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A one-year subscription to Xbox Live Gold will now cost you $59.99
Microsoft has some bad news for Xbox Live Gold members

There's no question that Xbox Live is the most uniform, streamlined online service for current generation game consoles when it comes to online multiplayer gaming, media streaming, and social interactivity. And for those that want to enjoy all of the fruits that come with such a service, gamers have been willing to work over $50 per year for an Xbox Live Gold membership.

Now, however, Microsoft is moving to the "Dark Side" by raising prices across the board for Xbox Live Gold memberships. According to Microsoft's Major Nelson, who broke the news earlier today, a one-year Xbox Live Gold membership will now cost $59.99 per year. For those that don't wish to commit to a full year of online gaming goodness, three-month membership now cost $24.99 and a one-month membership will set you back $9.99.

For reference, the previous pricing structure was $49.99, $19.99, and $7.99 respectively.

"Since launching Xbox LIVE in 2002 we have continually added more content and entertainment experiences for our members, while keeping the price the same," said Major Nelson. "We’re confident that when the new pricing takes effect, an Xbox LIVE Gold membership will continue to offer the best value in the industry."

In an effort to soften the blow for existing Xbox Live Gold members, Microsoft will offer subscribers an option to lock in for a one-year membership at a price of $39.99. This offer will begin on November 1, but Microsoft doesn't say how long the promotion will last.

Not surprisingly, negative reaction from Xbox 360 gamers poured in quickly. "wtf!  You don't even give us enough content to justify $50 let alone $60..  glad I'm paid up for the next year and a half," noted rogue on Major Nelson's blog. Another gamer, Hardtrget, added "Wow that is ridiculous.  If you want to do something decent for the community ditch Microsoft Points and charge real money instead of upping the price of Live."

Pureblade got right to the point; "I'm giving you the middle finger but you can't see it, Microsoft."

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No excuse
By ochentay4 on 8/30/2010 1:28:55 PM , Rating: 2
When I first knew that we had to pay for online access I convinced myself that it was for mantaining the service. I supposed that the service should be cheaper over time because more users suscribe. Now they plan to RAISE the cost? Are they crazy? The funny thing is that you dont have an alternative. Do you want to play online? PAY. Its their Xbox 360, their system and their business platform. It sucks BIG TIME.

Do you pay for Steam access? Nope.

Thats why I have 2 consoles now. I bought the PS3 to play the same games that are on the 360 for free.




RE: No excuse
By hughlle on 8/30/2010 1:37:39 PM , Rating: 4
I simply don't like the idea so refuse to buy the console. Same as the likes of WoW, i've already boguht the game, i'm not now going to pay to use it. That's what original profit margin on the game is supposed to cover..


RE: No excuse
By clovell on 8/30/2010 3:48:21 PM , Rating: 5
Do you understand how much DLC is added to each WoW game for free? In addition to the server maintenance? There is simply no F2P MMORPG than even comes close...


RE: No excuse
By ShammGod126 on 8/30/2010 4:12:48 PM , Rating: 2
I'm not too pissed off about paying 50 or 60 bucks for online service, what really pisses me off are all the advertisements in the live interface and in game. I don't want to have a stupid McDonald’s banner up when I'm playing Madden or TW PGA '11 online.


RE: No excuse
By EricMartello on 8/30/2010 5:03:57 PM , Rating: 1
quote:
Do you understand how much DLC is added to each WoW game for free? In addition to the server maintenance? There is simply no F2P MMORPG than even comes close...


Do you understand that paying a monthly subscription means the game is not "free"? Last I checked WoW was still $15 per month unless you prepay. Even so, most of the content they add is junk like pets or other novelty items that are not justifying the monthly fee. They do not regularly add compelling quests, add or expand dungeons, new zones and for players who enjoy pvp the choices have been severely limited. The only time you see major changes are when they release an expansion and they charge you full price for that too.


RE: No excuse
By clovell on 8/30/2010 5:28:47 PM , Rating: 2
>They do not regularly add compelling quests, add or expand dungeons, new zones and for players who enjoy pvp the choices have been severely limited.

Not sure where you've been, but they've added a good number of dungeons & associated quests. I played a few of the F2P MMORPGs, and I can honestly say that I feel WoW is worth the money.

The only Xbox 360 games that give me a comparable amount of playtime have been Halo 3:ODST (Firefight with my lil bros.) and Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 (Co-op with my lil bros.) - both of which I still play. I'm looking forward to Halo: Reach, as I know it will be joining those ranks.

You figure $60 for a new game generally gets you about a month of play. The Battle Chest for WoW Vanilla and BC is $40, and includes a 30-day game card. Odds are, you're not getting past L70 in WoW in a month anyway. After that, you've got something you can consistently enjoy for $15/month. Expansions come out less than once a year, on average, and I don't like how much they cost, either, but I feel like I get my money's worth.

At the end of the day, it's not much different from EVE Online or several of the other popular MMORPGs. I guess it's just not for everybody.


RE: No excuse
By zmatt on 8/31/10, Rating: -1
RE: No excuse
By clovell on 8/31/2010 1:54:40 PM , Rating: 4
> because you play WoW, your argument is invalid. Moving right along...

Because I've experience on both sides of the argument and a well-though out stance, it must be invalid? You realize how that makes you sound, right?

> If the console crowd doesn't want to pay for online content, then they should move over to PC land. here we get free online multiplayer, it is and always has been this way, we also get better graphics and more full featured games.

Multiplayer isn't always free for PC gamers, Dedicated Servers and Ventrilos cost money. The better graphics come at a cost and a shorter upgrade cycle. The games are definitely more full-featured, but only folks who really dig into games are going to be able to appreciate that.

H2PC was a colossal repeat of Gearbox's port of HPC. So much so, that the HPC community continues to endure to this day, in spite of the release of the sequel. As crappy as HPC was, mods were made, and the community was robust.

Ports suck, period. C&C on Xbox 360 sucked, bc it was a port. In the end, it's really a preference thing. I don't care too much how much games cost. I just wanted to be able to enjoy what I spend my time playing. That's one reason why I never finished Star Ocean:TLH, or FF13. Being able to embrace multiple platforms just gives me more options.

