, and a $20 mail in rebate. The packages will also include one Xbox Live Arcade game each.

Perhaps the biggest Xbox Live news, and something that is sure to make lots of young gamers and parents happy, is that credit cards are no longer required to sign up for Xbox Live. You just pick up a subscription card at a retailer and put in the code on your Xbox 360. Simple. Easy.

Just to clarify, the Silver Xbox Live service gives you access to voice chat as well as the Xbox Live Marketplace but you can't play games online. Xbox Live Gold gives you all of the Silver level features along with the ability to play online.

For more information, check out Xbox.com.