320°

Pachter predicts Xbox Live tiered payments

Another interesting snippet from our interview with industry analyst Michael Pachter, was his prediction that Microsoft might introduce a tiered payment system to Xbox Live.

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criticalgamer.co.uk
Genesis55245d ago

Oh Mike just give it up would ya!

scruffy_bear5245d ago

Good old Michael uniting fanboy worldwide :)

ABizzel15245d ago

I'd sell my 360 if that ever happened.

Redlogic5245d ago

hooray!! more Pachter predictions!! As I sit here in my cubicle, I wonder...how come I couldn't get a job as cool as his? I wish I could through sh!t at the wall and see if it sticks...for money!! Ugh, FML.

Lifendz5245d ago

this guy won't stop until it happens. Mike, sorry but this is yet another prediction of yours that just doesn't seem likely. So you can either keep making the prediction and appear more foolish, or you can admit you got it wrong and move on. Tiered payments of 30 bucks every quarter, ten bucks a month, just stop it already.

Chubear5245d ago (Edited 5245d ago )

You tell me, when MS introduces a $100 per year model for Live just in time to play Halo Reach MP, do you really think the 360 base will not pay that to play halo reach online?

Please, it's only 8 bucks a month and you'll get additional feature you dont' have today too.

One of the tiers will be that you could play online but you won't have your stats tracked. You just pay to have the privilege of playing online. You'll see soon enough.

boodybandit5245d ago (Edited 5245d ago )

there isn't a game made I would pay $100 dollars a year to play online. If MS raises the price I will walk away the minute my account expires.

SilentNegotiator5245d ago

Unfortunately, I wouldn't see MS struggling much from making it that high. People would probably still shell out the money.

sikbeta5245d ago

Do all of you know if this guy get paid for saying nonsense all day?

lol

DocEvil5245d ago

They all have an interest in making more money. pachter works for himself and investors trying to make money. He suggests $100 a month and sees what everybody says. Everyone gets pissed so maybe he tries a softer 'two tier' $60/$100. Still people are upset but not as upset as before. Next it could be $60/$75, less people upset then, after everybody has been softened by his ridiculous predictions, MS can announce a two tier $50/$70 and people are actually relieved that the basic services haven't increased and some people will happily get the upgraded service since they thought it was going to be $100. MS makes more money and pachter and the investors that follow his advice make more money. It's disgusting industry incest.

And the exact same thing is happening with Sony and all the rumours of charging for PSN. It's only to soften up the consumer cows so that the lower than expected PSN charges seem like a deal compared to what they could have been. It makes me want to puke.

Just watch what pachter predicts and compare it to what he recommends as stock buys and you'll see that he is actually trying to influence the market in his favour. The man is lower than a used car salesman in my opinion, sneaking around in the dark corners of the stock market. I am less disgusted by rotting feces than I am by pachter.

Bnet3435245d ago

Looks like Chubear and Pachter smoke the same crack. ;)

darthv725245d ago

To get more silvers to switch I can see them lowering the price. Maybe down to something like $30-35 a year. That gives the user the online basic experience with the same current bells and whistles. Then having a more expensive level of $65-70 would get the users discounted prices on live games as well as movies/tv shows.

Redlogic5245d ago

who's the disagree fairy? someone disagrees with my own opinion....i weep for the future.

kneon5245d ago

It seems the only requirement is to say whatever pops into your head whether or not it makes any sense at all. It'll take considerable effort but I'm sure in I can learn to come up with even dumber stuff than this guy :)

It may be possible that Microsoft and/or Sony will come out with higher priced premium services but I can't see either getting away with charging more for what customers are already getting anytime soon.

Anon19745245d ago

Microsoft makes a tonne of money off XBL, that's no secret. I bet if they introduced a lower tier that simply gave online play without all the bells and whistles they might lure more people online with their 360's. They'd probably make more then enough to offset the few Gold subscribers who may downgrade their service.

TheDeadMetalhead5245d ago

Since Pachter said it, It will never happen.

vhero5245d ago (Edited 5245d ago )

Sounds the most reasonable thing so far to be honest. Also as for saying since patcher said it, it will never happen your deluded. He makes his living by doing these guesses and gets them right more times than he gets them wrong trust me! Would you rather them just up it to $100 a year or prefer this tiered system? I know which I would prefer..

y0haN5245d ago

His only prediction I believe so far is the one that MS will start charging more for Xbox Live. If/When that happens, I will sell my 360.

STICKzophrenic5244d ago (Edited 5244d ago )

I don't even care about FaceBook, Last.FM, Zune Video etc. I pay about $35-$40 for my Live (Ebay is your friend), and I feel Live is worth it. There's no way I'd pay $100 for the current crap they offer, but I would probably pay $60 (or whatever price I can find on Ebay for cheaper) for the online play, and hopefully party chat would be part of that tier.

TheBrit5244d ago

This guy cant make his mind up about anything. He must be a royal pain to be married to.

+ Show (17) more repliesLast reply 5244d ago
Jockie5245d ago

Hey well, he had to say something to rile up the 360 owners after annoying PS3 users earlier..

Either that or he's an impartial industry analyst.. but somehow i doubt anyone is gonna buy that..

DemonStration5245d ago

I can't imagine MS giving up all the good will they've built up with their service just to make a few extra bucks.

kaveti66165245d ago

Oh? I can imagine that, but that's beside the point. Pachter has a very poor track record. I'm curious as to where he gets his info from and why he still has a job.

mjolliffe5245d ago

He could be right, he could be wrong. You never know with this one.