And honestly, with consoles costing about as much as Radeon 5830, fanboy-ism is in its death throes.


RE: No excuse
By Solandri on 8/30/2010 1:38:51 PM , Rating: 5
Yeah, it's interesting to note that the subscription model for online service (CompuServe, GEnie, AOL) which died when the open Internet trounced them has essentially been revived in the console market, with manufacturers forcing people to subscribe.


RE: No excuse
By Spivonious on 8/30/2010 1:44:46 PM , Rating: 1
I buy milk. If I want to use it for more than a couple of hours, I need to put it in the refrigerator. The milk makers expect me to pay for the electricity to run the refrigerator. There is no alternative. Do you want your milk to last more than a few hours? PAY.

Your argument is silly. You mean a company realizes online gaming is popular and they charge for it? How dare they make money from giving customers a service.


RE: No excuse
By supermitsuba on 8/30/2010 1:54:27 PM , Rating: 2
I think you have it all wrong with the economics rational. I think what he is tring to say, If a system like steam existed in XBOX, then it would draw more people to it. Thus, if someone could do this, they would make some money, depending on how well received it is.


RE: No excuse
By MrBlastman on 8/30/10, Rating: 0
RE: No excuse
By clovell on 8/30/2010 5:30:58 PM , Rating: 2
I hate to have to keep making this point, but.... a Dedicated Server is not free. I realize that many PC games don't use them (i.e. Civ4 or SAOSE), but a lot of FPS games do. Those normally run $20-$60 a month for some magnanimous patron of gaming.


RE: No excuse
By RjBass on 8/31/2010 8:16:04 PM , Rating: 1
Interesting. I have set up my own dedicated servers for the majority of the games i play on PC including BC2.


RE: No excuse
By clovell on 9/1/2010 12:12:57 PM , Rating: 2
You're a cool guy in my book, then. I used to host an 8-man Halo:PC DS every now and then. I would have done Natural Selection, but it was too compute-intensive to run in the background of light use.


RE: No excuse
By Da W on 8/30/2010 3:47:55 PM , Rating: 4
Go play outside! It's still free! It burns fat. Direct sunlight puts you in a good mood.


RE: No excuse
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 8/30/2010 5:59:55 PM , Rating: 5
quote:
Direct sunlight puts you in a good mood.

And causes skin cancer....


RE: No excuse
By Reclaimer77 on 8/30/10, Rating: -1
RE: No excuse
By Smilin on 8/31/2010 9:54:51 AM , Rating: 5
You show me a guy with skin cancer and I'll show you a guy who doesn't have rickets.


RE: No excuse
By Pythias on 8/31/2010 1:14:23 PM , Rating: 2
I'm fat, bald, and old. Piss on playing outside. :)


RE: No excuse
By wushuktl on 8/30/2010 2:19:03 PM , Rating: 3
you're using a continuing running service that you as the customer expect to be running at all times, to be properly maintained and updated as time goes on, why SHOULDN'T you have to pay for it as time goes on? stop whining


RE: No excuse
By Solandri on 8/30/2010 3:10:31 PM , Rating: 1
My reasoning is if the company forces you to use their service by preventing you from using an alternative, then it is part of the original purchase and they should provide the service for free.

If they wish to split up the purchase into two parts paid for separately - the product and the service - then the product should not be crippled to only be usable with their service. You bought the product, it's yours to do with as you wish. So you should be able to use it with any service, not just theirs.


RE: No excuse
By Smilin on 8/30/10, Rating: 0
RE: No excuse
By Solandri on 8/31/2010 5:51:54 AM , Rating: 2
When you buy a console, there is no agreement, no click-through EULA. You are buying a product, pure and simple.

As I said, I'm OK with them either providing the service as a separate add-on paid for separately. But then the hardware should not be crippled to prevent you from using other services. I'm also OK with them crippling the hardware so it works with only one service. But then the hardware and service should be sold as one unit with one purchase price (or no purchase price and a monthly rental fee if they want to model it that way).

What makes no sense to me is selling the hardware as a standalone purchase, but crippling it so it will only work with their service which you have to pay for. That creates a dangerous artificial monopoly situation which thwarts free market forces. It'd be like if Ford crippled their cars so they would only drive on Ford roads. It would needlessly hold back progress in car and road technology by thwarting competition.

The only way to prevent manufacturers from doing that is to remove the profit incentive for doing so. That means either they can cripple it and not profit from it (Ford can cripple their cars, but must allow you to drive on Ford roads for free - essentially you're buying the car and road access as one unit). Or they can profit from it, but can't cripple it (Ford can charge you to drive on Ford roads, but can't prevent you from driving on other roads, so you can pick and choose which roads to drive on).


RE: No excuse
By Smilin on 8/31/2010 10:10:12 AM , Rating: 1
Like I said, you didn't read the agreements you agreed to.

Grab one of your multiplayer games. Read the fine print on the back. It will refer you to a larger document, read that. Somewhere along the line you're going to be told about a XBL requirement. So now go sign up for XBL. Read those documents before you check the box to agree.

So gripe all you want about not liking the deal but the fact is you accepted the deal.

Your argument about crippling the hardware makes no sense and as usual a car analogy sucks at explaining anything.

When you bought your Xbox did you also buy a server rack, cabling, AC, blah blah..? No you didn't. They don't sell that at Bestbuy. There is indeed hardware involved in Xbox live but you don't own it. You're paying separately to rent both it and (much more importantly) the software that runs on it.

Your Xbox hardware has not been deliberately crippled. It's just not capable of performing the functions of the Live service by itself.

Even the lesser argument about an agreement when you use Xbox standalone is wrong. There is software on that device and guess what? You don't own that software *at all*. You are only licensing it. If it were otherwise you could copy that software and sell it yourself via your ownership.

Look cut to the chase though. Xbox live even at the increased price is a good value for the consumer. Nobody is getting ripped off here but there are plenty who want to get up on the soapbox and bitch anyway.


RE: No excuse
By tallcool1 on 8/31/2010 2:00:49 PM , Rating: 2
A fool and his money is soon parted.

