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Xbox Live, soon free?

20 March 2007 6:54 by Andre "DVDBack23" Yoskowitz | 72 comments

Xbox Live, soon free? As the next generation console battle rages on, one question continually comes to the consumer's mind. For how much longer can Microsoft continue to charge $70-a-year for a subscription to Xbox Live?

With Microsoft's announcement last week that they will be introducing cross-platform play in June (allowing Xbox Live subscribers to play against gamers on Widows Vista pc's) many Xbox Live subscribers were excited for the new feature that wont cost them one cent more then their annual fee they are already paying. Microsoft however, must notice that most PC owners will not pay for features that they have been gettting free for years. In my opinion, a Gamertag is not worth $70-a-year.

After this, the real question lies in how long Xbox Live can stay a pay service when the free PlayStation 3 online service gets going.

Source:
theAge


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    Discuss this article!  There are more user comments available, read them here
    handsom (Senior Member) 23 March 2007 8:23 Send private message to this user   
    Rivex, I couldn't have said it better. Sony is still dancing around the same "We have everything they do" claim; but everytime an interviewer calls them on it... They stop talking. If Sony really does get their act together on that claim, and truly match all of Live's services for free, then M$ will have to rethink their pricing system.

    So, for once, I'm rooting Sony on to hurry up and make good with inter-game logins and buddylists, achievements, free and premium downloads, real voice in ALL games, the works. As soon as they do; things may get better on my end, as a 360 owner.
    dagobaker (Junior Member) 23 March 2007 16:10 Send private message to this user   
    i payed 50 for 13 months from gamestop for live
    handsom (Senior Member) 24 March 2007 5:42 Send private message to this user   
    That was before 'Gold' came about, and that was because you used it in conjunction with one of the popular 30 day trials back then. The fifty dollar bit doesn't surprise me at all.

    But it's gone UP since then. Which is why I'm so quick to doubt M$ plans on going free any time soon.
    starchy (Member) 24 March 2007 5:47 Send private message to this user   
    No my friend , Xbox gold has not gone up ever, but if you see he 60 dollar kit its because it comes with acc. so if you dont want them then you can get the reasonable 50 dollar for one year of service and some stores like gamestop have a sale were you get a one month free =] just to clarify that up with you
    handsom (Senior Member) 24 March 2007 6:04 Send private message to this user   
    Hmmm, the price is different where you are. I was working in a gamestop when the switch occurred. Previously you could get one year with a game/headset for $60, or just the one year card for $50; then when we got all the 360 stuff in, pre-launch, they started shipping the new 'gold cards' which were sixty without anything included, and seventy for the ones that came with a headset and a point card for downloads.

    We even had our regional M$ rep in trying to give us scripting for how to explain to the customer that it was suddenly going to be more expensive, rofl.

    What area are you in, I'm honestly curious?

    This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 24 March 2007 6:05

    dagobaker (Junior Member) 24 March 2007 6:39 Send private message to this user   
    live in ne ohio bought it around feb 2007 13 months for 50$
    starchy (Member) 24 March 2007 6:58 Send private message to this user   
    New York , 50 for a new subscription card , were are you in , im guessing canada
    handsom (Senior Member) 24 March 2007 10:03 Send private message to this user   
    San Diego. If you can still find an old school live card, it runs fifty here... And M$ will honor it, but not the new ones.

    Very interesting.
    starchy (Member) 24 March 2007 11:26 Send private message to this user   
    yeah , werid
    handsom (Senior Member) 24 March 2007 11:33 Send private message to this user   
    Very much so... I'm almost wondering if that was a temporary thing during the first month or so of launch, since they could get away with it easier... I haven't checked since I quite that job a couple months after the launch.

    I don't imagine it being different in the same country, even if we are on opposing sides of the country; I'm going to lean more towards temporary price-hikes, seeing as I wouldn't put it past M$ to do that during initial launch.
    starchy (Member) 24 March 2007 14:15 Send private message to this user   
    Yeah i was at walmart today and bestbuy last week and chekced gamestop website they are all 50 for a standard 1 month xbox360 card and more for the kit
    ThaJazz (Inactive) 24 March 2007 15:08 Send private message to this user   
    yes i live in philadelphia and the 1 year card is 50.00 anywhere
    psyantist (Junior Member) 24 March 2007 16:43 Send private message to this user   
    Easiest way to pay for live is simply go to your account info on your xbox and pay for it right there. Fitty bones, no more, no less and no bs "extra" crap to go with it.

    Best online game service available in the world. If anyone can prove there is another service better I'd like to hear about it.
    handsom (Senior Member) 24 March 2007 16:47 Send private message to this user   
    I won't argue there... I love their online connectivity.

    Ironically, as much as I talk them up on here, I am not subscribed, because I'm really upset with them over a large billing discrepancy.

    Fortunately, that has nothing to do with the service though. I recommend them for a lot of people; I'm just still pissed about the way they handle the error that they caused.
    ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 24 March 2007 16:50 Send private message to this user   
    Originally posted by psyantist:
    Easiest way to pay for live is simply go to your account info on your xbox and pay for it right there. Fitty bones, no more, no less and no bs "extra" crap to go with it.

    Best online game service available in the world. If anyone can prove there is another service better I'd like to hear about it.
    Funny thing abotu that PC games have been free online since forever sure MS needed to charge for it at the start but tis time to create a full featured free service,what they offer is nice but its not worth me paying for it because I rarely use it.
    starchy (Member) 24 March 2007 16:52 Send private message to this user   
    Me, Im fine with the way things are in the online community but the PC gamers should have a choice to have free online service that makes it so that they can only game with other PC's and like a $20 or $30 one were you play everyone you want
    ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 24 March 2007 16:53 Send private message to this user   
    Originally posted by handsom:
    I won't argue there... I love their online connectivity.

