Microsoft to increase price of Xbox Live Gold

Microsoft has confirmed that it will be increasing the price of Xbox Live Gold in Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom and the United States.

[Natsu X FairyTail]

Lmao thats like 59+tax in Canada. SMH. gotta get rid of my xbox soon.

[niceguywii60]

You keep saying anti 360 sh*t after you have had a change of heart about the 360 it gets old. You know how many times I've mentioned me getting rid of my PS3 after being disappointed in it? 2 times. The PS3 fanboys won't give you bubbles they hate you now.

There is obviously a huge update offering much more coming for Microsoft to do this.

My PS3 tag was *Masseffect1* I was or am on DEN-UK's PS3 friends list he's a N4G member

I want to say a web browser fused with Bing with youtube ect. I was or am on DEN-UK's friends

[saint_john_paul_ii]

you never had a PS3 in the first place.

[iamnsuperman]

"There is obviously a huge update offering much more coming for Microsoft to do this." or they just want more money...They know a lot of people wanting to play Halo are going to pay for it because they have waited for the final Bungie Halo...smart business move

[deadreckoning666]

@pope- You stalk people are something? How do you know what he does or doesn't have?? Some people just aren't into their PS3s as you might be..get over it. My friend is a multiconsole owner and he spends nearly all of his gaming time on the 360. In fact, the only time he logs on to PSN is when I come over to show him how cool Uncharted 2 is.

Pope, there is world OUTSIDE of N4G filled with people. These people have different tastes and personal preferences...once you embrace that..ull be good to go.

As far as the article is concerned, Microsoft better have something HUGE coming to XBL if there going to charge that kinda money just to play online. Whatever it is, the Halo fanatics won't care and will pay for it regardless. As for me, I'll just stay away..far away.

[WildArmed]

lol believe it or not..
He is a full fledged troll now :)
he rampages on both ps3 n 360 articles.

btw.. it would be a good time to stock up on those 20-30$ 1 year Live cards then?

[Droid Smasha]

worth every penny

[sack_boi]

Bye bye Xbox, it's sad but from now on I'm only going to use my PS3.

PHUCK YOU MICROSOFT!

[gaffyh]

I think Microsoft might have to change their name to Microshaft, I can't believe that they are increasing the price, even if it is only by $10.

I'm glad I don't play online on my 360.

Edit: Wow at least 4 brainwashed people that are happy to fork out more money for the exact same service. The stupidity of some people is beyond compare. The reason MS has done this is because they KNOW that they can, that's it, not because they are going to offer you anything extra.

[Hallmark Moment]

Can't wait!!!! to see what they will offer for $10 more. CAIN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!

This means MSFT is going to reveal the update features SOON!!!!

Pretty smart of MSFT announcing the price hike before they reveal the update features so when they finally show the update the price hike won't be used to try and downplay the new great offerings.

[sikbeta]

Damn, If I'd run that company, I could rise the price to $100, simply because people will pay for it, it's not an option, MS control all the on-line features and if you don't pay you don't play on-line, I know some crowd will defend this and say it's cool to pay more, but they not see this the same way I do...

[bjornbear]

wow! 360 owners will have to pay MORE per year?! =S this is when I really appreciate the free online for PC and PS3 gaming.

lol @ butthurt because his "comrade" "defected"
now i've seen everything xD CRY MOAR

even bigger LOL @ all the people excited about the increase in price. It must be the only place on earth where people are excited by an increase in price...so deranged its scary =S brainwashed is what they are.

[0mega4]

grr...

why are they charging more for xbox live when they cant even secure exclusives with all the money there racking in now

besides time exclusives...
which are completely worthless

[Redrum059]

M$ can no longer make as much profit from exclusives enymore so they just charge more for live to make up for the money thats not being made due to the lack of exclusives.

[Antan]

http://n4g.com/news/411988/...

Your id was "Masseffect1"?...... ......What! Just like the user "PS3 slim"? Who happens to be one of your many accounts? who`d of thought it! All these times you've been moaning about multiple account users and yet here we are AGAIN, putting your foot in it. Will you ever learn POG?

[pustulio]

wow, way to go Microsoft.

First, you dissapoint the hardcore and leave almost no games for 360.
Second, you will release an overpriced camera wich is just garbage.
And now we going to pay more for Gold because you are adding "features" that we can only use if we buy your overpriced camera!

Either you give me free arcades or some GOOD deals or Zune/Netflix for free or im out.

EDIT: HOLY SHIT! México has NOTHING in the Marketplace, theres no Zune, No Netflix, No Last.fm, some demos are not available, some deals neither, No Sky, No ESPN, No Hulu...

I can't even... Why would you increase the price there?

[Trebius]

It's slightly shocking to see THIS many people approve a price hike merely because you believe you're GETTING something out of it. Do you have any idea how absolutely out of your mind you sound?? To the point where you could be considered BRAINWASHED.

I'm guessing most of the people agreeing with this price hike are just kids, because no ADULT would ever approve of raising prices for the same service.

That's why in the REAL world, when there is a TAX hike, there are voices that speak against it, no one likes to pay more for anything unless they absolutely have to. An extra 10 bucks does not seem like a lot, just like an extra 50 bucks didnt seem like a lot from the beginning, and just like an extra 100 bucks wont seem like a lot if it happens, cause M$ can raise the price every few months by 10 bucks and people would continue to pay.

I understand M$ has a nice online community, and you feel as though it's completely worth the extra money.

But consider the pact that PC gaming has had massive online communities and have never charged for online play. Online play is mean to be FREE. You buy the game for 60 bucks, you shouldn't have to pay to be able to play it online.

I know it's in one ear and out the other to the Xbox fanboys, and they'll continue to shell out cash and justify it, "Duuuhh, we gettin' new AvaTahZ! Duuuhhhh..." Fuck that.

Think like an adult, ask yourself questions! They're only raising the price cause they know they'll get away with it. They dont care about you, they're not giving you extra content, they're releasing Halo:Reach, and giving you all the reach-around by charging more for XBL right when 2 of their biggest titles are comign out.

Those of you that defend M$ downvote me all you want, it still wont change the fact that you're an idiot for supporting these kind of business tactics.

At least on PS3 you have the OPTION of paying more. And if you DO pay more, you get FREE games and FREE exclusive betas and FREE merchandise out of it.

[Dragun619]

@Droid Smasha
Dude, just admit it, This Price increase is unnecessary and greedy.
Its like they're trying to cash on the New Owners that buy Kinect in November and millions that are gonna Halo: Reach.

@Hallmark Moment
Yeah, and you can probably get those features for free on other platforms like a PC. Hell, maybe those new features will only be for Kinect. That means one would have to get Kinect and XBL Gold to enjoy those features.

[sdtarm]

Man thats all ive come to say from ur comments, its totally true and i back natsu x fairytail, Canada bairly gets a taste of what us gets and making it 59 plus around 15%of tax is too much for consumers to accept, for some reason ps3 is more common around here, not too much but it is

[FanboysWillHateMe]

if the added ESPN streaming is good, then I think that justifies the additional dollar or so per month (I buy the yearly subscriptions). Of course I wouldn't pay if I had the option, but all of my closest friends are on Xbox Live so that's what does it for me.

I only know one person in real life on PSN, and trying to communicate with him and the process of sending him invites to games is a pain in the ass, honestly.

When I think about it, people complain about the cost of Xbox Live when subscription MMORPGs are a lot worse! And there's free alternatives to that too, just like PSN's online multiplayer is a free alternative to Live. I don't know about you guys, but I notice a huge difference in quality between PSN and Live.

[Sez]

Honestly between MS now charging $10 more for live and Sony charging people for used games. It's safe to say I'm going to just dedicate all my gaming needs to pc gaming and forget both consoles altogether. This is just crazy

[Triella]

@Hallmark Moment

Don't expect anything spectacular MS is already touting videochat conference with two friends as a new, cool and innovative feature to justify the price increase, but PS3 owners have been able to do so for a long while now, with up to 6 people at a time and moreover utterly and completely free of charge.

[solidjun5]

You seem to takes things way to serious little one. Well let me say then. Not a lot of people believes you have a PS3 anyway. If you do, i'm sure that game you're playing where you don't have a 360 is playing off very well.

Anyway,on topic:
look, there's deal where you can lock it up for 39.99 for the year. $20 cheaper than the new rate.

It's here.
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/l...

That's what I plan on doing.

[bustamove]

It's official. Microsoft has lost it.

[SCThor]

***Netflix unlimited subscription (sold separately) also required to instantly watch movies streaming from Netflix. See Netflix Terms of Use for details on Netflix service.

****ESPN on Xbox LIVE provides great content from ESPN3.com and ESPN.com. For access to ESPN3.com content, including live sports, you must have an ESPN3-affiliated broadband provider. See ESPN3.com for details and providers.

Ha!

[darthv72]

"even bigger LOL @ all the people excited about the increase in price. It must be the only place on earth where people are excited by an increase in price...so deranged its scary =S brainwashed is what they are."

I wouldnt say i am "excited" for the increase but then again it doesnt bother me either. No need to call people brainwashed if they choose to pay for a service where as others choose not to.

edit: @terbius...is it really free if you have to pay a membership in order to use it. The free games are the same as pay to play. You need to keep your psn membership in order for them to be "free" otherwise they no longer work.

On a side note, I can see why many sony fans are crying foul on this more than 360 fans. It gives sony the notion that they can raise their price as well or even change the terms of the membership. Take away little by little, more from the free side and put them in to the membership side.

I wish my landlord or the cable company were as generous in keeping the same rate for roughly 7 years before hiking the price up.

[NoBias]

But I hate Micro$$$$oft... Sad thing is that they could probably care less. Looks like I'll be buying more multiplats for my PS3.

[Denethor_II]

I said the same thing. but he really has!

Natsu X FairyTail: You have some sort of multi-personality disorder or something going on there. Or maybe your just a critic and are hard to please?

[SilentNegotiator]

Well, that's it.
I was slightly considering going back, just for Halo Reach, but Microsoft is only taking more steps backwards.

My $60 will go toward GAMES.
Time to sell my 360.

[Millah]

Why doesn't MS offer different levels of Live. Like, if people don't want all these "added features" and simply just want to play multiplayer, then give them an option for a stripped down Gold service for 19.99/year. If people want all these added "features" as well, then give them the 60/year option.

MS just exploiting its consumer base, which is never smart, because it always bites them in the ass later on.

[BusterFang]

Well...I saw this coming eventually, but didn't expect it to be so soon. =\

Edit: Hmmm...I wonder if this could be to gain SOME money back slowly if Kinect doesn't take off like they want it to, even though the article says it's about some "big" updates or w.e...just wondering

[TotalPS3Fanboy]

Today, it came true.

I feel like it's an attemp to scrap every pennies from the hardcore gamers as Microsoft abandons them and jumps ship.

[HammockGames]

By the way, you can cancel the auto-renewal option via the Xbox 360 website (you can also remove your payment method). You don't have to go through the phone call BS to get out of it.

Just an fyi for anyone who is ticked.

I did this a few weeks back. Just a coincidence, but glad that I did.

[Def Warrant]

LOL i have no sympathy for sheeps. You all deserve to be raped by M$haft. I'd do the same if my followers were brainless zombies lol.

[rockleex]

http://i27.tinypic.com/29zd...

>:D

[InactiveUser]

That's like a free, brand new retail game every year if you have a PS3 instead.

That's like getting the following or similar games FREE -
Resistance: Fall of Man (2006)
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (2007)
Metal Gear Solid 4 (2008)
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009)
God of War III or Gran Turismo 5 (2010)

If this generation goes like 2-3 more years, instead of paying to play online.. get one of the following FREE each year -
Resistance 3 or The Last Guardian or Agent? (2011)
Metal Gear Solid 5? or Uncharted 3? (2012)
God of War 4? or Gran Turismo 6? or Resistance 4? (2013).

Free PSN for me, thanks.

[pangitkqb]

I love gaming on Xbox Live, but the experience isn't worth $60.00 USD, especially when I game online via Steam and PSN for free. These services might not offer quite as much as 360's Xbox Live, but is that difference worth $60.00? No, it's not. In fact, Party chat and checking others gamerscore's and ratings (buy others) isn't close to $60.00 in value. This is simply a bad move by Microsoft.

I should also clarify that I am by no means the type to play console favorites. In fact, I game online regularly on Wii, Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Mac, and iPhone. The ONLY one of these to charge me for online play is Xbox 360. What makes their service worth so much more than the others? Last FM? Uh....ya, right.

This is just a let down. My yearly subscription is up in September which means I can still get the current pricing, but now i have to ask myself if I really want to support the one - out of ALL the platforms mentioned above - that is plainly nickel and dimeing me.

[-Alpha]

This is ridiculous. I agree with you wholeheartedly. I paid $40 for mine thankfully. I will continue to bargain. I never buy XBL from official retailers, they are always overpriced.

The Xbox is in decline and in turn MS decides to raise the price of LIVE.

It's clear that they are banking on Kinect to sell to casuals and for them to subscribe to Gold. This better result in a multitude of new content because XBL isn't justifiable anymore. What I'm really upset about is that the updates for LIVE are geared towards Kinect. I mean, the PS3 has video chat for free, and MS is pushing it as such a big thing when in reality their core gamers want things that enhance the gaming experience. Now, I know things like ESPN are there, but I don't watch sports. I don't video chat. None of the new features interest me the slightest. Some people will be willing to pay, and honestly, if they find value in LIVE then more power to them.

I hope they have Youtube support and recording video playback amongst other things like free games. But I doubt it. I really do hope MS has things down the line for XBL, but this has gotten me really pissed off. I just can't afford LIVE and unless I see more features that aren't Kinect-driven I am worried I may not renew my subscription next year.

The funny thing is that gamers will pay up, and whatever audience decides to quit paying for LIVE wont matter since MS will make their money back with the ones that will pay. Idk what happened with MS. LIVE is easily their strongest part of the 360 and at the start they really did cater to the core gamer. But I feel Kinect is really taking over and I'm really annoyed with it.

[tinybigman]

because i just don't think paying to play online is right especially when i can play for free on the 3 other platforms.

the upping of this price can not be defended.

[MorganX]

If you feel Xbox and XBL are in decline, why are you paying $40/year for it when you can have PSN for free?

Take the free path, PSN and enjoy. No one is stopping you. What am I missing?

What is the "core" gamer? Someone who buys a dedicated gaming console? Maybe the "core" gamer isn't the majority anymore. I want great games, and a UI that actually makes everythign accessible and useable. Full messaging, easy privacy and exclusion control, easy accessible parental controls, and great arcade games. I don't like FPS' so I guess I'm not "core."

