Will You Be Paying More For Xbox Live Next Generation?

GOS: "Recent rumors have surfaced about the specifications of the next Xbox. Unfortunately for gamers who were expecting new information to surface, what was revealed is the same old stuff we already knew. Edge’s report did include something that made me think about a working theory i have about the Xbox Live service and its future. It has been stated that a “new iteration of Xbox Live” will be important to the next Xbox. This could mean that the service will look and work differently than the current generation version we all know and love (or love to hate).

With all the news Microsoft has made about their plans to entertain their fanbase, I believe a couple of scenarios will come out of all this. Either the price of Xbox Live will rise or paying yearly could be replaced with a monthly subscription plan. This is speculation on my part of course."

[Bar_Brothers]

If they give us VALUE!
I´ll be paying if:

When you have Gold you get Xbox Music FREE and SOME Xbox Videos for FREE aswell...

Make it Work like PSN Plus for Games.

Make every App Free for Gold Users and in Payed Apps because of Companies Rules makes Gold Users pay 50% LESS!

More discounts on DLCs and EVERYTHING for Gold Users.

Etc.

That would make a GREAT Value and i´ll be willing to pay.

[Dylila]

no, never.

[xursz]

I actually expect MS to get rid of the "pay to play online" model entirely. Hopefully they'll offer a premium service similar to PS+.

[Ritsujun]

Yup, never gonna happen.

[decrypt]

"I actually expect MS to get rid of the "pay to play online" model entirely."

Lol Ms generates about 1 Billion USD in revenue from online charges, they arent going to let it go.

If MS were to remove the online charges the profitability of the entire division would be significantly hit.

If anything i would expect Sony to start charging to go online.

[zeee]

They need to do what Sony has done. Psn plus is superior hands down. When cross game cost kicks in with ps4, ps plus will be "the" network. The dominant force.

[nukeitall]

@xursz:

"I actually expect MS to get rid of the "pay to play online" model entirely. Hopefully they'll offer a premium service similar to PS+."

Will not happen. It has been far to successful and those resources are then poured back into XBL to make it even better.

@decrypt:

"If anything i would expect Sony to start charging to go online."

If anything, I think Sony might or at least try to extract more profit out of it. In their latest quarter, Sony only had a 6 million dollar profit in the biggest quarter of the year, this late in the cycle.

@zeee:

"When cross game cost kicks in with ps4, ps plus will be "the" network."

I think you still don't get it. It's not about just specific features, it is about community building as well.

Cross game chat is nice, and I use it all the time. It will be very nice to have on the PSN, but one of the major reasons XBL is awesome is because my friends list isn't full of people opening up their gazillionth account and no longer use it.

Having that fee on XBL Gold weeds out a lot of that crap of people opening multiple accounts to gain the system.

[dgonza40]

Yeah, LIVE is too much of a cash cow for Microsoft to axe. What reasons do they have to offer an option for a free service? Unless their sales are complete and utter shit, they will not just stop asking for money to play the online portion of your game. It's unfortunately a hole 360 owners dug for themselves. I'm really interested to see what MS does because these last couple of years Sony has had them beat with their services and videogames. The sheer amount of value from plus, and the variety of exclusive games from Sony makes me confident in purchasing a PS4. Microsoft needs to show me something pretty great to buy their console if they both come out this year.

[MikeMyers]

I don't mind Microsoft charging a fee for services like PS+ does but I will not be supporting a paid model that has to be in place in order to play online. When I buy a game for $60 I expect the game to work which includes access to online play.

I don't understand how we have gotten away from the single player experience model where the games now cost $60 plus a paid subscription model to unlock online multiplayer.

[showtimefolks]

Once psn gets cross game chat than xblive has no value to me personally. More power to you of you want to pay but o already don't see the value

Psn:plus is a great service I pay for that but I don't even use that much so I am gonna staying basic package of psn for now.

[Software_Lover]

There are discounts on games for Gold Users. They just dont advertise them as well as PS+ because that is the major draw to ps+. I do agree there needs to be more discounts though.

IMHO the blocked free apps for silver is an illegal fiasco. You shouldn't need gold to use netflix, kincet video chat, and some of the video services since you are already paying for those services some way.

[NastyLeftHook0]

never paid for it, never will.

[stage88]

+1 for not paying for a tax on multiplayer.

I expect to play the whole game when I buy one, not 50% and then having to pay again to unlock the other half.

[TheSauce]

If there is a subscription next-gen then I want to see MS step up live a lot!

Weekly deals, free subscriptions to services such as hulu/netflix, easier social networking, toned down adds, and a horde of new games on the marketplace each week.

[BanBrother]

There are weekly deals, so I take it you meant half-decent weekly deals lol. Deal of the week sucks so bad, they recycle the same old garbage that no-one wants.

[freezola75]

Great article!!