XBOX consumers have been getting shafted since the beginning and will continually be getting the shaft. "Thank you may I please have another..."

Between the defective hardware for the first few years and then making you pay to play online, it just never stops and you continue to line up for more and more. O.o

Most of these types of games can be played online for FREE via a PC with DEDICATED SERVERS or even on a PS3.
Want to play a good FPS game online, try Call of Duty (original Modern Warfare, or World at War).
Want to play a good MMORPG game online, try Guild Wars.

These are just some examples which are FREE to play online where the game itself is hosted on a dedicated server. Something the XBOX consumer will never see the light of day.

For all you know the world is still flat. You just continue to line up like cows going to the slaughter house.


RE: No excuse
By clovell on 8/31/2010 3:13:40 PM , Rating: 2
How about this? I have a computer. When I want to play a free-to-play game, I will. When I want to pay for it, I will. I'll also be sure to have enough fun to not have to come to online forums and diss on everybody who enjoys playing on a console - or even a PC, for that matter.


RE: No excuse
By tallcool1 on 9/1/2010 12:01:28 PM , Rating: 2
You really didn't thoroughly read my post. I was promoting the fact that the PC platform gives you many options, whether its FREE or pay.


RE: No excuse
By clovell on 9/2/2010 11:49:20 AM , Rating: 2
Say what?


RE: No excuse
By Smilin on 9/2/2010 10:35:40 AM , Rating: 2
Most of my gaming is actually PC so I enjoy all that goodness.

But sometimes I want more than free gives you. Example: When on a TF2 binge I'll sometimes use paid-slot servers to enjoy those constantly packed games without the fuss of joining.

I find XBox live to be a great value. Sure free like PS3 would be nice but I don't want a PS3 for unrelated reasons.

Fool to be parted with my money? I'm clearly not a fool as I've landed a JOB that gives me enough money that I don't find $59 for a whole year of service to be painful.


RE: No excuse
By ochentay4 on 8/30/2010 3:13:42 PM , Rating: 2
I dont want Xbox Live anything else but for online gaming, and I bet there are a LOT of users out there that are in the same boat. Last year was my first and last Live Gold subscription. Too much money for something should be free. Among history almost all gaming services were free (not free but maintained by gaming sales).

Do you pay for your games? Well, I do and I think its enough. The money I pay for the game should include online services mainteinance (LIKE STEAM). DLC is another topic (which I will not bother to comment).

Thats why I bought the PS3. Most FPS shooters are on the PS3 and I play whenever I want, the time I want. Im not a PS3 fanbot, nor X360 hater. I play games and care for my wallet. I do have very little time and few games.

Do not forget about Halo 2. Those wankers cancelled support of that Xbox1 games despite users paying for it, and I am one of them !!!!!!!!!
The only game I regret not playing is Halo 3MP & Reach (MP) Which are really fun.

Im a PC user tired of playing console ported games. Thats why I have consoles. But Xbox business model is really a joke. PS3 is the way to go.


RE: No excuse
By nafhan on 8/30/2010 2:21:45 PM , Rating: 2
Speaking of which, it would be awesome if Sony ditched their current online stuff and just started using Steam...
Based on stuff Valve has said, it sounds like Steam may eventually be on PS3 in some capacity.


RE: No excuse
By BZDTemp on 8/30/2010 3:31:13 PM , Rating: 2
Why would it be "awesome" if Sony dropped their online offering? What they offer works pretty well and if Steam gets added then what is wrong with having both?

I don't see the gain? Please elaborate.


RE: No excuse
By gamerk2 on 8/31/2010 8:03:53 AM , Rating: 2
Actually, Steamworks is comming to the PS3 when Civ5 releases.


RE: No excuse
By bug77 on 8/30/2010 2:37:00 PM , Rating: 2
Solid logic there.

"Uuuuh, a closed system, let me subscribe so they'll learn and lower prices." I'm shocked, this looked like a sure thing.


RE: No excuse
By Reclaimer77 on 8/30/2010 3:28:39 PM , Rating: 1
We're talking 9 more bucks over the course of a year here dude. 9. NINE.

Lighten up. I bet if you ask real nice mommy and daddy will chip in.

quote:
Thats why I have 2 consoles now. I bought the PS3 to play the same games that are on the 360 for free.


Yeah because paying hundreds of dollars more for consoles, and paying hundreds more for games on each platform, was WAY better than paying $60 bucks a year for the Live Service. LOL man, you're a financial genius!!! AHAHAHAAH!!!


RE: No excuse
By clovell on 8/30/2010 3:46:10 PM , Rating: 2
lol - Yeah, $9 is really not that much - it just stings to see a bill hit you for $60 all at once.

What the PC fan-base forgets is that Dedicated Servers for their games aren't free, either. They run anywhere from $20-$60 / month depending on how CPU-intensive the game is. So, as much as I sympathize, and as much as it hurts my judeo-fiscal feelings, I can say that this is, rationally-speaking, no big deal.


RE: No excuse
By Reclaimer77 on 8/30/2010 4:02:31 PM , Rating: 1
I think I read somewhere that Microsoft invested around a billion dollars total getting Xbox Live off the ground. I mean, people making the argument that buying the games should cover all that alone just aren't being realistic here.

quote:
What the PC fan-base forgets is that Dedicated Servers for their games aren't free, either. They run anywhere from $20-$60 / month depending on how CPU-intensive the game is.


That's a great point.


RE: No excuse
By ats on 8/30/2010 4:19:39 PM , Rating: 1
Well, it is MS, so sure, their incompetence knows no bounds, so it could of cost them a billion dollars getting an xfire/etc analog off the ground.


RE: No excuse
By clovell on 8/30/2010 5:32:15 PM , Rating: 2
You just compared XBL Gold to Xfire?

I don't even know where to begin...


RE: No excuse
By ats on 8/30/2010 5:46:28 PM , Rating: 2
Fundamental feature of XBL Gold is the ability to play games online. What you are paying for is that capability, and in that regard it provides nothing more than xfire.