I prefer Netflix on Xbox to PS3 and PC. I don't do cable anymore, I do Netflix and OTA HDTV. The latter I record with Media Center via Xbox. I have 22 Blu-Rays but haven't watched on in Ages, Netflix HD baby, wireless with no hiccups over 802.11n.

I have no problem with anyone deciding to quit XBL over the price. If it's not worth $5 a month, it's just not worth it. It is for me. I prefer the private service and the community, experience, and content to anything free. Doesn't hurt that it has the games I like to play either. I only wish Wipeout HD were on Xbox.

[Convas]

My ire with MSFT has been on low heat for a few months now, but they just turned up the temperature and I'm steaming.

Back in 2007, 2008, even 2009, they coul've justified this. But not now. Not when their throwing the baby out with the bathwater with Kinect. This past year they've repeatedly kicked us, the faithful core who support them, in the nuts over and over.

If I wasn't so damn excited for Halo: Reach, Gamestop would have a perfectly good Xbox 360 today, and I'd have a PS3 and Uncharted 2.

[Christopher]

***The Xbox is in decline and in turn MS decides to raise the price of LIVE. ***

I wouldn't say it is in decline, but revolves around the games that are available. There's definitely a long lull in the last year between the games, though.

***It's clear that they are banking on Kinect to sell to casuals and for them to subscribe to Gold. ***

I guess it's possible. But, in my mind, I find it hard to think that those drawn to Kinect will pay for XBL when none of the games are playable online.

***What I'm really upset about is that the updates for LIVE are geared towards Kinect.***

I was under the impression that the new dashboard would be free to all Kinect owners and not part of the XBL subscription? Am I wrong in this assumption? Would definitely help to change my current perspective on the price being charged and how those with Kinect would be 'encouraged' to buy into it.

***Now, I know things like ESPN are there, but I don't watch sports.***

And people say the same with PS+. They don't care about free avatars, themes, and most of the games that are offered for free. I think all services of this sort end up having features that you don't use, but others might.

As you said, though, some are interested and are willing to pay, so more power to them.

***The funny thing is that gamers will pay up, and whatever audience decides to quit paying for LIVE wont matter since MS will make their money back with the ones that will pay. ***

Is this really any different than any other product out there? CoD games that don't really add anything new year after year? DLC? Each generation of most phones? And so on?

***Idk what happened with MS. LIVE is easily their strongest part of the 360 and at the start they really did cater to the core gamer. But I feel Kinect is really taking over and I'm really annoyed with it. ***

I think that XBL is still the best service for the core gamers who game online. I do completely agree that they haven't advanced it past what it has been, though. But, do they need to when gamers are still choosing it over any other console and even PC for online gaming? I think they'll advance it when the gamers start asking for more and talk with their wallets.

[solidjun5]

Hey alpah, where did you go to play for that $40? I was curious. I'm going to pay for it through the website.

[-Alpha]

@cgoodno

OK cgoodno, I do agree with some of your points. Bubbles for offering an insightful opinion I'm sure having that unpopular opinion is hard to voice.

I will reply in detail to u a bit later, but I still think MS needs to start ponying up for their core audience. If Kinect can't do it then XBL is the only real service for the core gamers.

[Anon1974]

It had nothing to do with the service though, but was a shift away from the 360 in general. After I received my 4th 360 due to hardware failure I simple decided not to throw money at a console I couldn't rely on. I kept it because I had so much invested at that point, and I'm a gamer (love Gears/Halo/Fable) but after being a die hard Xbox fan and then a 360 fan after, Microsoft's decisions around releasing faulty hardware and shipping refurbished, faulty hardware to people who have had problems drove me into the waiting arms of Sony. And it's nice here. Exclusives are great, online is free and media playback capabilities are fantastic.

I've never regretted my decision to move away from the 360 as my primary game console, and this pretty much cements that I made the right decision - as if there was ever a doubt. You can't blame Microsoft though. The 360 has struggled and struggled - software revenue is down according to Microsoft, console revenue is non-existent, the 360 has sold 4 million fewer consoles over the last 18 months (according to Microsoft's official data) than the 18 months previous and the only bright spot has always been "An increase in revenue related to the Xbox Live service." Cash in while you still can, Microsoft. God knows a $150 camera to play Wii sports type games isn't going to turn the 360's fortunes around anytime soon.

[Shadow Flare]

Well said above. Microsoft are CLEARLY nickel and diming their customers for everything they got. And they've timed it just in time for halo reach and kinect. No other company charges for their online play. But what gets me, are the 360 fans who say, "I'm willing to pay that, it's worth it". No it isn't. No it isn't. Because you're just paying for 2 bells and 1 whistle more. PSN does a perfectly good online experience, for free. But more fool to you for being milked to death. Because you guys are literally bending over, pulling your trousers down, presenting yourself to Microsoft and saying, "please sir, can I have some more?"

[blackpanther25]

I also used to be a hardcore xbox and 360 fan. I bought two copies of halo2 before i had an xbox. I also have two copies of halo3. I didn't buy the ps3 in the beginning because i thought it sucked. Then good games started coming out and at the same time i got pissed about paying for live (and i had to fix rrod myself) so i bought a ps3. I am first a PC gamer (been a pc gamer since 6 years old)so i never understood why i had to pay for live but i just sucked it up. Now the ps3 is my primary console and my ps3 is just sitting there. I was going to buy halo reach and renew my live just to play it but after this news - Forget.

I have friends who sore up and down that xbox live was better even though they never used a ps3. 4 of my friends all bought a ps3 slim and they have not gone back to play the 360 due to free online and all the exclusives (one of them is a hardcore MAG player) and they all say it is the same thing.

I like the Xbox.....i just feel let down. So many of their decisions were the exact opposite of their previous console. IDK whatever im done with it

[devilmaycry2020]

As a multi console gamer $60 can do a lot. To own more than one platform means that $60 can get 6 full retail games if you shop right.

And I play online maybe once or twice a week for 3 to 4 hours in total so for me paying to play online is just not right.

Also I live in Saudi Arabia, so to me the other services that Live offers are worthless and add to that the some content are locked and I can't even buy some expansion packs even if I wanted too.

[MorganX]

Considering I never paid more than $40, this increase will probably result in me paying the original $49.99. Obviously, someone's gotta pay ESPN. I'll do that for a year and swee what else comes. I was on PSN yesterday and just can't do it. I'll pay $5/month.

But I must admit this is not a good trend. If not for the forthcoming ESPN, I might reconsider. I do want to see more than ESPN for $5/month though. We'll see. I'm allready queued up through Next Year. I'll buy one more 12 month for $40 before November which will take me through 2012. So it'll be 2 years before I pay any increase, hopefully it will still be something I want to keep.

Right now Amazon.com has 12 months for $39.94 with free shipping. Oddly, MS has been discounting 12 months memberships for the past several weeks on Live. Also, Amazon.com is $10 cheaper if you buy the card as opposed to just buying the code online. Odd.

[DORMIN]

inb4 Microsoft announces XboxLive Plus

[moparful99]

There's is NOTHING about xbox live that makes it worth a subscription let alone better then psn.. PSN first and foremost is free as you know but you and your 360 bretheren are far too quick to dismiss this fact.. I get to go online and play my games for free with no issues.. THats the most important feature of psn and xbox live but you choose to dismiss this fact and focus on rather unimportant social networking features.. Cross game chat, party feature, last. fm? Wow impressive /s At the end of the day the only advantage that xbox live has over psn is that it has a more seemless feel to it.. Its not a huge difference but it enough that its noticeable.. I actually prefere the in game navigation on ps3. For live you press the guide button and you have to navigate the akward and clunky "blade" menu.. On psn it just opens up the xmb which is so much cleaner and organized. I love the friends list on the psn, everything you need to know is there at a glance you dont have to search... All in all it comes down to personal preference and I think psn is a much better value and has features and design that is already on par with xbl.. Now that microsoft is charging even more for live and the advent of ps+ is making xbl look more like a rip off.. Time will tell if this was a bad decision.. Im sensing they will regret this...

[orange-skittle]

Cross-Com Chat
Free Trails on all arcade games
Last.FM
Hulu+
Early Demos
Twitter
Facebook
Integrated Netflix(no disc required)
Xbox Insider
ESPN 3
Avatar Games
900 Arcade Games
Zune
Games on Demand(360 games)

Everything listed is what PSN does not provide. You get what you pay for. You people do know that MS has to pay ESPN and Hulu. Why do you think the price went up. It's called deferred payment. They pass it on to the subscribers. When your cable goes up, it's because the network went up on them, so in order to keep the network in the lineup, they must increase the subscription price. This is why Time/Warner Cable doesn't have NFL Network and is losing ESPN in September.

[Ven1000]

I hope your post was a joke. Did you seriously just list Facebook and Twitter as features XBL has that PSN doesn't? PS3 has had facebook and twitter since day one. It's called an internet browser.

Netfix streaming with disc. Oh it's so hard to go pop a disk in the system if I want to stream a movie. You know people have to get up to pop in a DVD or Blu-ray right? Speaking of Blu-ray, a PS3 owner can make use of those with their Netflix plan (I currently get 3 BDs out at a time). How are those HD-DVDs working for you. So your point is moot. I should also note PS3 gets the disk-less Netflix streaming come Oct.

PSN does offer Hulu+

900 Arcade Games <<< Quality of PSN games: Last I checked when you have games like Fat Princess, Wipeout HD (Fury), Flower, Crash Commando, Pixel Junk Shooter (really all the Pixel Junk games) then the whole "we have more games" is moot. Especially when some of the best XBLA games are either already on PSN or on their way to PSN (Braid and Castle Crashers come to mind).

Seriously, XBOX Insider? I did a quick google search to see what it is and it says every Sat they have a ep to show to get certain achievements, ect. Sorry but no. PS3 users just the same can use their Internet Browser and hit up either GameFAQs or Youtube to find out about trophy unlocks. If there's any gaming/media news covered by xbox insider then PSN also has that covered with Pulse and Qore.

Avatar games << Playstation Home. Plain and simple

While Sony offers Vidzone free for European users, no such feature is yet available for US owners. Same with PlayTV.

So in all, $50 or $60 isn't worth it for Cross Game Voice Chat (most online games have ingame voice chat and PSN offers 15x4 cross game text chat), voice recorded messages, ect. PSN takes care of more than the basic needs for someone who wants to get online and play games with their friends. Nice try on trying to stack the list though.

[hennessey86]

is worth every penny in my opinion and ill pay what ever it costs.

@natsuxfairytail yes good idea get rid of your xbox and miss out on halo reach, gears 3, fable 3, the new crytek exclusive

[Montoya]

and nothing else that`s not Kinect related. I`m gonna keep my 360 just in case something cool comes out but it`s future looks sh!tty as of right now.

[Sez]

I wouldn't mind paying alittle more for XBL but they need to add more perks for the price. For the current features I can't justify paying more for it and kinect ain't cutting it.

[bryam666]

and dats problably d only games exclusives available for xbox lol about d topic y xbox owners pay for online gaming when is free pretty much in every other consoles i mean we already pay for internet services and dan they wan us to pay for online gaming too what a rip off for xbox owner so sorry for dem

[sackgirl]

That is 3 (three! fable will come to pc) xbox-exclusives for the next 12-18 months.

[Montoya]

XBL is $59.99 in Canada currently. It`ll be more like $69.99 after this. They had a hard time sell it to me being $59. $69 is a BIGGER no.

[corneliuscrust]

Will still be 59.99

About time. We've been at 59 for a while and MOST of the damn XBL prices are still over inflated for Canada compared to the US prices. There is no excuse for regional pricing on virtual goods.

Either way, a good wake up call regarding MS business tactics and why it is a good thing to support competition in the form of SONY this generation.

[shoddy]

but XBL have best online experience. /S

[DiabeticJedi]

Canada isn't getting a price hike on yearly though.. only monthly

[Christopher]

As I said in the other, for the core 360 users, this really won't be a big thing. If you're able to pay $50/year for the best online gaming experience on a console (proven by the statistics made publicly available), $60 won't be any worse for you.

If you're stretching it to pay $50/year that $10 more will be too much, then you shouldn't be spending so much on video games. I'd suggest focusing more on furthering your education and getting a better job (or one at all if you're a teen or college student).

With the upcoming ESPN feature, sports enthusiasts will be getting way more than their dollar's worth considering Comcast charges you $20+ a month for lesser features (no commentary/quiz features).

This is coming from someone who doesn't currently pay for the service (I just don't play games online), but can definitely see why people pay to play online. This isn't about who's better at what, it's about paying for the costs of the service you provide and how big of a change it is. It really isn't, but people here will make it way more than it really is.

As far as people saying this is just a squeeze for money before Halo: Reach and Kinect are released... could be, but wouldn't those also result in higher costs across the board? I just don't think it's as big of a deal as many are making it out to be, and I believe that over time Sony will likely have a PS++ program or similar as more features are added and costs increase. It's how businesses evolve, through relative increase of costs as more services are provided. Even if you don't take advantage of all the features. On XBL it's facebook/twitter/x-game chat/video chat/ESPN and on PS+ it's Qore/exclusive demos/free games/game sales.

[playboi28]

I swear I can't stand people that say crap like if you can't afford $50 a year then you shouldn't be gaming. That is such a ridiculous statement. Not everyone plays games 24 hours a day. Some might want to play after work once or twice a week after work. So, I have to pay 60 dollars a year to play maybe twice a week? I don't know about you or these other people that agree with you but most console gamers play on consoles to avoid membership fees, costs of upgrades, and expansions. This has certainly changed over the years. It is quickly becoming too expensive to be a gamer anymore. Sadly, I see myself hanging up my controllers in the next few years due to the constant addtional costs associated with being a gamer.

[bednet]

"On XBL it's facebook/twitter/x-game chat/video chat/ESPN and on PS+ it's Qore/exclusive demos/free games/game sales."

You're missing the most important difference...PS3 let's you play online without PSN+....which you can't without LIVE Gold.

But like you said, to each is own, if you feel that it's worth it to you then more power to you...I wouln'd pay for LIVE Gold or PSN+ for that matter.

[Christopher]

***I swear I can't stand people that say crap like if you can't afford $50 a year then you shouldn't be gaming. That is such a ridiculous statement.***

I didn't say if you can't afford $50 a year you shouldn't be gaming, I said you shouldn't be spending as much doing it when you could be getting yourself into a position where that $10 difference isn't going to be such a big difference on whether you'll subscribe or not. I said if it's such a huge leap from '$50 is perfectly okay' to '$60 is way too much, I can't afford that', you should worry about how you're managing your money then. It's a $10 difference for a yearly subscription. This should not be a situation that becomes the last straw on the camel's back due solely to the increased cost.