But people won't believe him because he's been wrong 80%+ the time.

scruffy_bear5245d ago

This be the one of those that he's right and still no one will believe it

vhero5245d ago

Your wrong you dont hear about most of the stuff he predicts so you think he's wrong 80% of the time that's all. That's why he's still got a job and earning hundreds of thousands a year most probably. Companys listen to what he says and work around him when releasing new games etc..

mrv3215245d ago

Michael Patcher relies on the fact that if you say enough you will eventually get something right, Michael Patcher doesn't realise this only works for people who have some common sense and not a troll...

karan86245245d ago

Some time a thousand years in the future something similar will happen in the Micronesia world goverment and everyone will think of him as nostradamus :P

/Sarcasm

mrv3215245d ago

I believe trolling transcends time and space and like energy cannot be created or destroyed and as such Patcher shall allways be know as a troll.

(That sounds like Doctor Who)

Sangria5245d ago

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Show all comments (62)
110°

Looking Back At 2008, An Unbelievably Incredible Year Of Video Game Releases

Huzaifa from eXputer: "2008 was home to the likes of Call of Duty: World at War, Dead Space, GTA 4, Far Cry 2, Left 4 Dead, and many other hits, which is outright remarkable."

CrimsonWing693h ago

I don’t think anything can compare to 2023

lucasnooker3h ago

1998 - the best year in gaming! Metal gear solid, crash bandicoot 3, medievil, half life, ocarina of time, thief, tenchu, resident evil 2, Spyro, tomb raider 3, oddworld abes exodus, banjo kazooie.

It was a different breed of a gaming era. You’ll never understand what it was like back then. The aura of gaming, it was different!

KyRo3h ago(Edited 3h ago)

I second this. Gaming was a lot more varied and fun than it is today. I'm 35 so getting on compared to some here but I got to see all the changes from NES up to now but I've never felt so disappointed in any generation than I have this current gen. I was expecting more from this generation rather than prettier versions of games that came before it. Game mechanics have become so refined that alot of games feel the same and has done for a while now.

Maybe it's time to have a break for a while. I love gaming but I don't feel I get much fun in the traditional sense out of it anymore.

CrimsonWing693h ago(Edited 3h ago)

Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil 2, Abe’s Exodus, and Ocarina of Time are the only things from that list that I liked.

Here’s the 2023 game releases that I personally liked… and big releases that I didn’t care for:

- Dead Space Remake
- Wo Long Dynatsy
- Resident Evil 4 Remake
- Diablo 4
- Fire Emblem Engage
- Hogwarts Legcay
- Street Fighter 6
- Hi-Fi Rush
- Like a Dragon: Ishin
- Octopath Traveler 2
- Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters
- Final Fanatsy XVI (actually ended up not liking this, but it was still a big deal release)
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
- Lies of P
- Mortal Kombat 1
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Starfield (Ended up hating this one, but big release)
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (I’m an old-school Zelda fan, but didn’t really enjoy this game)
- Alan Wake 2

I mean, honestly I’ve never seen a year of major IP releases like that, ever.

Profchaos8m ago(Edited 5m ago)

Isn't it just a generational thing realistically.

I've been gaming since way back and I some of my favourite games go as far back as the late 80s for me each generation has a year or two of game changing releases one after another before an inevitable dry spell.

I kind of agree gaming had a different feel games hit different because we didn't have the internet nothing got spoiled and you really had to put in the effort to beat a puzzle which could set entire groups of people looking for a solution. But most importantly games were experimental and not as cookie cutter as today even basics like controls were not universal today r2 is shoot l2 is ads garunteed you can't deviate from that in a shooter back then it could of been square, R1 or R1 and circle nothing was standard.

But as time moves on a new generation picks up their controller they are going to be interested in different things that PS1 demo disc with the t Rex blew our primitive 16 bit brains back on launch but to kids today it's laughable.
The new gen of kids coming into to hobby seem to value different things to us there seems to be a huge focus on online play, streamers, gaming personalities, and social experiences, convience of digital downloads. To me I value none of that but that's ok like my parents not liking the band's I would listen to its just the natural cycle.

120°

6 Fun Games Where You Actually Play As The Bad Guy

While the mainstream media always sees things turning in favor of the hero, here are 6 games that own being a bad guy.

Profchaos9h ago

Pretty much all of these games listed are based around a morality system you don't have to be bad and you don't have to be good.

It seems to have left out some real amazing games like red dead redemption 1/2,ass effect and true crime la/ny

Tacoboto8h ago

Armored Core VI?

Ok, I'm really missing something here. Just beat chapter 3 earlier this evening, unlocked A-rank Arena fights. I'm not seeing or sensing any branching paths or morality system and I've done every side mission and arena fight available to me up to that fight.

Is something big coming soon to branch the story?

banger888h ago

No mention of Grand Theft Auto? Saints Row (original trilogy), Manhunt? Also The Suffering (depending on the ending you get).

130°

Essential Video Games Everyone Needs To Play At Least Once

Video games are no longer just a simple past time. Today's games are evolving into true works of art. Offering intriguing narratives, cinematic setpieces, and profound messages, games can entertain us for hundreds of hours.

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wealthofgeeks.com
Chard1d 2h ago (Edited 1d 2h ago )

I never got around to mass effect - I’m skeptical that it would hold up if I were to try it now

Furesis1d 1h ago

I would say it does. The combat is a bit shit for todays standards but everything else is great.

anast1d ago

It's worth a play through today.

gold_drake17h ago

the first one is abit the odd one out but after u finished it, believe it it gets tremendously better and better