RE: No excuse
By clovell on 8/30/2010 5:56:34 PM , Rating: 4
Xfire does not 'let you play games online'. It is a messenger client for gamers. I've seen over 100 builds of xfire, and it does not 'let you play games online' - servers/hosts do that.


RE: No excuse
By ats on 8/30/2010 4:15:30 PM , Rating: 5
quote:
What the PC fan-base forgets is that Dedicated Servers for their games aren't free, either. They run anywhere from $20-$60 / month depending on how CPU-intensive the game is. So, as much as I sympathize, and as much as it hurts my judeo-fiscal feelings, I can say that this is, rationally-speaking, no big deal.


Which would be a great argument, IF Xbox Live or PSN actually used their servers for multiplayer.

they do NOT. All multiplayer is run on YOUR CONSOLE or one other OTHER CONSOLES in the game. There are no servers. You are paying $60 for a glorified match making service. You know effectively the exact same thing that is available from multiple vendors and/or run by game companies on the PC.

The only thing you get with live is a glorified match making service.
Dedicated servers? Nope.
Games? Nope.
Movies? Nope.
Anything? Nope.
Just a match making service. Just about any web site requires more computing power than what MS provides for your "gold" money.


RE: No excuse
By clovell on 8/30/2010 5:39:37 PM , Rating: 3
That's kinda beside the point. To play CoD4:MW2 on XBL requires XBL gold. To play it on PC requires a DS. The costs are still there, even though XBL doesn't make use of a DS. Also - how much does your average 10-man ventrilo server run each month?


RE: No excuse
By Invane on 8/31/2010 1:52:39 PM , Rating: 1
I believe you make a poor argument. For 24 players to play on the PC requires a single DS. This means that (assuming the DS is 60 bucks) your 60 DS is spread out over 24 players. For the same on XBL, they charge every single player that 60 bucks. Additionally, on the PC you get a DEDICATED server for your $60 rather than an ad hoc setup across multiple consoles. I guarantee the playing experience on a solid dedicated server with a PC is head and shoulders above what a console offers.


RE: No excuse
By clovell on 8/31/2010 1:59:42 PM , Rating: 3
> I believe you make a poor argument.

A Dedicated Server for 24 players is $60 - a month. A 24-man Ventrilo is about $25 a month. XBox Live is $60 a year.

Six on one side, personal tastes on the other.


RE: No excuse
By bighairycamel on 8/31/2010 5:33:44 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
That's kinda beside the point. To play CoD4:MW2 on XBL requires XBL gold. To play it on PC requires a DS. The costs are still there, even though XBL doesn't make use of a DS. Also - how much does your average 10-man ventrilo server run each month?
I'm glad you brought up MW2 cause you couldn't be more wrong. MW2 is client-side hosted. There are no dedicated servers. If you've ever gotten on a laggy server it's because the host XBox or PC has a crappy connection. As far as I know, most if not all console games are hosted client-side.

The ONLY server Microsoft hosts are the user information servers, storing your account information, achievements, etc.

The ONLY server I.W. hosts is the stat server.

So you're paying 60-120 a year for a boolean value "toggle-switch" that let's you play online.


RE: No excuse
By clovell on 8/31/2010 6:40:32 PM , Rating: 2
First off - it's $60. Where did $120 come from? Second off, if you want voice comms capabilities on par with XBL, that means ventrilo - which costs money.

But yeah - that was definitely my mistake MW2 doesn't use a DS for the PC.


RE: No excuse
By bighairycamel on 9/1/2010 4:22:41 PM , Rating: 2
Yes it's $60 for a full year subscription purchase, or you can pay $10/mo x 12 months = $120.

I know damn near all subscribers buy the full year for $60, but $120 is still the upper limit on fees.


RE: No excuse
By clovell on 9/2/2010 11:53:30 AM , Rating: 2
Ah, I hadn't thought of that.


RE: No excuse
By bug77 on 8/31/2010 4:19:21 AM , Rating: 3
quote:
$9 is really not that much


Indeed, it isn't. It's just the beginning.


RE: No excuse
By Smilin on 8/31/2010 9:57:45 AM , Rating: 1
Yes because Microsoft has such a history of raising prices?

I mean Win95/95 were what 99 for "home" upgrade, 199 for home full and pro upgrade, 299 for pro full.

And windows 2k, XP, Vista, 7 were the same. So $0.00 price increase in 15 years. The xbox price increase is on par with inflation.

Quit being a pessimistic hater.


RE: No excuse
By Raiders12 on 8/31/2010 10:16:20 AM , Rating: 2
I guess its a good thing Congress has extended unemployment indefinitely, so everyone complaining about the $9 might be able to float it.


RE: No excuse
By bhieb on 8/30/10, Rating: 0
RE: No excuse
By Netscorer on 8/30/2010 5:35:03 PM , Rating: 2
Kinect is not going to compete with remote control. I mean come on who hasn't dreamed of controlling TV shows without even having to wave a hand.

Everything else you mention is available on PC for free and on smartphones either for free or as a one time small fee.

Microsoft has no justification on raising the price except to milk its customers till the cows come home.


RE: No excuse
By GreyMulkin on 8/30/2010 6:53:53 PM , Rating: 4
Don't be foolish. ESPN will not be free, it will most likely require a separate payment. Same for Hulu - I bet dollars to donuts that you will have to have your own $10/mo Hulu Plus bs subscription.

You want me to pay a subscription fee but I get interrupted by ads? No, thank you for getting the hell away from me.


RE: No excuse
By TheRequiem on 8/30/10, Rating: 0
RE: No excuse
By Reclaimer77 on 8/30/2010 4:42:26 PM , Rating: 3
How is the cost of your broadband connection supposed to be any concern to anyone else? By that logic EVERY service should be free by now!

quote:
Microsoft is wrong here.


That is categorically false. There is no wrong or right here. At all, at ALL. It's not like Xbox live has EVER been free and suddenly they are charging. You might have an argument if that was the case, but it's not.

quote:
I don't want to pay an extra $9 friggin dollars and every service I use


Then don't. Problem solved.

quote:
$9 for several services here and there begin to slowly shorten our current wages use, especially in a time with this high of unemployment and stale wages.