I'm a 33 year-old guy, married and with a live-in mother-in-law, paying for my in-laws to go to school. I work full time. I'm going back to school full time (14 credit hours this semester). I put 20% of what I earn to a 401k. I pay my mortgage and bills. I play at most 10 hours a week, usually only 2 hours if that. I have a PS+ subscription because I can afford it and I think it's a good deal. If it were to increase to $60, I would still find it a good deal since I have already saved over $80 on games alone.

So, this has nothing to do with who has the most time to spend gaming. It's about who is going to be questioning their finances by spending $10 more for a service that they use, frequently or infrequently.

***This has certainly changed over the years. It is quickly becoming too expensive to be a gamer anymore. Sadly, I see myself hanging up my controllers in the next few years due to the constant addtional costs associated with being a gamer.***

It is definitely too expensive if you're a gamer that wants everything right away or needs access to all the neat features or peripherals. It's not impossible to enjoy gaming, though, without spending as much as one would expect. Sure, it's not as fun as being the kid in school who has the latest game on day one, but if I play a good game now or a year from now, it's still going to be a good game. Time doesn't change that.

[NYPunkster]

"pay $50/year for the best online gaming experience on a console (proven by the statistics made publicly available), $60 won't be any worse for you."

Man you're a fanboy. I don't know about you but I didn't get my PS3 for PSN or PSN+ I got it for the games. Games ...you remember what those are right?

[Christopher]

***Man you're a fanboy. I don't know about you but I didn't get my PS3 for PSN or PSN+ I got it for the games. Games ...you remember what those are right?***

I got my PS3 for many reasons, the primary being games. But, to say that PSN wasn't a reason for my purchase is just a flat out lie considering it's the source for many of my games.

And, games, yeah, I remember them. Games like Flower, PixelJunk Monsters, PixelJunk Shooter, Trine, Sam & Max, and tons of other games sold on the PSN store, which requires a PSN account to access.

And fanboy? How the heck so? I'm a primarily PS3 gamer who is saying that the hike isn't that huge of a deal to those who already use and enjoy the service. A service provided on the 360.

[tinybigman]

and i can afford to pay for live, but i won't. it's the principal of it. i just can't see myself paying for a service that would charge me to play online, and use apps that i find useless btw; when those same apps can be used on my phone, pc, and laptop. shit you can use these apps on TVs for free.

it boggles my mind how my fellow americans can believe that paying for something that is free is ok. but then again we can be manipulated by the media and easily distracted by reality programming on our tvs.

[Christopher]

This is my last bubble, so I'll make a note of something about the topic at hand and about N4G that has surprised me over the last few months.

I tend to be the guy with the least favorable opinion here on N4G. I often look at things from the perspective of a business, something that's designed to make profit and increase the ways that it can make profit through any worthwhile means that won't cause me to lose too many customers. Not always, but often. So, like the topic at hand, I can see how it's a good thing and isn't something that will cause any major losses, in fact hardly any at all.

That's why I look at the people who do pay for the current XBL service and see how those who currently pay $50 a year likely won't care about $60 a year. Those who do care about the prices already look for deals that get them a current deal for $40 a year and will continue to look for those deals going forward.

I also see that many people are very upset with the focus that is being placed on Kinect in the next coming update and seemingly in this decision to hike the prices for XBL as a way to capture those new users when Kinect is released (as well as Halo: Reach and CoD: Black Ops, though most of those users are already subscribers of one type or another).

I think there's a lot of merit in continuing to argue this point as a statement towards Microsoft. They are focusing more and more on Kinect each day, and it's to be expected. But, they're doing it in such a manner that they are losing the faith of their core gamers. This is very much what Nintendo has gone through with the Wii and why it's considered a casual-only console by many core gamers. I hope that this doesn't remain the case, though unfortunately, from a business perspective, it will likely remain that way until a few months after Kinect's release and possibly longer depending on the overall success of Kinect as a whole.

Finally, I'd like to say that you guys have done a great job in arguing your points and in realizing that someone like myself can have an opinion that differs greatly from your own without resorting to labeling my comments as outright attempts to troll or similar. I am here for some good debate on games and the industry, and you guys have allowed me to do as such with this topic that I am obviously seeing from a very different perspective than most here.

Thank you for the good debate and thank you for remaining civil in how you approach my comments and the comments of others here. Proof that our community can manage itself well enough without having to utilize over-handed moderation rules.

[harrisk954]

I can't believe that Pachter actually got something right... Last year he actually predicted that Live would increase in price...

[nikoado]

Yeah, but didn't he say that the price would be like $99?

[orange-skittle]

He said it would be $100, but on the flip side PSN also started a subscription service just like MS did as predicted. You cant provide everything MS does for free. In order for PS3 only users to get all that content, you have to pay. Thats why you have to pay for PSN+

Cross-Com Chat
Free Trails on all arcade games
Last.FM
Hulu+
Early Demos
Twitter
Facebook
Integrated Netflix(no disc required)
Xbox Insider
ESPN 3
Avatar Games
900 Arcade Games
Zune
Games on Demand(360 games)

Everything listed is what PSN does not provide. You get what you pay for. You people do know that MS has to pay ESPN and Hulu. Why do you think the price went up. It's called deferred payment. They pass it on to the subscribers. When your cable goes up, it's because the network went up on them, so in order to keep the network in the lineup, they must increase the subscription price. This is why Time/Warner Cable doesn't have NFL Network and is losing ESPN in September.

[n4gno]

How is it possible that liar (or just misinformed donkey) fanboy like skittle can have bubbles ?

oh, i know, other liars give him bubbles, simple.

PSN + give you things that ms don't (free games, extensions, beta access, free test of real games/ not old arcades, etc) and all ms have (except cross game chat...bid deal), you have it for free with psn ! (and more : vidzone, video chat, internet browser, etc)

[Antan]

Oh, and for the uninformed, "Hallmark Moment" is one of his other accounts ;) Have a nice day now.

[iPad]

I don't know what's worse. The fact that MS increases the price, OR the fact that their consumers ACCEPT it. I mean seriously, $60 JUST to play online? This is MADNESS!

Also, the fact that Halo Reach will be the only game 360 gamers are gonna play, they're gonna keep spending money, to PLAY THE SAME GAME! Are you freaking kidding me?

OH snap! MyLIVE account ran out the day after Halo Reach comes out. You waste another $60 bucks.(Lol, i just remembered you can buy a game with $60) Then next year, your LIVE accounts runs out again, and you spend another $60 to PLAY THE SAME FREAKING GAME! THE SAME GAME!!!!!!

How can you guys accept this?

[Christopher]

***I don't know what's worse. The fact that MS increases the price, OR the fact that their consumers ACCEPT it. I mean seriously, $60 JUST to play online? This is MADNESS! ***

People pay $120/year to play a single game only every day (MMOs). It's all about how they value the service being provided. Just because someone's value of it differs from yours doesn't make them the wrong party.

I'd say the same goes for those who find it worthwhile to spend $50-60 a year for online gaming on XBL.

[cb4g]

...but if they were to increase the subscription fee, for essentially the same service, those same people would get upset.

I've been playing WoW for a few years now and I definitely would be opposed to a price hike, no matter how much I value the product.

People value the Xbox Live service and will happily pay for it, but the issue lies in the price increase for, what is currently, the same product.

If we don't raise our concerns and we just accept the increasing prices, where do we eventually draw the line?

[Millionaire]

Tsk tsk tsk...Patcher was right?

[SixZeroFour]

thats what i was thinking when i started reading these articles...its not the $100 he predicted, but its still an increase

on top of that, i hope they dont increase it over here in vancouver canada, its been $59.99 for a long while now, while most new games are $69.99...if they increase live to $69.99 im gunna have to reevaulate whether or not i actually want to pay for it

[Tito08]

Dude, Pope is right, look at the dude's username, it's very obvious!!!! So now MS is raising the price of Live just in time for the release of Halo Reach!!!!

[0mega4]

they should have made multiplayer free and if you want all the other crap you can pay for the subscription

you shouldn't have to pay to play online when its already like half of the game you payed for

patcher is on a roll

[TROLL EATER]

well its the dumb that acually buy it for full price. www.cheapxboxlivecodes.com is ur best bet.

[solar]

this is why you shouldnt pay for online services ontop of paying for internet. looking at you PSN+ and Xbox Live. or paying money for DLC which offers little in content, which ususally is already on the disc you bought. the price will go up.

look at what EA and Activision did with MoH, MW2, and SC2. paying $60 for a PC game? not me. but people pay it and now prices go up.

[multips3fan]

actually is preety smart plan.ppl all over the world are going to buy halo reach and play it for many years.So why not increased the price to play halo?360 owners love halo and they will pay anything to play it online.preety smart plan is still sad that it shows that Microsoft exclusives are in decline and they need money

[xAlmostPro]

after all that money theyve took from people for it theyre making it more expensive? WTF!! :/..

thats just insane if you ask me! maybe this in itself shows how things are going for them, if of all things they need to charge more for LIVE -_-

[Obama]

So niceguywii60 is actually pog? lol how many accounts does this guy have?

[davekaos]

Well actualy you do, sell the xbox and put towards for a ps3, thats if you dont own one yet

[totallysane]

alotta people gonna be jumpin on the sony bandwagon now. expect alot of pissed off kids next time you hop on psn complaining about the price of live.

[avengers1978]

They have been talking about this for some time, at one point even mentioned 100 dollars a year as still being a fair price...Just hope they don't charge you 10-20 a month for it.

[Imperator]

Damn it Microsoft, you're supposed to drop the price not raise it. Probably to make up for the failure that kinect will be.

[Darth Gamer]

Mayby, just maybe, Activision and Call of Duty might have something to do with this. NOVEMBER, HELLOOOOO!!!!!!

[madpuppy]

MS sent us their "Persian" messenger to inform us of the price hike.

what is a poor spartan to do?

[vhero]

So now 360 is gonna be more per 5 years of gaming so far its the most expensive console the 3 considering it was $250 every 5 years just to play online. Now its going upto $300.. This is the hidden cost of the new slim 360. You all said it was a great idea but it seems old 360 owners are the ones paying for it. Yes you owners who don't even own a 360 slim pay extra so MS can continue to keep price down on the slim.

[Heisenberg]

Which always amazes me. As far as this generation is concerned, they are in a position to squeeze the Live subscribers, but is it really wise this late in the game to do so? Especially considering the PSN being more competitive than ever and still free with the option PSN+ I don't think it will sit well with people. I would think MS would want to make Live more competitive now more than ever.

MS should really consider the next generation, when the next round of consoles come around, people will inevitably look back and reevaluate; who do I wanna invest my money in this time? Who built the most reliable hardware? Who squeezed me for more cash by jacking up prices at a time when it was less justifiable than ever? You know the whole fool me once shame on you.. cliché? Well it might cross a few peoples minds next time around, people who, although loved the games, were frustrated with Microsoft, and the way they do business. In other words... It's not good for their image or reputation.

It's a cash grab, plain and simple. An opportunity seized by Microsoft. Raising the price by 20% annually for no reason takes some brass. I'm sure that's the last thing people need an added expense toward during times like these. Online gaming is free, it's time for Microsoft to stop taking peoples money to do so. You buy a multiplatform game on the 360, you have to pay monthly to continue to play that games multiplayer, you buy the same game on the PS3, and as it should be, it's free to play the game you PAID for, on the internet connection YOU pay for, no unnecessary middle man demanding a cut for otherwise free services.

[PeterGriffinSays]

So no worries if you use Amazon.

However, it seems Microsoft hasn't learned shit, regardless.

[playboi28]

People are so quick to bring up the PSN+ like it is even similar to XBL. As someone who has both systems and plays them both equally, I can easily say that PSN+ is actually a good deal.

First thing people are forgetting is that it is 100% optional. You can still do everything you could do before without buying it. Also, as we've seen with the Kane & Lynch 2 demo, they actually are getting the demos early. This is a proven fact as XBL didn't get the demo until a week later.

People list cross game chat as a reason to pay for XBL Gold without realizing that this is a feature offered free to Silver members without paying a dime. Now, yes, there is a Netflix UI on the XBL that you don't need a disc but aside from being able to watch something in a party (on a smaller screen BTW), it actually has less functionality that the disc based Netflix on PSN (that is free with a subscription to NEtflix) due to the fact that you can actually search for content on the PS3.

Hulu+ is something you have the option of adding with PSN+ but regular Hulu is still free through the browser. Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm, Pandora, and almost everything else on the net works through the browser on the PS3 for free.

My problem isn't only with the raise in price for XBL, it was justifying the price in the beginning. A price raise is just ridiculous...

[ShadowCK]

Natus, Do you wonder why you have one bubble? They see you trollin', I don't care about the pricing. It's hardly that much money. I guess it's difficult for most of you guys because your still at school and are too lazy to get yourselves a job, demonstrating that you're a worthless piece of **** who appreciates nothing.

[iamnsuperman]

So US has confirmed price increase but only monthly for UK WHY?????? I assume that all going to increase its a little strange to increase certain regions unless it has something to do with getting more UK yearly subscribers

[r1sh12]

The UK has the highest attachment rate in Europe for xbox 360 and xbox live.
Plus the GBP (£) is stronger than the USD ($) which gives another reason why it doesnt need to go up.
Even if it does, I never pay full wack for those memberships.
I just ebay them- much cheaper.
Maybe we get some random free stuff (unannounced, but if they want to keep customers they will need to do something).
Maybe they are increasing the price to give free stuff to match PSN freebee's?
Who knows, if its just a price hike for no reason, then customers will fall.

[hennessey86]

well were getting espn soon. Plus im sure microsoft have a few more suprises up there sleves. wernt there a mention of a platinum xboxlive membership or something like that.

[Optical_Matrix]

Lol...Just lol.

[Omega4]

Wow, I am shocked seriously. Just wow.

The fall update better have some groundbreakingly crazy features for this to be worth it.

Edit:
Seems like its because of ESPN and the video chat for Kinect.

Edit 2: UK annual prices aren't affected, strange. And what about the rest of europe.

[unworthyBOZO]

That's no excuse they promised those features at no extra cost at E3.

[Montoya]

PSN has Videochat, the PSeye does that....NO charge.

[Johnny Jiron]

...did MS take that out at some point...? Serious question. Cause didnt the old cam for xbox360 allow for video chat also...