    Ironically, as much as I talk them up on here, I am not subscribed, because I'm really upset with them over a large billing discrepancy.

    Fortunately, that has nothing to do with the service though. I recommend them for a lot of people; I'm just still pissed about the way they handle the error that they caused.
    if you got the moeny and are want to play online yes it is a good service.
    ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 24 March 2007 17:04 Send private message to this user   
    Originally posted by starchy:
    Me, Im fine with the way things are in the online community but the PC gamers should have a choice to have free online service that makes it so that they can only game with other PC's and like a $20 or $30 one were you play everyone you want
    they have the stats and skill ranking they should just let PC and Xbx gamers play with other its kinda silly to keep blocking it like they have been.

    LIVE needs a solid free account system,if I want to use it all I would use it for is MPing with friends I know or for a MMO I have to pay monthly for,they way it now they want you to pay to get it then pay have the extra crap you don't really want or need in the first place..

    I wish they would one step further and make more premium accounts,I would not mind paying 12 a month for LIVE and 2 MMOs of my choice(of cores I would need to buy said MMO's) or offer a sports setup where you can do the same but get 2 or 3 of whoever subscription based MP sport game.

    Gamedome is rotting because they wont spice it up and mix and match.

    This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 24 March 2007 17:05

    handsom (Senior Member) 24 March 2007 17:29 Send private message to this user   
    Zippy... You're going to love what I have to say next:

    Shadowrun is set to be the first inter-system game between 360 and pc. There are supposed to be many after that. I almost have to wonder if we won't see Halo 3 on the pc much quicker than Halo's transition, simply because the inter-system play would allow them to get what may be the biggest market available. With something like that, you could almost face off with Blizzard's online WoW numbers, lol.

    But yeah, there are games coming down the pipe, and they're not all that far off.
    ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 24 March 2007 17:49 Send private message to this user   
    Originally posted by handsom:
    Zippy... You're going to love what I have to say next:

    Shadowrun is set to be the first inter-system game between 360 and pc. There are supposed to be many after that. I almost have to wonder if we won't see Halo 3 on the pc much quicker than Halo's transition, simply because the inter-system play would allow them to get what may be the biggest market available. With something like that, you could almost face off with Blizzard's online WoW numbers, lol.

    But yeah, there are games coming down the pipe, and they're not all that far off.
    ya I know about that,its abotu time,however from what I have seen of the game they cant make up their mind,RPG/FPS/SP/MP/blah/blah its about time tho the skill system would force most player to play in their own skill group.
    handsom (Senior Member) 24 March 2007 18:03 Send private message to this user   
    The ironic thing though; is that it's a useless gesture from M$ at this point. The connection will only be plausible through 360 and a *VISTA* based pc. No xp users on there, what a shame, because I intend to Vista somewhere in the neighborhood of oh, say, never.
    ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 24 March 2007 18:26 Send private message to this user   
    Originally posted by handsom:
    The ironic thing though; is that it's a useless gesture from M$ at this point. The connection will only be plausible through 360 and a *VISTA* based pc. No xp users on there, what a shame, because I intend to Vista somewhere in the neighborhood of oh, say, never.
    We will be upgrading in 2-4 years,upgrading to what I dunno,but vista will only be a option when they fix it.
    handsom (Senior Member) 25 March 2007 13:23 Send private message to this user   
    If by fix it, you mean, pull all the BS that they're actually bragging about right now, like the 'piracy protection' that stops you from running most independent software, killing system resources, needing per-cpu product keys, and forcing DRM and a dial-home device onto your computer... Then sure I'll think about it.

    In the meantime though, the Linux OS on my secondary pc is just looking better and better...
    bjenk (Newbie) 23 September 2009 17:32 Send private message to this user   
    ok first of all who ever says that they play all pc games for free and ps3 for free your all wrong it cost anyone either paying for service or not u have to have internet to be able to play that is 30 bucks a month there no one plays for free to be able to play games on pc u have to update your computer all the time for new games thats not free u also have to buy the games to play thats not free nothings free to play realize it 360 is better than ps3 o wow u got a web browser ok if u have internet u will have a computer to browse on who want to browse internet rather than play games not me its gay there browser suxs to also all the game add ons u have to pay for on ps3 its not free it never will be and yes a card for xbox for 12 months is 50 it has never went up ever so u guys rlly need to go check your stores its 50 bucks i just baught one and yes the guys is right it is 60 for a headset keypad and a free game pgr4 thats a deal for an extra 10 bucks plus microsoft owns and wow ps3 has blue ray and xbox has hd they both have same stats dont believe me go pick up an hd dvd and a blue ray disc all the same stats wanna know y cuz there made by same compony blue ray just holds more memory and has a blue bottom thats why its called blue ray.
    handsom (Senior Member) 23 September 2009 17:50 Send private message to this user   
    bjenk, until you replied, this thread hadn't been active for two years.

    It's okay to be a fanboy for whichever sytem you like, heck this place is full of them, and I usually lean towards the 360 myself; but you might get more satisfaction replying to something a little more current than this.

    And honestly, you might want to tighten up your arguments if you really want to debate with PS3 fanboys... There are a lot of great reasons to prefer the 360(Like I said, I personally prefer the 360 myself), but your points really don't nail it down too well.

    "It holds more, and is blue on the bottom, that's why it's called blue ray" isn't really much of an argument...

    And stating the obvious like "You have to pay for the system, and the internet, and the parts" isn't going to win any arguments either. We, as 360 users have to shell out for our game system, components and internet too, on top of Live. Personally though, I prefer the Live service, for it's added features and stronger interconnected service between games.
    Oner (Moderator) 23 September 2009 19:47 Send private message to this user   
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