No offense, but if unemployment and wages are your big concerns, you probably shouldn't be placing Xbox Live that high on your priorities list. Just a thought?

quote:
Microsoft is essentially charging us to use their service and blaming it on maintenance fee's which is the oldest excuse for profit in the park. In reality, it's a poor excuse. Do massive social networking websites ask us to pay $50 a year for service? A la' Facebook, Twitter, etc?


Those sites are paid by ad revenue and other shady practices. I seriously doubt you would want Xbox Live turned into an ad distribution hub.

Your argument seem to be "Microsoft has lots of money, everything should be free.". Are you 12?


RE: No excuse
By clovell on 8/30/2010 5:42:39 PM , Rating: 5
One more for you - it's been 8 years since XBL launched.

How much did it cost to go to the movies in 2002?


RE: No excuse
By Smilin on 8/31/2010 10:13:51 AM , Rating: 2
Ouch.

I hope you get a 5 out of this.


RE: No excuse
By TheRequiem on 8/30/2010 9:38:11 PM , Rating: 1
Your entire attempt to argue and discredit what I said is almost completely invalid.

Did you only read the first paragraph? You completely missed the whole entire point of my message... which is, companies RAISE prices to offset differentials in spending and they make HUGE profits from doing so. Which I am arguing can be done without always raising prices. If everyone raised prices for these reasons, we would have serious problems. Therefore, Microsoft is categorically wrong for raising prices, which is to make profits. This is effectively, bad business.

Also, another thing you were completely out of the loop for, I DONT pay for Xbox Live, lol.

Also, never did I mention it should be free, goodness gracious, I don't even know why I am responding to this, but whatever. I'm just saying, they get HUGE profits and don't need to raise prices.

As for wages and employment, this is really a different subject I'm not willing to get into, but if you think just because your not having issues. You better take a good look at how many people are, raising prices for people, whether it be an average Joe or his kids, it is not a good idea. Hence "bring the pain".


RE: No excuse
By Smilin on 8/30/2010 5:20:54 PM , Rating: 2
I disagree with you but you raise an interesting point about services.

I'm paying XBL gold, paying $10/month for netflix, and $15/month for a zunepass. I've also got Hulu for free (for now), Amazon I can download to my tivo, and a $50/month internet.

All this stuff is nickle and diming me to death. Or is it?

Interestingly enough I just dropped my cable TV altogether. I've got so many choices through the "nickle and dime" services that I end up saving like 80%.

What you have to really ask yourself is "is this worth it".

For $59/year, YES Xbox Live gold is worth it. Quite a bargain at that.


RE: No excuse
By clovell on 8/30/2010 5:50:15 PM , Rating: 2
I do the same thing, but I kept basic cable and record the network shows I like digitally to my computer. WMC in Windows 7 rocks. That way, I can catch the live stuff I like to watch - mostly football, but also the shows I like (I use the Xbox as a media extender, since I like playback on my TV better than on my computer).


RE: No excuse
By mcturkey on 8/30/2010 8:55:33 PM , Rating: 3
You're paying $30 for your internet service? You fool! Aren't you already paying for your electricity to run the damned computer? Your ISP is clearly making a huge profit margin by charging you that outrageous fee.

For that matter, screw the electric company! You've already paid for the computer. It's insane for someone to expect you to pay for a service that you *need* to be able to use your computer. It's vendor lock-in! Down with corporations!


RE: No excuse
By Smilin on 8/31/2010 10:17:38 AM , Rating: 2
lulz.


RE: No excuse
By Lazarus Dark on 8/30/2010 7:27:32 PM , Rating: 1
The worst part? They made a BILLION DOLLARS on XBL last year:
http://www.dailytech.com/Xbox+Live+Beats+1B+Sales+...

These greedy MoFo's...

Isn't a Billion enough???


RE: No excuse
By Smilin on 8/31/2010 1:46:52 PM , Rating: 2
That's only ~22 million users. I'd like to see them hit 200-300 million. So no, 1 billion isn't enough.


RE: No excuse
By tallcool1 on 8/31/2010 2:13:23 PM , Rating: 2
Well feel free to open your wallet or write them a check so they can make more than 1 billion... you argue that them charging more is no problem for you, so exactly what would you say your limit is for XBOX Live subscription?


RE: No excuse
By Smilin on 9/2/2010 12:50:57 PM , Rating: 2
I'd probably put up with 9.99/month. Beyond that and I'd defect.


RE: No excuse
By Hiawa23 on 8/30/2010 8:56:27 PM , Rating: 1
I have had Live since day1, & love it's features, not really something for me to complain about if it's going to cost $10 more per year. I wouldn't pay a nickel for PSN, kind of surprised MS waited this long, honestly I saw this coming when they announced ESPN & all the functionality of LIVE. Not making any excuses for em. I would rather Live be free, but I think I & most understand that this stuff costs money, someone has to pay for it. What can you do?

The way I see it, I am not going bankrupt over $10, plus I have no other option. My PS3 is used mainly for bluray, not a PC gamer, & I don't like PSN or the setup or quality at all for online gaming or it funtionality. The 360 is my main online gaming platform, so I have no choice, again, $10, I will survive.

I think MS missed out on a chance to increase it's goodwill among it's customer base, especially the ones who stuck by em given the whole RROD fiasco. I think they should have reduced Live by $10/year as a way of saying thank you, we are sorry, as that would have gone alot further, but that's just my thinking.


RE: No excuse
By crazyblackman on 8/30/2010 10:39:19 PM , Rating: 1
Let me ask you something? How long have you been bent over in that position? You could'nt stand up straight now if you wanted to. You are the Major's number 1 little b____h, aren't you?


RE: No excuse
By Hiawa23 on 8/31/2010 8:38:46 AM , Rating: 1
Let me ask you something? How long have you been bent over in that position? You could'nt stand up straight now if you wanted to. You are the Major's number 1 little b____h, aren't you?

