Xbox 360 Live 12 Month Gold Card plus 1 Month Bonus Reviews

• Best online gaming!

  
  By A4BK54P0D1GOS on 2006-11-10
  This card gives you access to the greatest online gaming community in history. You get to access every faction of the online community. The connections are quick and the interface is always updated to keep streamlined.
  
  I payed a good price on Amazon and free shipping. It was one fo the best buys that I could buy. Halo 2, Ghost Recon, Madden 07, Downloads for Dead Rising, online streaming of Oblivion. It applies to every game and facing real humans online gives you that extra experience that the computer can't give you.
  
  If you own a XBOX 360 this is a must buy!
  
  

• Prepaid Is Better

  
  By A32MC0U22HJ6AO on 2006-12-19
  To start off, I'd like to say that XBox Live is amazing and worth every penny. Online gaming is incredibly fun and a quite good way to pass time.
  
  That aside, there are downsides to XBox Live that can be avoided through prepaid cards. Number one, you always run the risk that unwarranted transactions will be made if your credit card information is stored on your XBox 360 system. It may not happen all that often, but it's best to avoid it all together.
  
  The biggest reason to buy prepaid Xbox Live card is the renewal process that happens when you don't use one. If you order XBox Live through your system, it'll renew everytime your subscription runs out. This wouldn't be a problem except that it's not that easy to cancel. Instead of cancelling through your system, you have to go through the hassle of actually calling XBox Live support. Even then, depending on the representative you get, you may be hassled to keep your subscription because they really don't want you to cancel it. I'm guessing that's part of their job to convince you to keep it, but it still is frustrating to the person that is trying to cancel it.
  
  You'll have to go through this process everytime you want to cancel if you don't use a prepaid card. Is that hassle really worth it? I don't think so. Therefore, avoid all of the problems by simply buying a prepaid card. You won't be sorry.
  
  

• Buy now and get an extra month free!

  
  By A15LH0ZNB79DLT on 2008-04-27
  When you buy this card, you get an extra month. That's 13 months for a great price.
  
  Xbox Live is the leading service as far as online experiences on gaming consoles is concerned.
  
  There are tons of arcade games you can purchase and download, movies to rent, tv episodes to buy (both past series and present).
  
  Xbox Live gives you worldwide leaderboards on almost every single Xbox 360 game available when you are connected to live. You can chat with friends too.
  
  This item is worth it and makes a great gift for any Xbox 360 gamer.
  
  

• useless card

  
  By A332O93KKYWJ86 on 2007-07-23
  my son used a coin to scratch the card and scratched off the code as well. microsoft support is useless in helping to recover the code and now we will see if amazon will replace the card.
  
  

• Typical Microsoft Support

  
  By A2OFFK4QDQP26D on 2007-08-19
  Yes, typical Microsoft support, as it is on everything they do. I had the same problem, where the activation code wore off when I scratched off the rubber coating. I tried to get assistance from XBOX as well as Microsoft, and several employees admitted this is a big problem that is happening a lot, but Microsoft says 'too bad' - if you can't read the code then there is no way to verify it, so bend over and take it. I am filing a grievance with my state's Attorney General, and I advise others to do the same. Most states Attorney Generals have websites where such complaints can be filed. Let's use Microsoft's internet against them and see how they like it.
  
  
• Great value
  By A2AV4ZLPPZ14UE on 2007-02-16
  It costs more to sign up online on Xbox Live than to buy this card and signing up online only gives you 12 months instead of 13. That doesn't make any sense to me but it's a good deal!
  
  
• wut a rip
  By A3DHGTTLNBIG14 on 2007-05-18
  i received this card a couple of days ago and to activate you have to scratch off a bar code like thing to access the code underneath, so i did and also scratched off the code. What this means is that just paid 50 bucks for a valueless piece off plastic. xbox is a joke when i contact customer support they say "[duhhh] you shouldn't have scratched so hard". At this point im planning on sticking with the ps3 for online play which doesn't set me back 50 dollars(enough to buy a new game).
  
  
• Not a game - rather game time online.
  By A3BIGKRPYDM5IJ on 2007-01-25
  I used the card the day I received it hoping to bypass my credit card deduction. There were problems with the server when I tried to redeem my code. I re-entered the code a few days dater, received an error, "This code has already been activated." Yet I had no addition to my Xbox live account. Now my Xbox Live account is denied.
  
  I don't know who to blame because neither Microsoft nor Amazon have anything answering their phones execpt for robots who aren't equipped to help me.
  
  On top of this, I know my post will require my credit card info or mailing address, so the two companies that failed me can both email me and send me junk mail in the post.
  
  
• Cheaper and safer
  By A3PF7CD8W1IF93 on 2007-04-05
  This card is a full $10 cheaper for an annual XBox Live membership than if you buy direct from Microsoft. Plus you get one extra month, and you don't have to give your credit card number to Microsoft.
  Only downside is that the card arrived with less than 2 months left for me to activate. Also the membership is nonrefundable.
  