[totallysane]

yet they have to REALEASE ANOTHER CAMERAd to do the motion/body tracking for the system. what does it for ps3 o yeah the eye... that already does video chat, hm how bout that

[MorganX]

I don't know about ground breaking for an extra <$1/month but, more yes. ESPN is gonna get theirs, especially since it will cut into their web and cable viewership which may affect their advertising revenue. Though I'm sure they'll have ads on XBL.

The voice is being improved but it was great before. I have a feeleing chat will be extended to facebook, Windows Phone 7, and XBL. I belive you will be able to email using your XBL accounts as well.

I have no problem paying. It's as good as it is because it's paid for. But it's not a good "trend." Still, need to see the enhancements.

[nycredude]

Imagine if Sony added fees to PSN everytime they added a new feature.. The price of PSN would be like Freaking $200!

[Rhythmattic]

Paying for more of the stuff you dont want, as MS are doing us all a Favour, I mean, they havent even increased the price for us to play online.... How nice of them..

[totallysane]

dude are you blind. thats fanboyism for ya. youll suck m$ dingaling as long as they dont hike your price to high right

[Meowhammad]

P2P gaming
Horrible community
Payed service with ads
No concept of fair practice, raise prices when they like
Justification for this is because all the 'extra services'
Half of those extra services cost money
lol

[Johnny Jiron]

There better be something amazing being announced soon. I been supportive of the xbox brand since the beginning. This however just seems like spousal abuse. :P .
I'll just pick up a $40 card off Amazon for one more year after that I'll be taking full advantage of the fact I also own a PS3.
They really disconnected with the core...sad sad shame. I still hold out a small bit of hope they throw something big out tho.

[Captain Tuttle]

ugh

[BornToKill]

M$

[KratosGirI]

What is this I don't even.

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

Has anybody ever been so far as to want more look like did?

[KratosGirI]

What?

[n to the b]

@leon LOL!

[Montoya]

Google translations....

[xskipperx82]

LOLOLOLOLO Bubbles sir

[xavier-tooth]

gadammit leon i'm farting right now!

[darkdoom3000]

Thoes two quotes get me every time.

win! bubbles to you two.

[PeterGriffinSays]

I love that meme.

[Meowhammad]

That wasn't funny, keep this shit on 4chon.
- bubbles for everyone.

[n to the b]

and minus bubbles right back at u. now what does "keep this shit on 4chon" mean WTF is 4chon??

EDIT: I find it disturbing to read comments that are barely intelligible on n4g, makes me think why bother expressing my ideas if many here can't grasp basic english. Leon here expressed that exact sentiment and even made it truly funny - nothing wrong with showing my appreciation.

you may have noticed 1 of the bubbles+ options is for "Funny". if you're trying to tell us we're off topic then why would n4g seemingly approve a little hatespeech-free humor?

(P.S. I know I use shorthand a bit instead of Proper English in my typing. like my 4th grade art teacher said, u have to KNOW the rules before you can break them! so far I haven't seen any evidence of any other n4g user being unable to understand me. which is more than I can say for your comment.)

[Meowhammad]

You know i meant 4chan, faggot.

[Ivan Drago IV]

wow.. Im sorry but the 360 has become a joke and is on a slippery slope.. Kinect, shovelware, joke of a core game lineup for next year and now increasing the price for live!? I think the 360 is imploding.

[karl]

MS is soo greedy ... people need to realize that MS doesnt give a shit about gaming .. they only want your money and 50bucks aint cutting it anymore

[pippoppow]

When MS first came into the scene I was excited. I bought an original Xbox hoping for good things. Sold it due to lack of exclusives. This gen I waited for at least one great exclusive game that I really wanted to play but then the RROD fiasco happened and all other MS wrong doings just piled on top made me despise them. Now they have the gall to charge even more money for an unnecessary fee that should be free?!

MS has proven to be horrible for the industry. Their fans do not understand what they have supported. They have opened a way for the greediest of corporations to figure out how to get more from a capitulating consumer base in the gaming arena.

Other companies are looking for ways to get more money from naive consumers all the time and look to fleece gamers now. Soon you will have Pubs charging extra for online services. XBL does it for no reason so why not. Gamers have supported MS, so they'll probably support it as well.

If I had bought a 360 I would be pissed off. Bad overpriced hardware, lack of exclusives and an unnecessary online tax that has gone up in price not down.

I'm sick of MS and hope they do not return for another gen. It is sad that there are gamers who will continue to support such a greedy company who gives them so little in return.

[karl]

true..
competition is good for the industry but i wish it came from nintendo
SONY hasnt step their game up cuz of MS.. it took them years to build all the games that we are seeing today

but they have always been like this since ps2....

most of the awesome franchise that we enjoy today.. come from the previous gen... or third party studios that never needed MS to create their games.. so what does MS really do for gaming?

they are just a conduct of money.. that keeps a bit of the flow all the time..

fanboys are one of the worst things this industry has seen.. i wish they could open their eyes.. i support sony not cuz a sense of loyalty but because i dont feel like they are draining my blood unlike MS...

hope this Holiday serves MS the final punch.. they only have the sales weapon to stay afloat now.. if they finally end up on third place

they will fall apart in months.. lets hope

[oldjadedgamer]

I feel like they should partner this announcement with a reason for the raise in price. Like, we need more money to start a new 1st party studio. Then I wouldn't mind giving the extra money.

But now it feels like I will be just giving MS money because they told me to.

[MexicanAppleThief]

Seriously? I honestly doubt that's the reason why MS is increasing their Live prices, but if that's true, that's the stupidest sh!t I've ever heard. Why the hell you they charge you to create more 1st party studios? We already do enough by buying their damn games.

[oldjadedgamer]

I'm not saying I think that this is why, just that I would pay extra for it.

I also highly doubt this is the reason.

[Sarick]

Maybe they are banning too many modded consoles in Mexico to justify the lower cost service. I'd assume that this nation would have a much higher piracy rate considering the lower standard of living.

Now add the issues of less broadband and lower earning across the board the basic cost is high making the hiked price extreme.

One thing about economics is that if your product and the economy is struggling you don't try and raise prices for a low demand product to supplement your losses. The reason is increased prices sometimes drive away sales causing a ripple effect that brings down profits even more.

People are sometimes enslaved to subscription prices. The cost is like a rope tightly rapped around your neck. At some point if it gets too tight it'll strangle you to death and you'll die. At that point as a provider you've lost more then the small increase the hike was supposed to offset.

[Workshyskiver]

thought it was rumoured to get cut!!!!! This is worse news than LOST not winning what it deserves at the Emmys.....

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

AGREED.

BUBBLES.

Screw the Emmys!!!

[e-p-ayeaH]

lol Lost so incredibly overrated

[Baka-akaB]

Mostly solo 360 games , and unused ms cards for the win (only online interest would be some friends over at ssf4 , and well reach soon).

Notice how the azzholes raise the price right for REACH and COD black ops bonanza

[Gobot]

I can't wait till I see someone and tries and justify this,lol!

[shoddy]

and facebook./S

[GodHandDee]

That is all

[Convas]

Unbelieveable. You've got to be kidding me. You've got to. What the hell are they thinking? They've got hardly any exclusives, their slowly abandoning the Core for the Kinect Casuals, and now they are raising the price of Xbox Live?!?!? The F*CK?!?!?

Microsoft has now officially lost the plot. Screw getting the New Xbox, I'm going back to saving for my PS3. GAHHH!!

[pippoppow]

MS has no respect for their fans. You would think they would lower the cost. They do have ads after all. Utterly pathetic. 360 fans will say PS3 fans are fanboys for not liking the 360 but there are legit reasons for it. Primarily their business practices that are insulting.

I believe they are raising the price to offset the lack of exclusives that generate more money per items sold, low Kinect related sales which will all lead to low hardware sales the last 2-3 years it has left this gen.

What a bunch of greedy crooks. 360 gamers need to open their eyes and see how this company is blatantly fleecing them for little in return.

Next gen MS' online service may be as good as others at best with a hardware build lacking compared to the competition most likely with a few scant exclusives. Before any says Halo, the next game isn't being made by Bungie and one game shouldn't be enough for support. They've gotten a pass for 2 gens already.

[Redempteur]

the "coincidence" just before christmas is ...well it's ...

$$$$$

[RH06]

Kenect, so I think they are trying to get the "Casuals"
to pay more when they get their new 360 w/Kenect...

[BiggCMan]

this is ludicrous. just when im about to buy my first 360, they raise the price of gold. people buy gold to play online, and nothing else. sure u get some extra cool features, but no one buys gold because of them. on a very rare occasion maybe. but regardless. the better be planning to add something incredible that justifies an increase. but if not, then this is just absurd.

[Da One]

I was getting a refund check sometime this week and I was going to go buy a 360 S limited edition Halo Bundle......I've been bragging about grabbing one for weeks I think i even left a comment on N4G about it, it saddens me now that they're going to pull a stunt like this before my purchase(it makes me think twice about supporting them)

Fortunately I'll only pay 40 bucks for one and not have to pay until sometime next year(or the year after if i get two)

I like price drops........not price hikes

[swinesucker]

And you are one of the problems. God, I really thought about sending them a message but I am not going to and I am going to fully support them by buying 400 dollars of product or more. Fuck off dude. Keep it to yourself.

[Da One]

I'm a problem because i'm going to buy an xbox.........really

maybe you should keep your mouth shut

[Fadetoblack69]

Wow. I will never understand why people support Microsoft. Every time I read something like this it makes me glad I'm still a PC gamer.

[LiquifiedArt]

a PC gamer AND Playstation Enthusiast.

:)

[GuruStarr78]

First MS brags about how much money they are making off of Xbox live, and now they announce that they are raising the price on us?! F&*K you, M$........screw it, I got my xbox gold 12 month subscription off of an amazon dealer for 30 bucks....I'll just do the same when the price goes up...

[Lumbo]

And now they can brag how much MORE money they are going to make without doing anything but rising the toll on the tollbridge.

[GaMe01]

To me its no big deal really as far as affording it. However my problem is don't raise the price and not offer us anything with it. I mean give us a new feature or something to go with it. Maybe access to Hulu with out paying extra.

On a side note for you N4g people if I go buy 2 1 years at $25.00 each when the price goes up I wont be affected in any way right?

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

*sips tea and smirks*

[militant07]

burn in hell, Major Nelson

[MexicanAppleThief]

This just makes me appreciate free online with PS3 and Steam even more.

[unworthyBOZO]

Can't wait to see kotaku spin this.

[sajj316]

amazon deals ... $30 or bust!

[Godmars290]

But really, do I need it?

[pippoppow]

Like most 360 gamers.

No plentiful exclusives, no dedicated servers with high player counts, no free multiplayer games and no price drops.

[DeleteThisxx]

It's funny, I don't plan on purchasing Kinect or using the ESPN feature, yet..they still want me to pay more for a service that barely offers anything aside from online play. Screw that.

[gamingisnotacrime]

MS is weird

[RH06]

On one hand PS+ is a little cheaper, but now Live is "more" expensive? It has some great stuff/features but geez! I hope MS is using a bagless vacuume to suck the cash out of my pockets, don't want them to lose any of my change in the trash!

[RH06]

Looks like I better buy a year subscription before Nov. 1st! Guess the free month of Gold with my Reach console will be worth it for now!

[Zechs34]

I just want to say one thing. This is absolute bullsh!t.

[Marked]

M$ and sony own stocks in each other so they intentionally make these moves to move the attention of the consumer to the other and then back again. Edit: this is a joke and I do not support this theory...LOL

LOL.... truth is....rich heads get big and poluted with thoughts of money. This is the perfect example of american business ethics.

[Baka-akaB]

So who is ready to complain about mmo fees now ?

[blackpanther25]

thats already been happening thats why they have Free2play MMOs and others fail because people refuse to pay for rubbish thus the end of Hellgate london
and LOTRO and Dungeons VS Dragon becoming free

Guild Wars 2 - thats what i am waiting for

[Droid Control]

No way i'm FU*K**G paying any F*CK**G more money for M$ SH**Y F***I*G Service!
All those extras like Facebook and Last FM are total BS!
I can't belive that M$ F**KING think these etras are worth it!
I don't even use the S*IT!

We're in the middle of a FUC*ING recession - WTF are M$ FUC*KING thinking!¬?

[WetN00dle69]

Well that sucks! Nice way of shooting yourself on the foot MS!
In order to gain supporters you have to lower the price of LIVE not raise it.
Seriously you MOFOs better be adding exclusive shite for it to at least look appealing enough for people including myself to re-subscribe to Xbox Live! If not im better off buying PSN plus! They have free stuff to offer.

[DelbertGrady]

Looks like we just got schnitzled up the a. Seriously, wtf is this sh*t? If anything they should lower the price.

I just created an account on Majornelson.com...so I can personally tell him to go sit on a doorknob. A golden doorknob, encrusted with diamonds. Courtesy of MS.

[GusBricker]

Go buy them now.

[Raendom]

Wow... Seriously...? XBL is barely worth it at the moment, what constitutes a price INCREASE?

[jaytv-pyro]

Why Don't PS3 Owns Give 3 $H!T About XBL & Cross Game Chat

[ReBurn]

I quit paying for Live years ago because it wasn't worth it to me then. It's less worth it to me now. There's no way Microsoft will ever allow free online pay. Their Xbox Live revenue would probably drop 95% instantly.

[Trroy]

So... ESPN, etc. are available at no additional charge on XBL. No additional charge.. on top of the subscription fee MS can change at any time.

So tricky!

[unworthyBOZO]

I read a comment off kotaku by a user

"Just signed up to comment on the blog cause this is preposterous. Mexico pricing is going up almost 10 dollars, and we get:

-no last.fm
-no netflix
-no espn
-no indie game channel
-outrageously inflated games on demand prices (Kameo is still $40)
-limited access to demos (have to have an american gamertag just to download half the games)

were it not for all the college friends i have in the states playing on live, i would have traded in for a ps3 by now..."

Seriously people just buy a PS3 already.

[blackpanther25]

"It's funny how many people go "quick! just get 2 years right now while it's cheaper! who cares that you maybe might end up not using them?! this will show evil MS what we think of them!"

This kind of panic mentality probably nets MS more money than what they lost by people not getting a new subscription.

Newsflash....
It doesn't matter if you stock up now and buy it cheaper for 3 years or if you buy it at a higher price. As long as you pay them money you will just tell them one thing: "Hey! Take my money! Yes you MS i like giving you money for things that should be free! Charge me more!!11"

It's a win-win situation for MS, those people that now stock up on subscriptions give them money, the people that don't stock up and pay more give them money. Overall it's just more money for MS.