I am no more bent over by MS than I am bent over by my electric company. These references you guys make are ridiculous. I choose to game on my 360 online, I choose to pay for LIVE, no one is forcing me to do anything. At this point there is no other option for me as I am not a PC gamer, I do have a PS3 but donot like PSN, & wouldn't pay for that. This is all about nothing to me, & I find it hilarious many gamers complaining are the same gamers who buy $60 games multiple times of the year, play em once or twice then trade em in for 1/2 or less the value. If you feel LIVE aint worth it, don't pay for it, but you holier than thou mofos, who come to message boards trying to change someone's mind, you probably should stop that. By the way, I am as straight as they come, thank you.


RE: No excuse
By Smilin on 8/31/2010 1:51:45 PM , Rating: 1
Get a job dude.

XBOX Live is plenty cheap if you aren't on welfare.


RE: No excuse
By ryedizzel on 8/31/2010 12:21:25 PM , Rating: 2
Microsoft is making a big mistake with this price increase. And for what?? They are already making more money with the millions of new subscribers gained over the past year. If anything they should be LOWERING the price as appreciation. Seriously, this is retarded, and my PS3 friends that were about to switch over are going to change their minds now. As for me, I will NOT be renewing my subscription when it ends. Xbox Live is nice but I don't need it that bad. It was already overpriced to begin with...


Still going strong
By BigPeen on 8/30/2010 3:12:37 PM , Rating: 2
I still play CS for free...10 years later. I stil play WC3 for free...8 years later. Oh and I still get free updates, mods, etc.




RE: Still going strong
By ochentay4 on 8/30/2010 3:17:17 PM , Rating: 3
Gotta love steam!


RE: Still going strong
By sviola on 8/30/2010 4:18:13 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
I still play CS for free...10 years later. I stil play WC3 for free...8 years later.


Well, altough those games are great, you need to get some new ones... ;)


RE: Still going strong
By Camikazi on 8/30/2010 4:56:14 PM , Rating: 2
Just cause they play those old games doesn't mean they haven't tried newer ones, might just mean they like the older ones better and play them more.


RE: Still going strong
By Smilin on 8/30/2010 5:12:16 PM , Rating: 2
No, it's not free. It's just someone else is paying it for you. Servers and bandwidth aren't made of magic fairy dust.

It's not a big deal if you're a freeloading mooch on a single 12 man server. The owner can pay for it if he keeps the change jar on his dresser empty.

Now try running a service for TWENTY TWO MILLION PEOPLE.


RE: Still going strong
By rdeegvainl on 8/30/2010 10:32:29 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
No, it's not free. It's just someone else is paying it for you. Servers and bandwidth aren't made of magic fairy dust.

quite the misdirect there. The end user isn't paying for it, so to them it IS free.

Facebook has how many users... and how much does it cost? See earlier post by someone else to review the actual services provided by XBOX live.


RE: Still going strong
By Smilin on 9/2/2010 10:40:22 AM , Rating: 2
Not a misdirect at all. Just realize that somebody somewhere has to pay for things. Some little guy running a single server can afford it. Get 22+ million people on a service and be prepared for the provider to pass on some cost. It's all well and good that Sony is eating the cost but then again their finances are in the tank.

And Facebook..how much does facebook cost? It might very well be one of the most expensive services you could ever use. It just doesn't cost you any *money*. They're pimping your personal information like it was a crack whore.


straight up bs
By jamezlj on 8/30/2010 1:51:08 PM , Rating: 1
an annual subscription is already too much on top of the cost of games and the hardware itself.

the convenience has disappeard... I'm making the move to PC and not looking back.




RE: straight up bs
By raumkrieger on 8/30/2010 2:16:29 PM , Rating: 2
I've been PC-exclusive for as long as I've had a PC capable of playing games.
The advantages are endless, the only disadvantage being ease of control, I guess. I find mouse+keyboard far more natural than a controller but some of my friends disagree.

Unfortunately game developers know that on the PC they can't pull the sort of crap they pull with the consoles (with the exception of MMOs). That's why we're seeing more and more game developers flipping off PC gamers and going off to milk the console cow. Infinity Ward is the obvious example with their pathetic excuse of a game, MW2.

All we can do is support those companies that get it right, like Valve.


RE: straight up bs
By B3an on 8/30/2010 2:29:20 PM , Rating: 1
quote:
The advantages are endless, the only disadvantage being ease of control, I guess. I find mouse+keyboard far more natural than a controller but some of my friends disagree.

Anyone with even a few brain cells must realise that keyboard+mouse is superior for the vast majority of games. But i dont know why so many people like yourself fail to realise that... the 360's controller works on PC too.


RE: straight up bs
By Smilin on 8/31/2010 2:21:07 PM , Rating: 2
There are few PC games that were designed with a controller in mind though. Those that were also have XBOX ports so it's generally easier to just play the console version.

I've got a PC wireless adapter for my 360 controller but it mostly gathers dust. Last game was beat hazard I think.


RE: straight up bs
By BigPeen on 8/30/2010 9:53:27 PM , Rating: 1
Uhhh better controls? Do you know why they didn't let PC halo play against people on XBOX halo? It wasn't technical issues, its because a noob on the PC could squash a pro on the XBOX without much thought. Keyboard and mouse FTW.


RE: straight up bs
By Smilin on 8/31/2010 10:13:04 AM , Rating: 2
LOL, no you're not. I'm calling you out. $9 per YEAR isn't going to sway you.

You're like an apple user swearing you're fed up with the antennae issue and going to return the thing in your 30 day window. It's a bluff as transparent as glass.


Throw in Hulu streaming...
By nafhan on 8/30/2010 2:18:03 PM , Rating: 2
...and I'll be happy to call it even. Doubt it'll happen, though.




RE: Throw in Hulu streaming...
By bhieb on 8/30/2010 3:37:19 PM , Rating: 2
Just got an email from them and it looks like it will be included shortly. Along with some other things. As usual DT does not give you all the facts. Just the Hulu aspect is worth it IMO.

• With ESPN on Xbox LIVE, you can stream and watch over 3,500 live and on-demand sporting events plus highlights.*

• Video Kinect allows you to chat with family and friends on the big screen, right from the comfort of your living room—no headset or controller required.*

• With Hulu Plus on Xbox LIVE you will be able to enjoy a customized Hulu Plus experience that will include Kinect navigation and Xbox LIVE Parties*


RE: Throw in Hulu streaming...
By NARC4457 on 8/30/2010 4:22:44 PM , Rating: 2
Hulu Plus is going to be like Netflix though - you will still have to pay for Hulu Plus!


