Microsoft is offering refunds to any Xbox 360 and Xbox One owners who purchased an Xbox Live Gold account just to get behind the paywall to access apps like Netflix and Twitch.
Microsoft Announced $399 Kinect Free Xbox One
The changes to Xbox Live accompanied the announcement of a cheaper, Kinect-free Xbox One package yesterday. Microsoft is looking to avoid treating consumers unfairly, whose purchases of Gold meant only to be used for free apps will be made irrelevant when they become available to everyone. The refund would be for the remainder of your Xbox Live subscription once the paywall goes down, not the entire cost of Gold.
Microsoft explained the offer in a follow-up FAQ, and technically anyone could take them up on it (there isn't really a way to prove intent on this subject, after all). You'll have to apply next month when the changes are enacted, but before August 31.
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"Once the Xbox One and Xbox 360 system updates become available in June, Xbox Live Gold members who purchased a paid membership before that day can cancel and receive a pro-rata refund of any unused remaining days between the date of cancellation and the date their paid Gold membership ends," the site says.
"Cancellation and pro-rata refund requests must be made by August 31, 2014 and require six to eight weeks for processing. Free or trial Gold memberships are not eligible for a refund. To request your pro-rata refund, please click support.xbox.com/contact-us after the system updates become available in June."
Games with Gold will also be altered, as free monthly titles become locked behind a Gold account to compensate for the other changes, making the system much more like Sony's PlayStation Plus subscription.