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Will Xbox Live Become Free? |
by UtahSaint
7/23/2008 |
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The UK's Guardian are asking if Xbox Live will remain a pay service of it it will become a free - on the back of the news that Games for Windows Live - essentially a PC version of Xbox Live - will now be available for free makes it increasingly difficult for Microsoft to justify charging a subscription to Xbox Live.
Live costs around 40 quid a year, Sony and Nintendo's offerings are free. Sure the service is good but how long can Microsoft get away with charging? The news that Games for Windows Live - essentially a PC version of Xbox Live - will now be available for free makes it increasingly difficult for Microsoft to justify charging a subscription to Xbox Live.
Of course unlike the 360 the PC has a number of competitors for gaming services - Steam, in particular is a far slicker offering than Windows Live - and this has obviously had an influence on the price cut. And yes there are a stack of potentially exciting upgrades on the way for Live - Live Party and Primetime could ultimately be as important to the 360's future as Halo 4 - but you have to wonder how long we'll be asked to pay extra to play online with our 360's. The dude from the Guardians guess: Depending on US PS3 sales in the next year I reckon Xbox Live will be free within 18 months.
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mickJC09
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Xbox live being free would be great, i would buy more games to play!
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Mad Gamer 2
X365 Member
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nah...I dont htink we want to wish that, considering Sony still is working diligently on PS Home. But then again, if XBLive somehow became free, then Sony can just pretty much pack it in and save HOME for the PS4.
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07grandprix
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if xbox live gold became free they had better issue 50 dollars worth of marketplace points to anyone who already payed the fee for that year.
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narcogen
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MS should resist the urge to bring online gaming down to the lowest common denominator in terms of investment. Every dollar Sony spends to develop PSN and bring it up to the level of XBL in terms of functionality, from which Sony derives no revenue, is an advantage to MS. If MS stops charging, they lose that advantage.
If and when PS3 installed base nears that of the 360, and if and when it can be demonstrated that a significant portion of those sales are due to free online, then it might make sense for them to give up the paid online model. Until then it's not warranted.
There's literally no connection between what is going on with free online for Live for Windows. That is just a testament to the fact that nobody is interested in Live for Windows. They have to give it away for free because nobody will pay for it, because there is too much momentum in the PC gaming space behind the idea that online play is free except for MMOs. While it is true that both competitors to MS in the console space have free multiplayer, there is not much momentum behind those communities, so no particular reason to believe that pay for play cannot be sustained.
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Rampant for over five years.
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mpxrltc oidkuexgj
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mpxrltc oidkuexgj
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levbfaqgz fqxvntecs yclq njalfbz mwjklrfy rjqs wfidgroc
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mpxrltc oidkuexgj
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levbfaqgz fqxvntecs yclq njalfbz mwjklrfy rjqs wfidgroc
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mpxrltc oidkuexgj
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levbfaqgz fqxvntecs yclq njalfbz mwjklrfy rjqs wfidgroc
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xakep
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First the reason the PC version of live is free is because you need a good computer to run it. When you start paying $9000+ for your Xbox 360 maybe just maybe you get it free. On top of that there being nice for pc users but WOW costs FF costs Ever quest Costs so what gives you can’t afford $50 a year then its free anyways Silver Memberships are free you cant play with others in some games but you can still be on Xbox live and talk to friends. As for Gold Memberships, Does PS3 have True rank matching, Does it support Netflix, how about this is the Halo 1, 2, and 3 on the PS hell no what good games does that thing have that Xbox 360 does not one maybe Resistance Fall of Men and that’s about it. And Wii sucks look at the freaking graphics I pull my Original Nintendo out thank you. We should all pay Xbox live gold forever because it has been paid for it since Xbox live first started on Xbox. They have no down time maybe 2days a year There Menus and Content are not Beta or Outdated. Gold members get a good deal cheaper then one subscription to your favorite magazine. PS3 sells are not going up unless everyone’s all the sudden getting rich $399+ for one ummm no thank you. Wii no thank you anyways I love Nintendo but if I have to get up to play a video game and move around I just go outside. I going to go play some COD4 and have fun with my paid gold membership that’s been around since 2002. 6 years from now you decide to have a discussion about this? Anyone that thinks it should be free is poor rolf.
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dfdfdf
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GO SUCK DICKS PS3 IS BETTER
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xakep
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your all @!*%ing sad bastards!!!!
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xakep
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haha you suck C O C K all of you !!!!
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Paul
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work
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Oh Yes
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Paul
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Hello
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Oh Yes
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Paul
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yes
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Oh Yes
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Paul
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test
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Oh Yes
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ps3 sucks
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FU3£%%£ u ps3 geeks
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uK iiRetroXX x
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you should realy preorder call of duty modern warfare 2!
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Pharme572
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Very nice site!
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doodx
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losers
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