RE: Throw in Hulu streaming...
By bhieb on 8/30/2010 4:43:43 PM , Rating: 1
Well then that would diminish the value, but still having it integrated into one appliance (disk free unlike Netflix on other consoles) is still nice. Doesn't look like the ESPN stuff requires any other $$ tho so if your a sports fan that may be enough.


dafaf
By IamJedi on 8/30/10, Rating: 0
RE: dafaf
By Smilin on 8/30/2010 5:14:43 PM , Rating: 1
NO Fool, Microsoft is "Bringing the pain**" didn't you hear?!

**pain being defined as not being allowed to have a starbucks latte on two mornings of the year.


RE: dafaf
By IamJedi on 8/30/2010 5:35:30 PM , Rating: 2
or two 12-packs of Dr. Pepper a year... Man, consequences will never be the same...


RE: dafaf
By Netscorer on 8/30/2010 5:50:15 PM , Rating: 2
The profound reason, as you have put it, is to milk the customers since they don't really have a choice. It's not like MS Live provides different entry levels - you either pay up or shut up. Imagine that cable providers would tell you to either pay $300 a month for all premium channels or go hiking.

And as for extra $9 a year, it is not what butt-hurts people (again, your wording, not mine). It's realization of being used that produces this feeling. Most people don't like this sensation. I guess, you are in minority.


RE: dafaf
By IamJedi on 8/30/2010 6:01:20 PM , Rating: 2
Xbox Live is not a necessity to living, and neither is your 200 + premium T.V. channels. There IS an alternative to Xbox Live, and as I said, its called XB-Connect. Please, don't misunderstand me when I truly am sorry that everyone here must now work more to make up for that $10 increase for something that isn't required to live or function in this society.

Don't try to justify your position that people should be upset over this increase because they shouldn't take shit, like this, from big, mean corporations. This is a service, not a necessity.


Good News For People Who Love Bad News
By GreyMulkin on 8/30/2010 6:43:26 PM , Rating: 5
The price increase is great news!

It means a overall decrease in cost from $50/yr to $0/yr as I gleefully return to the realm of PC gaming.

Seriously, the console gamers are getting the shaft in terms of the amount of content available on the PC and in terms of the price they have to pay. A $10 premium on new games for a more limited experience? Thanks, but no thanks.




By clovell on 9/2/2010 11:55:57 AM , Rating: 2
Have fun playing Halo: Reach on your PC in a couple weeks. Let's talk about the limitation of console vs. PC gaming afterwards.


Whats the problem here?
By jabber on 8/31/2010 1:25:31 PM , Rating: 2
An extra $10?

Thats an extra $0.03 roughly a day.

I wish all those other services we used regularly would rise in price by such a small margin. Like trains, buses, gasoline, food, beer etc. etc.

Imagine all the truly useless crap you blow more than that on in a day and dont even think twice.

$50 a month on that crappy phone maybe?

For heavens sake some of you need to nut up or shut up.




RE: Whats the problem here?
By Raiders12 on 8/31/2010 1:58:09 PM , Rating: 2
But its just not fair!!! Its not like I live in a capitalist society where I make choices based on competitors and other services.


RE: Whats the problem here?
By jabber on 8/31/2010 4:13:46 PM , Rating: 2
Lol, yeah I hate it when sunglasses wearing Microsoft goons hang outside my home in a car, looking at me while prodding a teddybear with a flick-knife.

I have to give them my $60.

Then there is Sony putting glass in my cereal and Apple making abusive sexual calls to my mother.

It's got a bit out of hand really.


lol
By Spivonious on 8/30/2010 1:28:49 PM , Rating: 4
quote:
You don't give enough content to warrant $50...glad I'm paid up for the next year and a half.


What a hypocrite.




Glad I got mine cheap on Amazon
By MrArmageddon on 8/30/2010 2:06:43 PM , Rating: 2
I bought a 12 month Gold card on Amazon 2 weeks ago when it was on sale for $29.99. I rarely play online with my Xbox (mainly a PC gamer), and really only use it for game demos and videos like "The Guild" series.

I re-upped my subscription in anticipation of Halo: Reach. The Halo games are really the only ones I bother to play online with my 360, since most other titles I can play on my PC.

I am sure there will always be sales like the one I took advantage of for the subscription service. Just have to look around.




RE: Glad I got mine cheap on Amazon
By Kurz on 8/30/2010 2:20:56 PM , Rating: 2
Amazon still sells it for 39.99 Free shipping no less. ;)


In defense of Microsoft...
By Hakuryu on 8/31/2010 12:54:51 AM , Rating: 2
Let me start by saying that I'm against many things gamers have to deal with these days - online activations, DRM which basically says 'you are guilty until proven innocent', and the trend of paying for things that used to be free like map packs.

However, I have been gaming since it began. I owned an original Atari. I owned the original Pong. I started playing games on a TRS-80 Color Computer 2, when games were just text, and if they had graphics, 16 colors was something to talk about.

I guess I'm saying I've seen it all, and when an increase in Live prices come along, I can't help but think the complainers have no clue what the gaming community has had to put up with in the past.

Live isn't perfect, but I can download demos at high speeds at any time, without any waiting or creating an account on some site. Chat and parties (sort of like Vent/Teamspeak are literally transparent, and more importantly work... always). Last.fm is great, as is being able to watch movies about games instantly with no queue or 5 KB downloads... all in all, Live is really great.

People have been complaining about Live's pricing even before this increase. I can't help but think the service is worth 2x the increase easily. I've had a FilePlanet subscription, paid for Vent servers, and even have paid for clan website hosting... while Live might not have the functionality of multiple PC equivalents, it is easy to use, you never have to wait or pay extra for each option, and it always works... I'm really tempted to say quit whining.