You want to send a message? Cancel your subscription, don't renew it, don't stock up. That's the only message that's gonna work and that's gonna change something"

--------I totally agree

[sackgirl]

is the cause !

[GusBricker]

We're all bitching, but most of us will pay it...or your parents will.

[unworthyBOZO]

Not me I already stop paying for XBL years ago and this news further justifies my decision.

[ocnkng]

I stopped paying 2 years ago coz I realized I been giving free money away. To the morons who bring up that example of 'Its only the price of a beer or a morning coffee' Well I have no intention of giving up on a beer or a morning coffee to donate money to billion $$ MS. If I give something up I'd rather donate $5 to a charity.

[Garrus_Vakarian]

The current amount of content doesn't even justify the current price. I buy 3 months, so it's only a 5 dollar increase, but still...

[skip2mylou]

Dang inflation much MS

[jokia005]

How about Japan?
oh nobody has xbox360 in Japan,sorry.

[JonnyBigBoss]

Wow, this is a bad move. $49.99 was already too high of a price point. People need to wake up and smell the coffee.

[Garrus_Vakarian]

Oh I smell it, and it sure as hell isn't Folger's. >:(

[Rhythmattic]

"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 Microsoft's Major Nelson.

How about FREE online Multiplayer for people that dont want your "Entertainment Experience"..

[biggame901]

Very uncool, Microsoft. In the midst of while everyone continues to have free online, you increase the price. I'm sorry, but you can't justify $60 to me.

This has made me seriously rethink potentially getting an XBox 360.

[Verminox]

People pay for Peer to Peer online in 2010?

[Newtype]

Bad decision.

[austin128]

ESPN should be optional! This is ridiculous!
And why are they assuming that EVERYONE is going to own Kinect?
Disappointed...

[drsnobby]

I must say this is shocker,i guess i better go on amazon and buy up all the deep discount cards before this takes effect.i must say that i never seen this kind of response concerning monthly fees for WOW and other MMORPG,s.XBL and PSN is still a bargin when compared to MMORPG,s

[PirateThom]

Go on, justify it. You can't. It was already expensive and now it's getting more expensive.

[Lumbo]

na, you are wrong, its just cause the espn comes at no aditional cost (outside the base fee that, surprise surprise gets a rise just in time to make the ESPN fee an integral part of the already bloated P2P online fee)

I wonder ...

If Microsoft would offer 3 levels, lets say

1)bronce (free) as silver was , but without the banner ads
2)silver (free) banner ads, bronce stuff + Online gaming (P2P) NO Media stuff whatsoever, no netflix, no last FM
3)gold: same as now

what do you think would the population take? The free onlinegaming and F#ck off to "entertainment" stuff, or the "great value entertainment and media extras" in the gold plan ?

[K-man00]

MS should reduce the price not increase it.

[gamingisnotacrime]

but this is MS we are talking about, where the revolution in gaming is all about charging for every possible aspect.
Pay Pay Pay

[zeksta]

Just to clarify, Microsoft Supporters, still enjoy supporting Microsoft after the Kinect failure and Xbox Live Gold price rise... You people are beyond my comprehension...

[Lazyeye79]

Microsoft does offer quite a bit of stuff to justify their online price. The only problem is that I don't care for any of it, I just want to play my games online. So charging me $50 a year, $60 now, isn't justifiable, I play games online for free on the PS3 and my gaming experience isn't much better on the 360 and yet I pay $50 more (my fault I guess for paying), but with this new increase, I am canceling my subscription.

I would suggest having 3 tiers instead of two like Gold=$60 and includes everything, Silver=$25 and lets you only play online with chatting in game, and Bronze=$0 and which would be the current silver.

I would suggest that but I know Microsoft would lose a lot of money because a lot of people would probably start paying for the Silver and do everything else for free on a computer and Microsoft is to greedy to decrease their current profits even if it makes most of their customers happier.

[Captain Tuttle]

$39 at Amazon, while supplies last

http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-...

[Look_Behind]

WTF, Barely have enough money for Live as it stands (being a student is tough :/ ) and they are upping the price.
I hate M$

[gamingisnotacrime]

just look around

[KiLLUMiNATi_89]

60$ Now MS is losing there mind WTF. They should lower the price not higher it. Fuck that they can kiss my as. Now I see why I love my ps3 more.

[Jack The Lad]

BEND-OVER :D

[Karum]

Microsoft had better have something incredibly awesome in store for LIVE to justify this.

Oh and by awesome I do not mean adding in functionality for things I can do better and for free on my laptop and in some cases on my mobile phone i.e. facebook, twitter, Last.fm and Sky Player. Also by awesome I do not mean some Kinect centric garbage either.

If they don't have something awesome to justify this then it's just super epic fail from MS.

EDIT: Ahh there he is, the disagree fairy lol

[fr3d0]

"bb-b-b-b-b-bbu-b-but teh ps3 is for teh cheap azz gamers who are on teh welfarez!!!!"

Honestly if you are a 360 fanboy after this you deserve getting ripped off.

[TardcoreGamer]

yes many industry analysts have predicted this happening before...best time than ever to hike the price now that everyone went out a bought a new 360.

[SpartanQ8]

F**k U Microsoft Really F**k U selling my F**k Box and Getting a PS3

[lucifon]

Yeah screw you Microsoft for costing me an extra $10 a year goddamnit ragequit Xbox that'll show 'em!!!!11one

[s45gr32]

After using STEAM I don't see a reason as to why charge for an online gaming service. Crazy game deals, free online, free games, demos, mod support, free DLC content, etc. So, why should I pay $60.00 for a service that is not on part to STEAM.

[wollie]

holy crap.

things are getting really competitive with the consoles right now so i can't believe they would do this. they should be offering more features and lowering the price not this crap.

[Karum]

More features and freezing the price would have been acceptable to most people I'd imagine.

PS3 console is same price and is getting fitted out with more storage. Even the 360 got a revamp and kept it's price while offering more out of the box with the big hard drive and the built in wireless.

Things like that are good moves. Announcing a price hike and nothing to go with it is just pure madness.

[sajj316]

For those going to amazon to buy for $40.00 .. that's precisely what MS wants now. They are going to see a boatload of subscription renewels before 11/1 and that means a boatload of $$ for an additional 1/2 years of service.

[dumahim]

Great. Adding features I don't want and now I gotta pay for it? I barely ever play online as it is. Might consider canceling.

[Garrus_Vakarian]

Well I'm stocking up on 1 years. Amazon.com here I come.

[Omega Zues]

Why does none of this...

bah, why bother. This is MS were talking about here. No one knows what those guys are thinking.

[TardcoreGamer]

PS3's are looking more and more attractive by the day...

[LiquifiedArt]

Its "What you paying for."

That question is not justified. They will keep adding little odds and ends featurettes, but the fact remains. Your paying to access the online component of a game.

Its a middle-man, scheme and it pisses me off that people are so ignormant to support it, because its preaching the WRONG MESSAGE to all the other companies. Stop being tools!

[Grimhammer00]

I have a question...
Your sitting at a restaurant and you order a meal. You eat this dish everytime you go out and you love it.

Now, I ask you...if you could order that same meal at a different restaurant, but get it for free....the plate is not your favorite color; or the utensils are not as shiny.......would that make you go back to paying at the original restaurant?

WAKE THE F$ck UP!

Cross-game chat isn't enough for me to buy live again...in 2007 live was worth it. Now no. If all you own is a 360....sell it or embrace MS by bending over.

You think the casuals are going to save MS and it's lack of first party devs? LOL

MS was smart to do this right after Halo and right when Black Ops comes out...but its a trap ploy.

[jdktech2010]

But the restaurant I go to is the only place that has that dish and while I could get other dishes for cheaper at your restaurant, I can't get my dish that I want.

That dish being Halo: Reach. While I'm paying for my Halo: Reach dish, this restaurant offers all the other dishes for free. So in reality, it's not that expensive per dish to eat there every time.

Good analogy but with one giant plot hole on your part...exclusives

[Marked]

That one trick pony must be realy good.

[amiga-man]

paying to play online, is the reason i will never own a xbox.
if microsoft made online free, xbl would have little appeal to anyone,hats off to microsoft they sure know how to make money off the uneducated or foolish.
oh well back to playing online for free on my pc, wii, and ps3.

[fr3d0]

Well spoken sir

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

Official statement from Major Nelson:

"Well, we noticed that Sony created a new service that costs money...so, we decided to increase the price of Xbox Live. In terms of business, this is a terrible idea. We understand that. However, we at the Xbox Division of Microsoft think that rational thought is a comfort we can't afford to have anymore. Also, I'm fully aware that my name makes people think I'm in the military. Thank you."

[unworthyBOZO]

Wow did he really say that?

[Convas]

That was genuinely funny. Thanks for the laughs, I needed that to hold myself back from raging at MS customer service.

[Anti-PS3]

That is funny. Bubbles to you my friend.

[Bellcross]

I canceled my Gold subscription last week now putting my 360 up for sale.

This is beyond ridiculous MS.

[paladin_veltron]

god i love my ps3. well ill still enjoy my free online on psn, and free porn, free facebook, free music to listen to or download, free movies to watch or download, free twitter, n4g.com, and the entire web thanks to the ps3 browser. and people are saying the extra 10 bucks for live might be for a browser on live or youtube access? and now they want to charge you for youtube. ha. oh wait i forgot live is so cool and its worth evry penny, i can look at my friends friends! LAME.

[aviator189]

Now, that's just insanely douchebagy on microsoft's part. Most of us aren't even asking for the majority of the newly added services!! Why not just charge those that do want those services and leave the rest of XBL members alone?!

[OC_MurphysLaw]

From a business standpoint, I understand costs go up. Many of you unfortunately don't understand that. MOST services and costs tend to go up over time not down. We in gaming have translated console hardware costs going down to mean that all services and costs over time should go down. So, reality is, MS has indeed added more and more to Xbox Live over the past few years without a cost increase. We are probably long over due for one from a strictly business perspective.

As a gamer however, I look at this in a different light. First off, you can't deny that MS has competition from PSN which offers up basics and mutliplayer for free. We can probably thank PSN+ for its $59.99 price tag as being part of how MS has justified their increase. I don't as a gamer understand or agree with the increase of price since most of the best services MS has "added" like Netflix come to me as an additional cost. ESPN will be nice if it really is "free".... but I want to see MS actually give some value for the price increase. Give me a free movie rental via Zune once per month for being Gold...that would encourage me to use that service more and maybe even pay for a movie now and then. Avatar clothing should be FREE if I am paying for your XBL Gold service. Make Silver pay for it but give me all items for free....or discount them across the board by 50%. No way should I have to pay $4 for virtual armor when I have been giving you $40+ per year for the last 7 years. Yes, I am a 7 year running Live subscriber.

Give me reason MS beyond the status quo as to why I should pay $20 more a year.

[jdktech2010]

I'm laughing at this quite a bit to be honest. Look at all the PS3 fanboys and genuine gamers (there's a few out there) up in arms about this. I pay for Live because I choose to, because it has the games I want (when PS3 gets Halo and Gears, then we can talk), it's where my friends are and I like how well everything is integrated together throughout the menus, friends list and chat functions. They also have a lot of features and I for one might use the ESPN function quite a bit.

While you people whine and moan about 10 dollars (less than a dollar a month....wow, so we're up to less than or equal to 4 dollars a month with the discounted cards on amazon for 50 now, etc.)

I'm fine paying that....Also, considering you can buy 12 month cards for 40 bucks on Amazon right now and it will still consistently be 10 dollars cheaper on various deals like amazon and newegg....you're all freaking out over nothing in my opinion.

But this is n4g so obviously MS is the devil and will be the end of the world...it's so obvious now

LMAO at the disagrees...so I don't choose to play Live....they automatically add it to my account even though they don't have a credit card on file for me. Seriously, people....have a backbone and leave comments as to why you disagree so much. There's nothing in there that is over the top and unfounded....All hope is lost for this place

[strotee]

"choice" ?

If you don't pay, then you and your friends won't be playing together. That statement seems to contradict itself. It's either choose not to pay and don't play with friends or forced to cough up the, now, $60 so you and your friends can play.

Face it bro, if you and your friends want to play "Halo and Gears" together, they you really have no "choice".

[jdktech2010]

Actually it's just fine. I don't have to play online with my friends...I could play on PS3 and do that just fine. In fact one of my friends games on PS3 instead of Xbox and he's still got a social life and a gaming life.

I have a choice....there's always a choice except for things like taxes and all that (but even then, you can choose to go to jail and not pay). So face it bro, a generally PS3 pro site is bashing MS for something that we don't even know the extent of. They could be adding mroe features to Live that they haven't announced and by announcing this first, they can make people warm up to the idea when they announce new things.

And again I say go buy a bunch of cards now off Amazon and you're set for the next 2-3 years.....much ado about nothing....they raised the price by 10 bucks after 5 years....

[Grimhammer00]

The reason I personally disagreed is because a) you pay period.
Your friends are on LIVE? Ok, how many of them are REAL friends...the kind that you've actually spent time with outside of LIVE? 5? Tell those 5 to jump ship with you!

I love my PS3...but that's because I stopped playing my 360. Once you get away from the koolaid...rational thought starts to set in. Now, all my friends (real friends) are PS3 only or dual users like myself. I play Alan Wake...probably get Halo for the single player. That's it for 360.

The rest of your arguments are preferences that you'd likely miss for a few days at the most, had you moved to PS3.

Plus, I'm not looking at the now...I'm thinking about MS. We're 2 yrs tops from Xbox 720 (or whatever)...I KNOW they'll increase LIVE at launch. I'll bet my house on it! New machine means new better experience! LOL
I'm not supporting this trend period. (Oddly, you can't call it a trend since only 360 does it!)

You know...if LIVE was $70 a year as it will be in Canada (except for Amazon and the like), but 360 had more first party devs/exclusives as sony...I'd be happy to pay! I'd convince myself that the money went to all the new titles. But where's your LIVE money done for you? Last.fm, ESPN, Youtube etc? LOL

Oh....officially announcing a increase but not announcing improved/increased services is why this increase is getting the extra flak.

[LiquifiedArt]

Bubble+

[no_more_trolling]

i pirate all my games
so paying for live is nothing

i say phuck big companies
all they care about is money so why should i care

[Hoje0308]

Great, if enough people follow your example maybe the entire industry can suffer just like the PC sector has been all these years.

P.S. I hate cheap losers like you.