  
• Best Deal for Xbox Live
  By A3HG46OVE2H4J8 on 2008-09-09
  To sum it up quick, this is the best deal you can purchase for Xbox Live.
  
  Here is a quick breakdown:
  1 month via Microsoft = $7.99 = $7.99/month
  3 months via Microsoft = $19.99 = $6.66/month
  12 months via Microsoft = $49.99 = $4.17/month
  12+1 months via Amazon = $45.00 = $3.46/month
  
  This card comes with THIRTEEN (13) months of Xbox Live for cheaper than directly from Xbox. I fully recommend purchasing Live via Amazon, but the choice is yours.
  
  
• Confusion Resolved
  By A1ZUSF6DIDW06T on 2006-04-25
  This Review is for all 4 Items Amazon is currently selling.
  
  Xbox Live 12-mo Gold Card, 3-mo Gold Card, 1-mo Gold Card, and
  Xbox Live Points (1,600)
  
  Bottom line is you will get exactly what you pay for the item described in current page.
  
  
• There are other options than buying this card
  By A3LBZLI0FOL2YP on 2007-04-24
  For anyone who has an xbox 360 the question isn't "if" you are going to connect to xbox live but when you do, how will you pay for the subscription? This is a good option and I prefer it to buying a subscription online, but it isn't the only option.
  
  Xbox 360 Live Camera Bundle
  
  I recommend going with the camera bundle option currently. It gives you a 12 month membership to xbox live but also comes with the vision camera, two xbox live arcade games, a headset, and 200 Microsoft Points for not much more. I only paid $65 for the camera package and for what you get it makes the subscription by itself seem overpriced.
  
  
• DON'T BUY THIS FROM AMAZON!
  By A923627BX9RVN on 2007-05-21
  I've read reviews saying it's cheaper to order from amazon. That's true, but only by a few dollars, and the super saver shipping takes about a month (I am not exagerating; that was the estimate). If you want it in "only" two weeks, you have to pay a few bucks and then it costs as much as it does in the store. I cancelled my order after they fouled it up completely, and ordered from newegg instead. It was considerably cheaper there, but I don't want to sound like I'm plugging newegg. I'm really just recommending that, for the time being, you buy the card ANYWHERE but amazon. They are inept at shipping a PIECE OF PLASTIC in a plastic container. This is the first time I have been dissapointed with Amazon, and I'll continue buying most of my things here since the price is good and shipping is (normally) very good (and free).
  
  I just can't get over the fact that this little thing is so difficult for amazon to ship.
  
  
• This is NOT Marketplace
  By A2ZIV7NB190F0U on 2005-12-15
  [...] This if for playing games online - NOT marketplace points. The two are completely seperate. You do not need Marketplace points to play online, and you do not need the XBOX live Gold to buy stuff in the Marketplace.
  
  [...]
  
  
• Horrible
  By A2EYN7EL4U66NE on 2007-10-09
  First 5 digits of code scratched off when I removed the coating with a coin. DON'T BUY THIS PRODUCT. The seller nor Microsoft would replace it, and I had to eat the $42. Microsoft live charges $45 to sign up for XBOX live through the console, so go that route.
  
  
• This has ruined my life.
  By A3OEPYSSPBA2FX on 2008-03-06
  After ordering this online xbox card I waited 2-3 days patiently. Upon arrival I giddily activated my xbox live gold account with the information found on the back of the card. Simple enough right? Well, that when everything went down hill. I didn't stop playing Halo 3 online. Then I got playing other games like Gears of War and Rainbow Six Las Vegas. I go to work 8 hours a day and instead of socializing after work I immediately boot up the 360 and go to town on it. It is now all I do and I have no friends. It is all due to this product. Purchase if you don't already have friends or are looking to rid yourself of others.
  
  
• Cheaper on Amazon
  By A1TGXBJ96E9B8B on 2008-01-14
  On a whim, I decided to look on Amazon for this, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was a few dollars cheaper on Amazon. Granted, I would need to wait for it to arrive in the mail, but since Microsoft gives a one-month advance warning before one's Xbox Live membership expires, that was not an issue.
  
  
• Why the subscription fee?
  By A23PRCK9974NFF on 2007-04-11
  Xbox Live is necessary for the 360 since the system is solely an online only system. I have tried the single player and you can tell developers are slacking on that element of the gameplay.
  
  Only real draw back is you pay $50 for the service, but you have to turn around and buy Microsoft Points for downloads. Drop $60 on Oblivion. Then drop another $60 on Microsoft Points for the rest of the content.
  
  This sadly is going to be a growing trend. You will pay more for the games, but have more and more of the content be put up as marketplace downloads for an additional fee. Don't like it. Especially with the low quality of most of todays games, and the high price tags that go with them.
  
  Time for Microsoft to think of the gamers instead of making money. I'll glady sacrifice the gamerscore (rather useless feature anyways), and my universal gamertag for some free content and free online play.
  