RE: In defense of Microsoft...
By Raiders12 on 8/31/2010 8:08:00 AM , Rating: 2
As stated before, XBL hasnt raised its prices since its inception. I have been an original member since then, and have paid for it.When I was 14 I didnt complain about paying $50, and I don't now. It is a great service to have easy access to jump into friend's games and/or chat without worrying about tons of incompatibility issues.

I have played every aspect of multiplayer from Pc to PS3, and Xbox does an excellent job of making it all convenient. I remember back in Battlefield 2 days on PC how me and my friend always had issues with headsets/comm. Guess how many issues I have with XBL?

Also with everyones gung-ho "Im going to PC" attitude. GOOD LUCK. Have fun keeping up with $300-400 video cards to run the latest games every year. $10 extra doesnt seem so bad.


Feh!
By nidomus on 8/30/2010 2:29:58 PM , Rating: 3
I haven't had live since it expired at the end of December of last year, and with this news, I won't be renewing it. I don't even game online on my 360. Actually... I HATE gaming online with others. I play video games for a short escape from reality, not to deal with a bunch of idiots. The only damn reason I had a gold membership was for Netflix, now that I can get that for FREE on my PS3 there's just no damn point in a gold membership anymore.




By muhahaaha on 8/30/2010 2:38:00 PM , Rating: 3
My XBOX360 RROD'd a few months ago and I picked up a nice Radeon 5750 for cheap and have been using steam ever since. I've gotten some great games for 1/2 price or less.

I'm not going back to consoles when my PC has superior input devices, better resolution, and no subscription to Live. I am playing a lot of the custom levels for L4D2 which are FREE.

Good riddance to console lock in and overpriced games.

Only thing I miss is the Netflix streaming to my HDTV, but I'm pretty sure I can do it via my DirectTV tuner, just haven't figured out how yet.




Well
By cknobman on 8/30/2010 1:54:43 PM , Rating: 2
Well guess I need to turn off auto renew on my subscription.

Im sorry I like my Xbox but I wont be riding the microsoft train next go round. Ive had 2 rrod, paid extra for wireless, have a tiny hard drive, and to play online against others I have to fork over money. None of my current issues would have existed if I bought a PS3. Sure it was more money upfront but I think in the long run Xbox is costing me much more.

Goodbye Microsoft just like everything else when a company see's they have a great product and people like it greed takes over and you eventually ruin it.




Over the Top Reaction.
By dark matter on 8/30/2010 2:31:58 PM , Rating: 2
Hey kids, guess what, generally in life you will find the cost of services and such only goes in one direction. Upwards! This is known as inflation. Go ask grandma how much a loaf of bread of a dozen eggs used to cost.

A $9 increase in 8 years. That's just over a $1 a year. That's 2% inflation rate. Get over yourselves. It's a 75 cent a month increase. If that amount if inflation bugs you, then you're in real trouble when the oil starts to run out.




RE: Over the Top Reaction.
By nihim on 8/30/10, Rating: 0
more content and entertainment ???
By viejevon on 8/30/2010 3:54:47 PM , Rating: 2
"Since launching Xbox LIVE in 2002 we have continually added more content and entertainment experiences for our members, while keeping the price the same," said Major Nelson. ohh wait, we always have to pay for that content too!!! PS3 here i go.




You knew it was coming...
By GenKhan2 on 8/30/2010 6:32:18 PM , Rating: 2
And that's why consumers have the obligation to seek out the lowest cost means of getting what they want and rejecting products that are poorly priced. Having received customer buy in without significant opposition, Microsoft now has carte blanche to price gouge as much as they want with their inherently monopolistic service.

This was the business plan all along: 1. Get people to like your product 2. Continually make your product cheaper to produce 3. Continually make your product more expensive for the customer.

You always had the option to say no. Grats consumers, I hope you're proud of what you've accomplished.




Major Nelson?
By Spookster on 8/30/2010 6:34:38 PM , Rating: 2
Maybe he's too busy dreaming about Jeanie to consider the impact of raising prices.




By crazyblackman on 8/30/2010 10:32:02 PM , Rating: 2
I've said it all along and I will say it again...you are an idiot. Microsoft loves you. Microsoft loves idiots. They are covering the cost of the huge failure about to be launched, called "Kinect". You idiots will still pay the 40-60 bucks for live. That is where all your "360 only owning friends" are. Right? Idiots.




By The Raven on 8/31/2010 12:08:59 AM , Rating: 2
Well MS's explanation is crap obviously and I see a lot of agreement here, but I see disagreement on whether we should be paying for the matchmaking/servers.

Well it really doesn't matter whether they are providing the servers or not. If I paid $50 a year for those servers before the increase, and as some here have tried to justify now there is need to increase the price to handle an increased load, then does that mean that I am playing more hours/using their servers more? It shouldn't. If it is, then we should be able to opt out of the extra features. There are free demos and if it meant that the price stays at $50 then I wouldn't DL the damn things.

Otherwise I blame the federal gov't for printing so damn much $$$ and devaluing our dollar. That isn't MS's fault, but they have to counteract the effects of it.




XBOX Live Increase
By Halo9x on 8/31/2010 10:43:53 PM , Rating: 2
So, they are going to increase the price for XBOX Live. Well, I'm not sure I will be a Gold subscriber. The main thing I have used it for is is Video Chat and Netflix. I can still get Netflix streaming on my Wii and I don't have to pay anything for that. So, good bye Microsoft!




Simple
By Raiders12 on 8/31/2010 8:10:37 AM , Rating: 1
As stated before, XBL hasnt raised its prices since its inception. I have been an original member since then, and have paid for it.When I was 14 I didnt complain about paying $50, and I don't now. It is a great service to have easy access to jump into friend's games and/or chat without worrying about tons of incompatibility issues.

I have played every aspect of multiplayer from Pc to PS3, and Xbox does an excellent job of making it all convenient. I remember back in Battlefield 2 days on PC how me and my friend always had issues with headsets/comm. Guess how many issues I have with XBL?

Also with everyones gung-ho "Im going to PC" attitude. GOOD LUCK. Have fun keeping up with $300-400 video cards to run the latest games every year. $10 extra doesnt seem so bad.




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