[kingboy]

lol it just get's better and better for them year in year out

[shotgun_ps3]

At the end of the day, this industry is a business and what do businesses care about... MONEY. I'm 83% sure this was all part of there yearly strategy; introduce xbox 360 slim to increase market share, raise the subscription and release Halo Reach = £££$$$$$. There's nothing bad about it because as much as people are going to bitch and moan, everyone will still pay it because you get amazing content on it. I love my PS3 and wouldn't trade it for anything but if PSN could be as good as Xbox Live then I would be a very happy man.

My main beef with Xbox Live is that it forces you to pay to play games online, what they should have done was raise the gold membership and make silver free to play, but I'm not a high paid executive trained in high end business lol.

[Lumbo]

hmmm, nice move there ...

[Grimhammer00]

No...exclusives are a different argument. Though as you say....they are important.
But, Bungie has moved on....why can't you? Epic has moved on...again, not you.

Bungie has announced officially that 95% of their staff are now divorced from Halo...all chips in on their new multiplat IP. Who's left to give us the dev love that past Halo's had? The janitor? ;)

Gears 3 hasn't even come out yet...but their Bulletstorm engine uses a advanced version of Gears 3. Epic has even said Bulletstorm will be their next big thing. LOL...what else would they say?

But, my point is - theirs a shift in the industry. PS3 has far more to offer and it costs you less. I'm not talking about motion gaming....that sh^t is for casuals. I was at fanexpo and I personally tried it....laggy, and highly jaggy.

Nothing is etched in stone...Kinetic can be patched probably post-launch...it'll never be able to fix it's latency issues while it still uses the 360's GPU though. Maybe the new dev who picks up halo can pull a Treyarch? It's possible...

[jdktech2010]

Really, so I'm supposed to move on from Halo: reach when it isn't even out yet. This isn't a platform war. I could care less whether one wins or not since I have both. I play the games I want to and those are Reach and Gears 3

LOL, move on from something that isn't even out yet...slow your life down a bit, you might enjoy it more if that's your attitude.

Oh, and I have both consoles but thanks for the advertising attempt

[Grimhammer00]

I meant Halo. Halo was my first experience with FPS online. It was like HOLY CRAP!!!!! I was amazed! Then time moved on...new titles came out with improvements for me.

I own both consoles too. But this argument isn't about what exclusives we love or even whether we are willing to pay for services we know should be free.

I meant to be arguing only the base concept that MS increased the price for a service that shouldn't be charged for. And we both know that if MS went free to play online you would drop any pay service you had with them. It's the MP that forces people to buy LIVE....cross chat and forced custom soundtracks sure as hell aren't doing it!

[Hoje0308]

In a world where people actually sell air and water, it comes as no surprise that someone would try to charge $60 for P2P. I know every company is just out to make money, but MS are such obvious douchebags about it.

@ niceguywii60

"There is obviously a huge update offering much more coming for Microsoft to do this."

No, quit trying to justify greed.

[Quagland]

It costs MS a lot of money to maintain those dedicated ser-no, never mind.

[squelchy15]

Fuck Microsoft! Only Reach and GeOW 3 are making me CONSIDER keeping my 360! I used to love my 360 but I hate being shafted in favour for the casual Kinect.

It's a disgrace that they think it's okay to squeeze every penny out of their customers to pay for something that is free on other platforms!

[guitarguy1181]

As soon as im done with Halo Reach ill only be playing online with my ps3.

[Cherchez La Ghost]

I have at least 7 months on my subscription. If MS don't get their act right, I'll pull a HD-DVD on my 360.

[darthkai]

THANK GOD I buy all multiplatform, multiplayer titles for PS3. I loved my X360 at the beginning, you know, back when RARE made cool games like Kameo instead of clothing for avatars...
Now, without exclusives from Bungie and Bioware... Yeah, looks like the last game my 360 will see is Halo Reach.

Microsoft keeps adding features to Xbox Live like Netflix and ESPN and Facebook crap. Sure, lots of people use these features everyday. Me? I could care less about them. So why is my Xbox Live also getting a price hike? All I want to do is access part of the game I paid 60$ for in the first place.

The smart (or maybe I should say 'nice') move from M$, IMO, would've been to split the cost. Charge 30$ a year for playing online, and another 30$ for access to Netflix and all that stuff. Let the consumer choose what they want and don't want.
Forcing gamers to buy a bunch of crap they don't want just so they can play multiplayer just goes to show what cheap tactics M$ is willing to use to drain more money out of it's customers...

[Rhythmattic]

No wonder I just Play SP 360 Exclusives , Or Lan based 360 titles through the Leaf Network.

Everything else is Win / PS3 gaming.

[jumpinjonny]

as much as it sucks when prices go up- this is to be expected as everything goes up- i lol at the people who are now not going to go to xbox live because of the increase- does that mean you wont pay taxes when it goes up, wont pay gas or electric if it goes up- refuse to drive a car cause petrol prices goes up, sky or broadband- inflation is a part of life deal with it

[Grimhammer00]

yeah because your xbox is a fucing needed like water bills and electritity! GTFO!

You have a choice with your xbox. vote with your wallet not MS Koolaide

[gamingisnotacrime]

kid you need to get your facts right. Luxuries like gaming are not the same as water, gas, and food.

[JOHN_DOH]

for me it's about not supporting something i don't agree with. the only reason ms can get away with charging for live is because that's the only way to play online on xbox. they tried to charge for online play on pc but failed, because there are alternatives that are free(and better) They are charging you to play games that someone else developed with multiplayer built in already

[doshey]

well there went me getting a 360

[Jsynn7]

I guess Pachter was right. Truly, this is outrageous. Fanboys will argue "you only pay $60 once a year or 10$ once a month. That's nothing to someone who gets paid decent money. What's the big deal???" Not the point.

The point is that it's already bad enough you have to pay for something the competition is offering for FREE, but now you'll raise the price on it? The only thing, technically, you'll be paying for is the multi-player. Everything else is free with the silver plan. Wow. Honestly, there's NOTHING on XBL worth paying for. I think this is MS way of:

1. Trying to make back the money they spent on TIMED exclusives (and also on the marketing budget for Halo/GoW games)

2. Trying to get more money to get back into buying real exclusives.

I've noticed a lot of the people commenting on this article say that no matter what people will still pay. You know what? Your right. Some of the people on XBL are children so they'll cry and scream for mommy and daddy continue paying for XBL. Hardcore fanboys with jobs will still stay loyal to MS, justify in their twisted heads that the extra $10 is worth it, and still pay. This is beyond BS. I stopped paying for XBL a long time ago. Honestly, I haven't touched my Xbox in a long time. I'm not paying for something I could get for free somewhere else. That's just common sense. For those who will still shell out the money for this nonsense , you guys better get at MS and make sure they do something nothing short of PHENOMENAL to make it worth it. Otherwise, it's money down the toilet.

[artsaber]

Pretty soon XBL will be $100 a year, and many fanboys will still defend it. SMH, and pair this with the fact that XBL has ADS... ridiculous.

[KING85]

It's funny that we are debating whether the price hike is warranted or not, but the fact of the matter is many are still going to pay the extra cash for the gold membership. I have both systems and even though PSN is free and gives you the "option" of upgrading to PS+, Microsoft in smart business sense in a way forces it's customers hands because they want to play online with others. In no way do they actually make people pay for live, but we all want to play Halo and Gears together so we end up paying as customers. My advice to anyone would be to find a good sale and at least buy two 1 year gold membership before the new price comes in to effect.
As for the new features people are saying must be coming, they would be coming regardless of the price hike imho so that kind of reasoning is in a way faulty. Would Microsoft and Sony keep raising their paid subscription every time they introduce new features?

[xX-PEIN-Xx]

Everyone who tries to justify this amazes me. You people are really willing to $40 to $60 a year just so you can play Halo and Gears and COD? I find that sad...pathetic really. With that logic, what's stopping Microsoft from increasing the price further? If you're willing to pay $60, who's to say you're not willing to pay $70? $80? $90? $100? Where is the line drawn? That is the major flaw in that line of reasoning. I gotta give it to Microsoft though, they sure know how pull the wool over your eyes. And what perfect timing, right before the holiday season. Gotta love it.

[jdktech2010]

How is it pathetic to play what you want? If Sony started charging, PS3 owners who loved games like Killzone 2 or 3 would pay for it...trust me

There will be a line where I say enough is enough but they haven't reached that yet. It's not a set in stone line because it all depends on the quality of the games they put out and the quality of the service/integration.

As for the wool being pulled over my eyes, I'm a savvy consumer and person. I can get Halo: Reach, COD: BO and AC: Brotherhood for 120 bucks if I wanted with the various discounts, gift cards and trade ins that I didn't play anymore. I don't pay for things if I don't think it's worth it.

I've grown up on XBOX and Nintendo...which is why I bought a 360 first and a PS3 about 3-4 years later in Nov 2009. I hardly play my PS3 ever because those exclusives just don't resonate with me. I thought if I had a PS3 I might because that intial shock value of money would be over...The only game I have on PS3 exclusively is MLB The Show (fantastic btw) but I'm not compelled to buy any other games at the moment though I'll probably get KZ3. I'm not a racing fan, the LBP2 thing isn't my thing either. So who are you, or anyone else for that matter, to say what I should or shouldn't do or what I should or shouldn't buy. No one is a sheep if they are enjoying what they purchase.

People amaze me in that they think they knwo what's better for me when I'm 21 years old, make my own money and have a fully functioning and scientific type brain. Get over yourselves (Last paragraph not directed at this poster necessarily but general n4g public as a whole)

[Snoogins]

Hard to convince someone when you trade-in games at significant losses when you could get more by selling on eBay, Amazon, Craigslist, etc.

"No one is a sheep if they are enjoying what they purchase."
I know I'm splitting hairs here, but a sheep would enjoy anything given to it. They're unintelligent creatures who rely on a shepherd or whatever the majority does, while being completely helpless on their own.

What would qualify you as a sheep would be justifying paying for an experience you could find similar elsewhere, for free. However, you're trying to justify an increase in an already questionable premium. Some consumers, the ones from mine and the guy above you's perspectives, have no obligation (already suckered into the subscription) to try and delude ourselves into spinning this situation into a positive one. I'm glad you enjoy your gaming experience, but do realize that you're paying for a service, which receives income from both a userbase AND advertisements, that barely offers much more than free alternatives.

It's a shame you grew up in the XBOX generation. The Nintendo/SEGA days were the golden era of gaming. By the way, you should give your PS3 a little love. MLB The Show is the best baseball experience out there, but you're missing out on a library of classics. LittleBigPlanet just happens to be one of them.

[xX-PEIN-Xx]

first of all, If Sony started charging $60 a year for PSN I'd stop using it. I didn't come out of the womb playing games online so I think I'll be fine without it. Second, don't be so quick to generalize PS3 gamers. Its safe to say there are a number of PS3 gamers who chose PS3 over the 360 because xbox live charges a subscription. whether that number is big or small we don't know.

I also find it weird that you grew up on xbox and nintendo. You mean to tell me you've never been interested in any playstation product since the first console launched in 1995?

[lugia 4000]

Those countries and states have more content than any other country. You guys have espn zune and others.
We have nothing like those contents, not even netflix.

[N4OGs]

especially if people keep buying it. You dont see pc gamers paying for online when they have the best online experience.

[N4PS3Fanboys]

It's still worth it when you realize how many light years Xbox LIVE is ahead of PSN. You don't play online on the PS3, you ENDURE it. But seriously, my experiences on PSN have been soulless, clinical affairs. I'm sure it's not like that for everyone, but I just found it ironic that for an online community, the single most overwhelming feeling I had was one of loneliness.

On Xbox LIVE, you feel like you are really part of something special. An actual community. The way everything is seamlessly integrated with the interface makes for a great online experience. Microsoft sure must be confident that their offerings are worth it. People thought they were going to reduce the price or make it free, and they're actually doing just the opposite.

[Jsynn7]

WOW! LMAO!! Do you know how weird and sad you sound right now? Like a cultist. With a line like that, I'm guessing you don't have to many friends in real life LOL Your really one of many who are just delusional enough to actually believe all that crap you just spewed and this is why MS will continue to do these kinda things. They know you'll still pay because you don't know any better. How sad.

"On Xbox LIVE, you feel like you are really part of something special. An actual community"

LMAO!! I'm sorry I just can't get over that! LOL!

[blasian]

I gotta admit that had me laughing. +bub for laugh

[Jsynn7]

Thanks. I just thought that was bizarre. If you see this guy on your block selling Kool-Aid, STAY AWAY! lol

[n to the b]

'"On Xbox LIVE, you feel like you are really part of something special. An actual community"
WOW! LMAO!! Do you know how weird and sad you sound right now? Like a cultist.'

NEWS FLASH PS3 FANS: you can concede a point to xbox fans and still be right! amazing, I know!

I only have 360. and I'm not happy with this gold price increase; nor am I happy overall with the direction MS is going with 360 for other reasons. yet when u react like rabid fanboys, jumping on valid points made by jdktech and N4PS3Fanboys, I assure u it is YOU who look dumb.

[Pillville]

@Jsynn7
I was thinking the same thing. He sounds like someone trying to convince you to join a church.

Then calling PSN "soulless", "clinical" "lonely".
Go out and meet some girls, spend $60 on them. Then you won't care so much about your make believe game community.

[Snoogins]

If PSN is "soulless" then it must be a big hit with the Scientology crowd. Not a thetan in sight!

[Snoogins]

Oh! The denial I see in response to this announcement.

[Halo_Reach]

OverPriced Camera and now OVerPrice XBL... Next Step :

Leave Core Gamers... oh wait already happening.

[Kamikaze8]

Its only $10 guys, its an increase of 83 cents a month. Pocket change. Its $5 a month now instead of $4.16, not a big difference.

[KratosGirI]

I bet this thing will reach 1000 comments and like over 9000° in a few hours :P

[BeAGamer]

i just farted

[ReBurn]

∆
∆ ∆

[Solid_Snakeps3]

i love how people ''disagree'' a comment when it speaks the truth

[Snoogins]

LOL You'll just have to move on passed it. It's the same on here as it is in the real world. Hardly anyone wants to hear the cold, hard truth. You'll meet those who live comfortably in delusion, beyond reasoning. Count your blessings and just move on.

[gumgum99]

>.>...

Microsoft...What are you doing?

[Snoogins]

They're making money. XBOX LIVE is the perfect drug. Give you a taste, then when hooked cut you off and make you pay. When they know they won't lose you, they raise the prices. Microsoft may be considered "evil", but they're abso-fucking-lutely brilliant businessmen.