  
• No more scratching
  By A3O9EOS3YBUB67 on 2007-12-14
  I am adding this review to say - when we received the XBOX LIVE card there was no sratching involved, the code was visible. Also one reviewer said the card expired in a couple months - ours will expire in 18 months so we have no complaints. Seems like a great deal to me. It's 13 months as others have mentioned.
  
  
• Its a card!
  By A1ICA1MKK2ZMU2 on 2006-11-02
  What can I say, it's a card, I used the code and it worked as advertised.
  
  
• Great deal for 12 month subscription
  By A3GZIMACNNQRGK on 2006-09-05
  Microsoft will charge you $50 a year if you use the auto renew feature through the Dashboard. So for $35 + free shipping this is a great deal! Stop getting ripped off by MS and buy these 12 month subscription cards while they are cheap!
  
  
• 20 days
  By AZCKYUVQBIXKP on 2007-02-07
  Took 20 days to get here. Its easier to just pay 10 more dollars and get it at wal-mart.
  
  
• fast and easy
  By A1SNC4FX5WI7PV on 2007-01-13
  you dont know from where to buy a registeration key for xbox360? get this one, specially when i bought it and there was no registeration available for xbox360 for middle east. and also you get 1 month free so it is 13 month total.
  
  
• Nothing to review really
  By A2GWBDCJUPN42P on 2008-01-12
  I shouldn't have to pay for XBox Live. Nintendo and PS3 have free online services.
  
  
• Xbox live rules but....
  By A20DZX38KRBIT8 on 2008-05-15
  The Xbox live service is second to none in terms of console gaming. The issue is this: You are forced into a windows live stinky hotmail account to use Xbox live. Another Microsoft bully BS sceme to force people into their crappy products/programs they could care less for. I use MAC now, ditched windows and even before dumping Vista I gave Windows Live Messenger/Windows Live the boot and switched to Yahoo and Gmail. So much better and it works. I hate Windows Live and I hate being forced to keep my WL account active just to be able to play Xbox live it sucks! I hope microsoft goes out of the computing business and just makes Xbox consoles.
  
  
• Xbox live worth every penny
  By A1JUVIDA35MK50 on 2006-11-03
  I got a great price on xbox live from amazon. Xbox live is worth every penny. I cant believe people actually complain about having to pay for it. When it comes to online gaming free isn't always better. You get what you pay for.
  
  
• HD online play
  By AN4N4PRUJSME3 on 2007-01-11
  Get it and stop reading this. Why you may be asking? Well remember in the past when you would finish a game and then there was nothing else to do in the game well now there is: Show what you've learned all those hours by playing the AI alone, online with other people which makes the game a longer funner experience. Oh did I also mention that you can play virtually all the 360 games demos before buying. Chat, send messages download movies you name it. See you online!
  
  
• 13 months of Xbox live
  By A27FL0K43GE98H on 2007-02-09
  Had no delivery problems with this product arrived on time , and to my suprise that there is a 1 month bouns , which means I have 13 months of Xbox live for the price of 12. If you own an Xbox 360 , Xbox live is a must
  
  
• Whats not to like?
  By A196D9N2HFV01Q on 2007-12-11
  Once you factor in the free month, you save about $10.00 over ordering directly on xbox live. ($44.00 with free shipping and 13 months compared to $49.99 on Live for 12 months.) Couldn't be easier to update, just enter the code on the back of the card and your done. Note: Microsoft seems to have fixed the code rubbing off problem some earlier reviewers were having. There is nothing to rub off. Code is printed on back of card. The only drawback I can see is if you renew on xbox live your account in updated instantly. If you order from amazon you have to wait until your card arrives to update your account so plan accordingly and order early, you'll save $$$$$ and get an extra month.
  
  
• Beware! You may need a new GamerTag!
  By A38XJ3N83ZVZ6S on 2008-03-09
  I was highly disappointed when the card wouldn't work on my GamerTag, I tried Microsoft email support 4 times, with no help but canned responses. I called, and after an hour on the phone, they finally came up with, my GamerTag had been used for the free month when I bought the console, and when that expired, and I went back to Silver level, they CANCELLED that GamerTag from Xbox Live!!!!! Never to be used again. So all the points and things I built up on my account can never be used again. I'd think this would be the common case that everyone come up against. The only way I could use the card is to create a new GamerTag and start over. They would not give me a refund. Of course my inital free "month" was really only one day, as my 1st box got the 3 red lights of death and had to be returned, and it took several months before I could get another one.
  
  I'm going to stick with the PS3 from now on, free online gaming there, and a Blu-Ray DVD player included!
  
  

• The Official Xbox Magazine [1-year]
• Electronic Gaming Monthly
• Play
• Tips & Tricks Magazine

• Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter
• Xbox 360 Live 1600 Points
• Xbox 360 Live 4000 Points
• Xbox 360 Wireless Controller
• Halo 3