Microsoft currently offers two distinct subscriptions for its Xbox One consoles, with the Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass subscriptions getting you two related, but different services. Now, according to a new rumor, it appears the company may be getting ready to merge the two into one, all-encompassing service.

Redmond-based Microsoft has thrown the cat amongst the pigeons in the world of console and mobile gaming by announcing a cross-platform SDK designed to bring Xbox Live features to games running on mobile platforms like iOS and Android.

Microsoft looks set to bring Xbox Live to both Android and iOS, with the release of a new software development kit in the works. Nintendo Switch developers will also be able to take advantage of it, which could make for an interesting dynamic on Nintendo’s console.

Impressive Xbox gift card offer is back on the table, meaning anyone buying cards right now will receive an additional 10% off their order value as free credit.

If you happen to be a regular gamer on Sony or Microsoft’s online gaming platforms then chances are that you realized all wasn’t well in the video game world over the weekend. Sure, like any other online service, Xbox LIVE and Sony’s PlayStation Network are prone to the odd glitch here and there, which can result in downtime, but it seems that the weekend’s event was a little more serious. Sony’s PlayStation Network and Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE service were both brought down simultaneously by cyber attacks over the weekend, with a group calling itself “Lizard Squad” taking responsibility for the whole thing.

Microsoft is really ringing the changes today in order to boost console sales, and off the back of the news that the Xbox One will soon drop $100 off its price tag by removing the currently-bundled Kinect sensor, the software giant has also decided that in order to enjoy the likes of Netflix, Hulu and YouTube on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One, users will no longer have to stump up for a Xbox LIVE Gold subscription.

For some people gaming is a way of life. For those gamers there’s nothing more exhilarating than getting the latest and greatest video game title to be released, mastering all of the functionality and then heading over to online multiplayer to show the world just how honed your skills are. Xbox LIVE lets you actually record the live gameplay and upload it to Microsoft’s servers as evidence of superiority. Although this remains as popular as ever, Microsoft has been quick to confirm that a number of unhappy users have lost their Xbox LIVE privileges due to their videos on the Upload Studio containing consistent profanities – something that Microsoft is looking to eradicate.

Microsoft’s Xbox One console is just a few days away from public availability, and the company is bound to make it a success by any means necessary. As if all the promotions and advertisements weren’t enough, now the Redmond company has made a new announcement of free access to select few Xbox One titles on a monthly basis for the subscribers of Xbox LIVE Gold.

Everybody loves to get something for free, especially if it’s one of the most iconic video games the Xbox world has ever seen. The 2007 released Halo 3 is now being offered as a free-of-charge download for those Xbox users with a valid LIVE Gold membership package. With a standard sale price of $15 it represents a fairly impressive saving for those Gold subscribers who want to get their hands on their very own digital copy of Bungie’s popular first-person shooter.

Microsoft has finally launched iPhone and Android apps for Xbox Music, a service that lets users stream unlimited music for a monthly subscription.

Although most Xbox LIVE users get their fill of the online multiplayer experience through the Gold membership, Microsoft also used to run a “Home Gold” package designed to target families. For $99 per year, everybody in the family could have their own little piece of the sprawling universe that is Xbox LIVE, but having stopped accepting signups for the family package earlier on this year, it doesn’t look as though it will be carrying through to the next generation. With that said, there’s plenty of good news for those currently tethered to the Home Gold plan, for not only will all sub-accounts get their very own Xbox LIVE Gold membership, but Microsoft is throwing an extra three months into the bargain.

Microsoft is well known for throwing out deals to entice users into long-term adoption of its flagship products, so it should come as no surprise to see the Redmond outfit use a free Xbox LIVE subscription as leverage for those signing up to Office 365. The productivity suite has been the subject of heavy promotion of late, and if you were tempted to subscribe to Office 365, you now have twelve more reasons to go ahead and take advantage.