[Beahmscream]

Unbelievable..
Well guys, after I play the hell out of Halo Reach, I'm moving on to the PS3. M$ has completely destroyed the Xbox over the past year. First was the lack of exclusives, second was kinect for casuals, and now this. Seriously what the fuck are they thinking?

[bustamove]

...Wow. That's insane. Yeah, Microsoft has lost it.

[Pillville]

They should call it the "$10 Halo Tax".

They could have raised it to $100 and said that everyone had to renew before they could play Halo Reach and people would have been lining up to renew.

[Salginon]

Well, everything else I buy has gone up in the last eight years, so no surprise. However, the 12 month card is usually on sale somewhere at any given time. I bought 2 for $29.99 each a couple of months age when Dell had a sale. There is no reason to ever pay full price. I expect will see some new additions to Live with this, Microsoft isn't stupid.

[MasterD919]

It could be worse but its unwarranted and unnecessary. I only use Live for online gaming...which I've been doing. All the extra stuff I don't even bother with...so in my opinion charging another 10 bucks is ridiculous but I'll deal with it next year as I just renewed for about 40 bucks through amazon.

I think it should have decreased...I don't see the need to get greedy here Microsoft. It's already going to be a good year for them.

Sony will probably cherish this for a bit before doing something similar I'm sure.

[Adrela]

Do people really think that Microsoft is so stupid as to just raise the price without giving us gamers anything? They know that most of us don't like the pay-to-play deal and that a lot of us don't want Kinect. The article clearly states that they have given us what we pay for and will continue to do so.
Microsoft hasn't said anything about what they are giving us, or if they are.

[CombatEvolving]

It sounds to me like they believe what we get right now is worth more.

[dionnysus]

this burns my bacon!

[prettyboy1]

BACON!

[nikoado]

It's difficult to justify a price hike for features that a lot of people don't use, or worse that are not even available in their country.

Why couldn't MS allow more flexible pricing? Allow silver members to play online. Perhaps drop the price on gold by about $10 and then introduce a "premium" service or something for this new price.

It wouldn't be that confusing for consumers and it would get consumers more choice.

For MS, I think it all comes down to whether or not the higher price can offset the (potential) reduced number of consumers using the service. They likely wouldn't do this unless they had already looked at the market, made surveys etc and were sure it's profitable for them.

[DiabeticJedi]

At least in Canada we're not really getting a price increase except for the monthly but who really does that anyways, lol

and the all the American's complaining about it just remember... you already pay about $10 less than us on EVERYTHING gaming... in some cases even less!

[CombatEvolving]

What the fuck, Microsoft. I don't give a flying fuck about Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm or any of that shit I can do on my laptop. I just want multiplayer gaming and the ability to buy the overpriced DLC off the marketplace. How about you give me gaming free with Silver and continue to rape me for DLC? I've been looking forward to Halo Reach for so long, but at this point I want to say fuck it and put my 360 through a wood chipper.

[ForzaGT]

just when i considered live for the reach launch, they now increase the price, seems like they want to make up the loss from the reach piracy

[Philoctetes]

No exclusives? Check
Broken motion-control peripheral? Check
Skittles? Check
Ripping off XBL customers? Check

Nice going, Microsoft.

[prettyboy1]

even for ms

[XabiTheHumble]

Seiously,I'm surprised this didn't happen sooner.

[Tunerboy8732]

My gold subscription is almost over too so im picking up a 1 year gold card tomorrow.This new price sucks ass.

[sak500]

Ha i did just that. I upgraded my oct 2010 expiry to oct 2011. And that too without even hearing about this news. I bought the card on ebay which saved me almost 28$ as i paid $47 and here in dubai it's 73$.

[Hades1337]

This only brings the pricing more in line with other countries. Luckily I'm from the UK so I'm not affected, and besides you can often get Gold subscriptions for around £30 if you look in the right places.

[DuneBuggy]

Well ive already taken advantage of the $39.95 renewal when my account expires in November,so im good for the short term.
Not happy its going up 10 whole dollars a year though.Where am I going to find that extra $1.20 a month in 2012? /s
Seriously people,if your already commiting to pay for Live,whats another 10 bucks yearly?

[artsaber]

What is another $50 yearly? The problem is it is a 20 PERCENT price hike. I had no idea there was a XBL "shortage" causing an instant need to curb the supply-n-demand effect. I say make XBL $365 a year, hey its only a dollar a day right, that's not bad at all.

See how ridiculous you sound now?

[DuneBuggy]

You can cite percentages all you like,10 bucks more a year is still only 10 bucks. You likely spent twice that today if you didnt pack a lunch and drove somewhere.
Thats a far cry from suggesting that a "mere dollar a day isnt that bad". An additional $300 + a year is significant. Were talking about 10 bucks. Start a thread if its $300 more OK?
Your underwear gnome logic is baffling.

BTW, Do you complain when a loaf of bread goes up 20 cents???
Speaking of supply and demand, if their subcriptions suffer due to the hike,the price will go DOWN. Funny how that works eh?
It will be on Amazon for less than 60 bucks anyway and EVERYONE here knows it.

Jeez..The fake sensationalism some people make out of somthing that likely doesnt even effect them astounds me sometimes.

[nycredude]

Difference is you don't eat food.. you DIE!!!

You don't play games... Probably meet a lot more girls and get a lot more ass!

[DuneBuggy]

Girls, like just about any other form of "entertainment" (IE doing things outside of work for pleasure of some sort), will likely be far more costly to you than 60 bones a year. Seeing as you two seem so "concerned" about every penny,you might want to consider buying a 360 and becoming a shut in. The first date alone may be DOUBLE what a year of Live will cost.

And if your that strapped for $$$ that its a question of food or video games today, I would think its a poor choice to play games at all or even be commenting about them online.

[girlwithturn]

PSN is free. I don't want to waste my money in favor of american monopolist.

[XabiTheHumble]

Hey guys what are you complaining about? Its only 50 er 60 dollars a year XD.

[Lazarus69]

They should change to three tier system leave silver the way it is change gold to just for online play xgame chat party chat and the like.Then have a new level say platinum for people who want on the extra none gaming stuff.THen charge gold less than they are now and platinum the new price

[KillerPwned]

Well looks like i wont be paying unless i see me some huge improvements. For now tho MS is not getting my money.

[Shield]

If your paying full price for XBL to begin with your a fool! There are deal to be had online if your willing to spend some time & shop around. Also, be patient and don't wait till the last minute to renew, if you see a deal GET IT while it's available.

It isn't rocket science!

[BigTwitchy]

Is this garbage for real? If it is then screw M$, as soon as I am done getting my kicks from Halo: Reach I will be selling my console.

[cmrbe]

Support this kind of crap and you will get more of it. Enjoy it.

Why in hell would MS keep the price of xboxlive as is if some of you openly say you love paying for gold?.

As some of you like to say when MS bribe 3rd party with money. It's just business. You guys are stupid enough to support it now reap what you sow.

[JOHN_DOH]

yea consumers vote with their wallets. If all these people start stocking up on live cards will ms raise the price even more?

[G-Ham]

Fuck you microsoft, I already pay enough for your service thats already shit, Party chat never fucking works, I can never join games with my friends for unknown connection issues and generally i cant be fucking bothered to pay even more for something that needs improving and price reducing, I dont see these problems with Playstation online and oh wait!, I dont even have to pay for my playstation online, Microsoft FUCK YOU

[joevfx]

why do people keep saying xbox live offers more then the free PlayStation service. I have both an there is nothing that xbox live has that i wish psn had.

[donscrillinger]

BS BS BS BS BS BS BS B S BS BS BS BS BS BS BS BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM OTHAUCING SHYT

[earbus]

Seems more ps3 guys are upset about this than people it actuall effects guess that psplus will copy that to.

[PS3-247]

I think PSN+ have scared MS. Most played games on XBL is COD. That's $60 for the game, $15 for DLC, and $60 for XBL. You'll be paying over $135 a year on one game.

[Keltik82]

Please leave the gaming industry, please.

[theking720]

Alright first and foremost you deserve to pay that $60 if your stupid enough to go to Gamestop and buy a Xbox Live Card. Have you ever heard of AMAZON.COM they give Xbox Live 12 Months for $35.

Secondly I am a huge sports fan and it angers me that I have to pay $20 for a premeium package BUT with the new ESPN deal I pay a one time $35 for the same service.

[Horny Melon]

This behavior is why we told you not to support this model. For those of you that bought a launch 360 and had xbox live from day one. It has now cost you $700 to use all the features of your console............

[-MD-]

Ok so Instead of 3 dollars a month I'll be 4? Talk about BREAKING THE BANK!

[commander]

Well when mommy and daddy are the ones paying for your xbox live murderdolls, it will break the bank.

[reckoner]

the only people worried about paying for Xbox Live are PS3 fanboys.

[Solotov]

This is one thing I have always hated the XBOX over: no-free online play

[commander]

Wonder why the left this small bit of info out o their e3 press conference?

[artsaber]

Screwed their consumers into buying them 1 free game ($60) for online access to their already purchased games. I REALLY don't understand how some of you get up in the morning, look in the mirror, and feel good about being Microsoft fans. I honestly feel bad for you guys. But hey, if you support the rape, why shouldn't the rapist return? Again, and again, and again...

People like Murderdolls doesn't mind buying a free game for Microsoft employees every year. I guess Microsoft employees will have a great Christmas. Hey don't take my word for it, the billions of dollars in profits isn't enough, so Microsoft must charge you more.

http://www.gamerzines.com/x...

What Murderdolls doesn't understand is that it is on its way to the $100 mark... just keep supporting price hikes with your wallet. From $50 to $60 is a TWENTY PERCENT increase, you do know that right?

[MoneyMeng]

ALSO IF YOU GET RAPED ONCE IN A YEAR, IT'S OKAY TOO, BECUZ ITS ONLY ONCE IN 365 DAYS..HAVE SOME LOGIC IDIOTS..MICROSOFT HAS BEEN RIPPING OFF ITS CONSUMERS SINCE DAY ONE..

[AliTheBrit19]

Haha well its good that I'm in the UK then :D

[Jeff-Ryan]

decreasing price should be your strategy not increase it?!

[jak3y13oy]

5 Extra Gold Year Subscriptions To Buy Before November 1st :)

[sak500]

Still cheaper than buying ps3 on launch for $600. Anyway i upgraded my account till 2011/Oct for 47$ yesterday.

[strotee]

360: $400
5 years of Live: $250 (possibly cheaper)
Assuming you've never purchased a single accessory: $0 (but having only 20 GB in 2010 would suck don't you think?)
Total: $650

PS3: $600
Total: $600

Hows it any cheaper?

[artsaber]

A dollar a day, stop beating around the bush. Microsoft fans are already in full support of this price hike. I say make it fair. XBL is the most supreme and superior service on Earth. You don't even need an ISP to access it(sarcasm), XBL does it all and it is worth every penny. Isn't that what 360 fans scream from the mountain tops?

I say make it a smooth $365 Microsoft, you have all the support you need. These parents will pay for spoiled little's Johnny's service.

Edit: @Sak500, your math is terrible. The launch price of a 360($400) plus 5 years ($250) for XBL is not cheaper than a launch PS3($600). But this is how Microsoft wins, your ignorance keeps you eyes blind and wallet wide open - not Sony.

[jmac53]

Fuck you Microsoft.

[Def Warrant]

Real talk bro, Fuck Micro$haft!

[Harelgur]

bitchs.. they cant get enough

[Trizard]

I just bought 2 1-year subscriptions for $60 total on Dell.com (I know, really)

[Claudinho69]

no comment

[00000000000000000001]

I wonder why all the PS3 fan boys are pissed at a little xbox gold increase. Makes them look kind of stupid!

[nycredude]

You really want to know why? Cause they have had and continue to have alternatives.. Making people pay to play online is bs and the reason why I sold my 360.. I bought it to try the exclusives, didn't like them and dind't want to pay for online. When you have a pc, 360 and ps3 it is really hard to justify paying for online (even if it's not that much).

[RyuDrinksTheDew]

oh well, looks like i wont be renewing my live. that sucks.

[writersblock]

All future MS product purchases will require you to give one of our executives a blowjob!

[KRAZNASTY]

i can only do this once and if microsoft does not show or wow me in anyway then i am not. so then all of my games would be ps3 and wii.

[wray77]

Paying the cost of inflation, or even a bit more, is not a problem for me. We're not talking about large sums of money here.

[Paradise Lost]

The people who continually say They're glad for paying for xbox live are brainwashed.
Seriously, im not subscribing to live anymore once my subscription expires, I've had enough of Microsoft's bullshit.

The only thing i do on my 360 is play online. At least make that simple option free for everybody and all the bells & whistles at a charge.

[Acquiescence]

Ever since getting a PS3 late last year, I wasn't gonna bother renewing my Gold membership anyway. I mean, what's the point? Gotta love the fact that while Xbox Live gets pricier, PSN stays free. Not a penny to play online.

Seriously, why do I even still have a 360? Mass Effect was the only franchise exclusive I cared about and even that's coming to the PS3 now. I'd miss being able to play Alan Wake a lot but it really is time I considered paying a visit to eBay.

[Shoko]

Sad.

That is all.

[Memo-Xen x3100]

Microsoft is making all sorts of mistakes lately. Did the whole freaking company leave for summer vacation and let the janitor run shi and do Nelson's blog posts for him?

[UP]

Its like they are the mutated love child of sony 2006 and nintendo before e3 2010 and after Wii launched with a dash of their own BS.

[MR LOOKINGBILL]

xbox live is a good thing not a bad one.

[Karlnag3]

REALLY?! For what? It was a push to get me to pay the £40 so they can kiss goodbye to me paying again. No way I'm paying more than I do. Get fucked M$.

[MaNonF1rE]

I am very proud to see some peeps on here say they are going to sell their 360s, we need to remember that the gamers are the ones in charge not the companies, enough people protest it and don't pay then changes will be made. First it was charging for online service, then charging for game add-ons/content, some which should have been in the product in the first place, then accessory upgrades like wii plus for the wii, when's it gonna stop? This is just as bad as the 32x and cd add ons for the genesis (even though 32x has a special place in my heart). Makes me now less hessitant to buy a 360 back after a year and half of selling mine.

[jalen247]

Damn shame. This is part of the reason why I do not own a 360

[zero_gamer]

I am all for this move actually. MS did Sony a favor by giving gamers one more reason to buy the PS3 over the 360.

Then we have Xbox fans defending the price hike yet they're the same gamers bashing the 600 dollar PS3. As a result MS is letting their own supporters eat cake. What goes around comes around.

PS3 FTW.

[Def Warrant]

True that. I support the positive spin :)

[dkgshiz]

Was at least 2+ weeks ago. Im still paying for it though. So today I cancelled it.

