There's nothing like a public holiday for burying bad news. And Microsoft seems to be attempting that here in the UK with the news that it's making a mean spirited price hike to the Xbox Live service.

The price hike affects the US, UK, Mexico and Canada and is detailed below:

You've got to wonder if someone at Microsoft has been drinking too much bong-water, the current Xbox Live prices were at the top of the scale of what seemed reasonable already.

Source: Major Nelson