Xbox Live Gold Discount Family Pack Unveiled

Microsoft has unveiled an discount Xbox Live Gold membership subscription for four to solve the apparent problem of families sharing a single Xbox 360 and Live account.

The $99 annual 'Xbox Live Gold Family Pack' subscription offers up to four Gold memberships controlled by a primary account which has the ability to dole out Microsoft Points and monitor activity. "Exclusive family content and discounts" are also promised.

If you're sharing your living space with a few chums and can trust them not to mess with or stiff you, the fact that $99 will usually only buy two Live Gold memberships might give you all a good reason to play mummies and daddies together.

The Family Pack will launch in November, which just so happens to be the month when Microsoft's motion-sensing controller Kinect is due to be released. Microsoft's description of the Family Pack follows below.

• Up to four individual Xbox LIVE Gold memberships for the price of two - (US) $99.99.

• Family Center - a single, easy to use, destination for Family Settings and account management, accessible on the Xbox dashboard and on Xbox.com.

• The primary account member has the ability to purchase and dispense Microsoft Points to other Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack members.

• Activity monitoring reports viewable on Xbox.com to help encourage discussions about safer more balanced gaming and entertainment habits.

• Simplified billing that applies all purchase charges to the primary account holder's billing account and the ability to authorize purchases, helping to manage the family's entertainment budget.

• Exclusive family content and discounts.