[bobdog626]

He said this was going to happen and it did.Halo Reach must be a Beast for Microsoft to do something like this and get away with it . I don't think its fair for there fans to pay more and the PS3 is for free.I think it a Shame ,they could have waited until kinect for this.

[dkgshiz]

Either way I barely use xbox live. So I cancelled it. I still have 30 days to use it. Which I probably wont anyways.

[wray77]

We got you. You cancelled it. And I think everyone should do the same that isn't satisfied with it. And I think you should voice your displeasure over the decision. And this isn't directed at you, but to the people insulting others for not caring aim your hostility at the appropriate place.

[bobdog626]

For all the RROD and other Problems with your console we stuck by you and you do some BS like this.I think its Wrong but don't worry i use to pay to play halo on line .now all i play is SSF4 Masseffect and Fallout off line .I think im going to give the PS3 one more try.Maybe i was a little hard on them

[UP]

I wonder how valve will react?

[Paradise Lost]

I hope Valve just decides never to port any games over to the 360.

[badkolo]

HOLD ON ONE SEC, so not only is kinect full of LAG, thats a fact, i seen it at macy's and there is lag, so not only is that lag gonna cost 150 but now they are rasing the price on live.

and we all havent switched to the ps3 ?? why??

ms has some balls

[Trroy]

The recent 360 sales numbers (>Wii and >PS3 both!) must be making the MS execs mighty proud.

I think they may believe they're unstoppably awesome, and that Kinect will put them ahead of the Wii or something... so time to cash in, right?

[rbluetank]

i am fazing out my gold plan to silver this nov. they have not added anything i like or can not get for free on my ps3. Why would i pay for something that does not add to my gaming experience. i will be spending that $59.99 on DC universe MMO monthly charge. this money will get me about 4 to 6 months of play. you get 2months for free with the game. i can not wait for DC MMO game. My xbox 360 is on it last legs anyway. i am cool on paying anymore into Live.

[ISKREEM]

Is this a small step towards one of Pachter's predictions ACTUALLY coming true?

http://n4g.com/news/413127/...

[TheObserver]

Give them an inch and they will take a mile. I hope you guys enjoy $100 XBL a year in the future!

[slutface]

Congrats M$....u just dug yourself into a deeper hole

[Ascalon94]

MS is lucky they have gears and halo reach otherwise i wouldnt have it.

[WhoDaWhatTha]

Shame on you Microsoft, shame.

[na2ru1]

a bad bad few months for 360 *facepalm*.
UK will probably be rounded off to £50 per year.

[akumous]

Back in the day when I used to have Xbox360, gold members and silver members could have communicated with each other. A couple years later, MS changed that, forcing or skewing silver members to pay for the gold subscription since they can't send messages to their friends. Even then it was hard for me to spend 50 plus tax for year membership. And now this crap...MS is really over doing it because they have tons of revenue streams from the countless ads they have running in XBL.

Ouch...

Ouch...

[JJFNIGHTS80]

Thank goodness for FREE PSN. And 50$ yr for extra content.

[C_Dub]

Why is LIVE going up? Weren't they already making a killing.

[sdplisken]

greedy bastards want to milk every drop out of reach

[edhe]

You're sadly sheltered if you think $60 a year is trying to "milk every drop".

[fr3d0]

An xbot!

[STiRacer]

Thats fucking enough!!! The only current gen console i have owned so far is only a xbox 360. After learning about this unjustifiable price hike i have decided to finally move on and purchase a PS3 this weekend. This is the final kick to the nutsack I'm willing to take from MS. They aren't getting a renewal from me anymore. this is just completely ludicrous!

[edhe]

k.

So instead of paying $10 more a year you're going to buy a what, $300 console?

SMRT. SMRT.

[assassin297]

... But then I've grown tired of online multiplayer. People exploiting either glitches or notoriously overpowered tactics and weapons, little kids screaming over the microphones, it's just not worth it when I can still go and sink more hours into fallout 3 or just cause 2. This said, I do enjoy the occasional Bad Company 2 match, but I happen to have a PS3 for that, and if I didn't it wouldn't be a big deal to me. And for those who say that people shouldn't complain when the subscription is so cheap, think of it this way, games cost $60. That's quite a bit of money. Now why do I have to pay microsoft, a massive corporation that is certainly not in need of money, an additional fee to access part of the game I've already payed so much money for? It isn't a matter of not being able to afford it, it's a matter of principle, especially when the xbox's competitor offers the service for free. Those who are hooked on call of duty multiplayer but do not have a ps3 will complain about this fee, but ultimately pay it, while I have no issue sticking solely to single player campaigns, and I'm sure many others don't either.

[kasasensei]

August 30 2010.
The fate is now sealed.
Microsoft has just lost the consoles war.

[CrIpPeN]

LOL! weird move.

[PS360PCROCKS]

the best value in the industry? Isn't free a better value?

[Neo Nugget]

With Xbox you get free Netfli-.....wait........better serv-....wait........better communi-........wait.......1vs -......wait... . .........DAMNIT!

[skyblue14213]

While I just got through reading the article and surfing the comments, I figured if I payed for xbl since the beginning for what has been like $40? at the cheapest rate right. Times the $40 + nys tax by 7 years, which would bring me to a total of around $300. WOW, with a little bit more I could have bought a ps3 if I already did not own one, or at least a bunch of games, or did something else with that money. I don't care how good the service is, if they don't really offer anything free content-wise(like a different selection of free games every month at least) besides online multi-player,I would then not even consider getting the service. Atm I even think psn+ is not worth the price even though it gives you free games, avatars/themes, and discounts of their choice(and there-in is the problem that I have with psn+), but it probably will get better over time, and maybe when I think it is worth it I will get it mostly for discounts. I can't believe people even pay for the service, especially since people pay a internet access bill every month, and the online service is free on the other 2 console competitors. Why people justify paying for a service that is similar and free on the other 2 competitors consoles and is excited for a price hike and then justify it by hearsay or wishful thinking with no actual proof is beyond me, and they need to go see a psychiatrist to see if what is wrong with them or whether or not that they have been brainwashed.

[N4BmpS]

This sounds like a bad Idea but I don't think it's going to hurt MS that much. I mean it sounds bad primarily when you say XBL Gold membership=59.99 but it's really just a $10 increase. But I'm still not to sure how many people are going to put the extra cash for an account when they only really want it for the online gameplay, it's obvious MS is planning (hoping) that lightning strikes twice like it did when they announced the $40/50 price back in the day (when was that 04?).

Bottom line, I don't think MS dug a deeper hole but I do believe they turned a few people off about it but people will still pay for it, they just will. I can't criticize this too much because I don't have a 360.

Personally (and this is my personal view), if I was a 360-only gamer and the only reason I had a 360 was to play Halo and Gears (and other games) online, it wouldn't be for me (not with 59.99), I'm not an online player anyway (but that's just me, play games to ignore people, I don't want anyone yelling at me when I'm trying to have fun)

[jony_dols]

Its like the titanic, overpriced tickets for a ship with a faulty hull,the only people left after its been dealt its death blow, are idiots clinging to the handlebars realising that they wasted their money, but are too stubborn to admit defeat and jump ship

[jneul]

So that's why MS said they didn't have to respond to psn plus, they have been planning this hike on live for ages, my nephew is ditching his 360 after he is finished with reach, basically he is fed up of this kind of thing happening and is not happy about having to pay extra for basically next to nothing because he does not want kinect or any of it's dash board functionalities.
Thanks to me another gamer has been saved, if I never showed him my ps3 and it's library, he may never though there was an alternative solution..
Finally this also explains the low software sales for x360, owners cash in being eaten up by live instead of going into games like wake, and that's why only online games like COD flourish as well as they want to make use of that XBL account properly....

[edhe]

"Finally this also explains the low software sales for x360"

Considering it's got the highest attach rate... you can't blame the lack of alan wake sales on anything other than Red Dead - which sold more on 360.

Back to your koolaid kiddo.

[kasasensei]

edhe
"Considering it's got the highest attach rate..."
Not anymore, stop trolling with the news from 2008!

[edhe]

I'm not trolling, mr troll.:

Here , TOP google link:

http://www.afterdawn.com/ne...

360 has highest attach rates. Well done facts!

[Droid Control]

... And they are INCREASING the price, not dropping it to attract more people?

WTF?

Does M$ lack of respect and greed know no bounds?

[CrippleH]

This is capitalism. They can get away with rising the price sadly.

[edhe]

HAHA i'm in UK /snort.

[MiamiACR]

10 dollars more and you people are acting like it's the end of the goddamn world, you guys fooled me. Came in here and read a few comments thinking that MS just pulled a Hitler and I see it's only 10 bucks more, get off the computers and get a job and you'll find out that 10 bucks more a month for something that you enjoy is a fairly decent price to pay considering all the free TV and content coming around the holiday season.

[orange-skittle]

Cross-Com Chat
Free Trails on all arcade games
Last.FM
Hulu+
Early Demos
Twitter
Facebook
Integrated Netflix(no disc required)
Xbox Insider
ESPN 3
Avatar Games
900 Arcade Games
Zune
Games on Demand(360 games)

Everything listed is what PSN does not provide. You get what you pay for. You people do know that MS has to pay ESPN and Hulu. Why do you think the price went up. It's called deferred payment. They pass it on to the subscribers. When your cable goes up, it's because the network went up on them, so in order to keep the network in the lineup, they must increase the subscription price. This is why Time/Warner Cable doesn't have NFL Network and is losing ESPN in September.

[N4BmpS]

Pulling a PS3 fanboy move nice (sarcasm). Mentioning PSN was unnecessary and yes I'm talking about the other people who blindly mentioned PSN. What you should have answered for yourself was how much of that stuff will you, yourself use? If all of it then, hey the Gold membership is for you.

[Droid Control]

All that sh!t is FREE on the PC.

I don't want any of that sh!t either!
And i'm not prepared to pay more for stuff i don't want or use.

M$ need to create a new tier of LIVE subscription.

BRONZE = Free (Previous Silver)

SILVER = Online gaming

GOLD = Online gaming plus all that other sh!t like facebook and twitter.

[orange-skittle]

I agree Droid. i dont agree with the PC comment since our PC's can be used for anything and squashes any argument out there. The fact is, we are not playing our PC, it's our console. The 360 was designed to be a multimedia unit, not just a game console. Whether you like it or not, that was the problem in the past. People wanted more from their console and now it's upon us, they want it all for free. Internet is free but not all content on it is.

Just as they have multiple SKU's, they should provide multiple tiers like the cable/satellite companies. The fact is...they cant. The service is what it is because ESPN charges and HULU charges. The indie game developers and arcade game developers also charge, so there's not much wiggle room.

[iNFAMOUZ1]

this is why i hardly play my 360 anymore...
my ps3 gets all my loving!.
wtf microsoft!!!
i got mad love for halo and all, but man, enough is enough,. Greedy, Greedy,
bastards!

[BioDio]

Fail is fail =x

[LiquifiedArt]

Ohhhh, playing their videogames online. Paying the passage fee to access the online component in every game. Gotcha. And the laughable expense of storing user profile information LOL.

[MikeGdaGod]

it's crazy watching people try to defend this. i make a pretty good salary but there's no way i would EVER pay to play online. i don't care what features they decided to tout in front of me. just on GP.

seeing you guys defend this is almost scary. the closest thing i've seen to brainwashed......

[Vip3r]

Milking it just in time for Halo Reach.

Nice one MS, no-one has guessed it yet.

[skyblue14213]

That's what I thought, It could not come at a more convenient time, just days before halo reach is released.

[Al Mehdi]

I play my 360 once in a blue moon. My primary platform is the PC, while my PS3 and 360 get roughly equal love whenever I am enticed to play a non-PC game. Recently RDR was my game of choice on the 360. However, even so I haven't actually played any serious XBL games since MW2.

Here is my issue. I was already fine with dropping $50/mo. I game to terms with it, despite barely playing on XBL. I wanted to ability to hop one whenever. However, with this price hike, I have *no* reason to pay more... when I want to dabble in their service.

Quite frankly, I don't give a damn. All this tells me is that I am better off getting games like RDR on my PS3... so if I want to hop on for a brief multiplayer session, I don't have to shell out for a time card.

However for those 360 exclusives... what is a good solution for someone like myself. Are there time card that last for just a month, on the cheap?

[ocnkng]

I stopped paying 2 years ago coz I realized I been giving free money away. To the morons who bring up that example of 'Its only the price of a beer or a morning coffee' Well I have no intention of giving up on a beer or a morning coffee to donate money to billion $$ MS. If I give something up I'd rather donate $5 to a charity.

P.S. Recently heard some M$ fanboys give a new priceless explanation of the price hike "Its only to cover the rise in inflation" ROFLMAO...I almost threw up.

[Orange Juice]

Talk about price gouging your loyal customers. I cant believe some people are attempting to make m$ out to be the good guy in this situation. Hopefully some of you x fans wake up after this and realise that you are being unfairly gouged unlike any other gamer. Its like if there was about to be a gas shortage so gas stations hike the price of gas, a necessity( yes xbl is a necessity for a lot of these kids in their minds) just in time for the big wave of customers.
Last year it was mass bannings, this year its a 20% hike just to use your internet with the thing. So tell me xfans, which honest method will m$ use in 2011 to gouge some more cash from you?

[RAVEN81]

THATS FUCKed up sorry to hear that

[FF]

In Portugal we pay 60€ for 12 months for years, this is not nothing new for us.

[versusALL]

Wow, I'm feeling sorry 4 360 gamers, first theres a shortage of good games, and no price rasies. "PS3"

[theking720]

imagine what little Jimmy would think when he begged his parents to buy him a 360 then finds out that he has to pay $60 a year

[rubixCubos]

This is terrible. Charging for the inferior LIVE service is robbery in the first place when you consider PSN is FREE and has BBC iPlayer, Youtube and a proper Internet browser. MS can go stuff it

[divideby0]

How many charter gold members are in this thread ?
I am one and I was planning on stopping paying for live, be cause of the lack of GAMES.. Reach is why I still subscribe but as soon as my renewal is up, bye bye live. Show me some games vs raise the price which you justify by adding free web apps and not giving us a browser and real sharing of stuff

[JJFNIGHTS80]

Makes me glad that I own a PS3 and PSN is free and it's only 50$ a yr for extra content and beta support.

[FinalomegaS]

more money for same old shyt?

In canada we don't even get Netflix last FM but pay the same as the US...

Yay, let's pay even more for more content.. oh sorry , big FU canada from MS : )