[Sizzon]

Right now I'm not a gold member, but I will again on the next generation Xbox for Halo 5 etc.

[Kratos_Kills]

^
Wow you would seriously pay for Xbox Live for one freaking game? Pay to access your already paid for apps such as Netflix etc. You need to rethink what you doing its a damn rip-off!.

[aiBreeze]

It's funny reading stuff like this tbh, people keep going on about the p2p model for MMOs is dead yet you have people here willing to p2p just for an fps game with no free new content or anything.

[Sizzon]

I never said only Halo 5, I think and hope Microsoft will have more new IP's with the 720.

[PS4isKing_82]

I recently heard that Xbox users have to pay Microsoft to access apps like Netflix, Hulu and use the Internet browser last week. I didn't know that since I don't own an Xbox.

I'm just kinda baffled by that since most devices, basic functions like that are free to use.
I can do all that on my wiiU and ps3 and play online gaming without having to pay a seperate bill, in addition to the monthly charges of a certain service.

I'm sorry but xbl sounds like a scam to me.
If what I heard is indeed true that is.

[zeee]

It's true. Every word of it. It's all true and quite sad if u ask me.

[Karpetburnz]

Very true! XBL Gold is a con. I dont understand why people boast XBL as the "best" online service for consoles, I do Think XBL is better in terms of social features because it has Cross game chat, But PS+ is A LOT better in terms of value for money.

The Vita has cross game chat for FREE so that pretty much confirms that Microsoft is exploiting their consumers by ripping them off.

I will NEVER pay for a service that charges a fee for online multiplayer, Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, a Web Browser and even Netflix (which already requires a fee). Every single one of these features should be available to XBL Silver (free version).

[creeping judas]

You've been on N4G for almost 3 years now, and you just heard this?? Cool story.

[Donnieboi]

I can even use Netflix and Hulu on my Cell phone for free.

[wishingW3L]

many will no matter what.

[THC CELL]

They need to make it free and add ps plus, Sony by fare opinion kicked ms ass at the end of the day with online features and gameplay

[dodo101]

No

[Kratos_Kills]

Sadly I paid for Xbox Live for a great while then got away from Xbox "best choice ever" and bought a PS3 which I really enjoy and I really like PS+ while it still needs a little work and could improve in some areas it's miles better than Xbox Live! I'll never pay you again MS you hear that! If they make major changes and fix all their problems Xbox Live could be ok but after leaving Xbox I seen what a sucker I was. Now I'm with Sony and all their great exclusive games.

[Software_Lover]

Miles better than xbox live? Other than being free I just dont see it being miles better. Xbox live has been a unified service for the past 10 years.

[steve30x]

Yes it is miles better. I had Forza 3 Limited edition and Foirza 4 Limited edition. With those games Turn 10 gives you a free special car once a week (or was it once a month. I cant remember) and if you dont have Xbox live gold then you canty get those cars. So you are paying for 80% of the game to be usable without Xbox live gold. The other 10% is online racing. Theres no such restrictions with PSN.

[Software_Lover]

.............. 80% + 10% does not equal 100. But what do I know. Your math is Miles better than mine according to your logic.

Again I ask, other than being free how is it miles better? That is a very broad statement. Is it better than xbox live in some aspects, yes. Is xbox live better than psn in some aspects, yes.

[steve30x]

The first 10% is for not being able to get the cars that Turn 10 gives you.

[from the beach]

Makes sense, if they're going to give you more why not charge more?

[talisker]

I agree with this statement in general, meaning I am willing to pay more if some service is worth it. But in this particular case, what can XBL offer me? I'm not trying to troll, I'm asking a question.

[from the beach]

There's some suggestions in the article ... I've no idea what Xbox Live will look like next gen, but as you say, if it offers more then it's acceptable to expect to pay more.

[ufo8mycat]

THey probably will increase it because theres enough people out there that will pay it.

[Karpetburnz]

True, Microsoft's target audience is the causaul's, and since the average casaul gamer has no clue that Microsoft is ripping off their customers, Theyre still willing to pay for it, as long as the casauls are willing to pay then Microsoft is happy.

[Droid Control]

I won't be buying the 720

I want to trade in my games, I don't want Kinect 2, I don't want dashboard adverts, I don't want to pay £40 for Xbox LIVE.

I want a GAMING system that supports and stands by its loyal customers. I want a ton of first party NEW IP's. I want free online multiplayer, I want a repliable launch system...

I WANT PLAYSTATION 4!!!!!!!!!!!

[Software_Lover]

What's the difference between 1st party and 3rd party "new ip's".

Are you telling me that you wouldn't play Uncharted if it were 3rd party? Are you telling me Halo would be bargain bin if it were 3rd party? Are you telling me BF3 sucks? Are you telling me Lair was good? Are you telling me you would take Haze over COD? I cold go on and on.

[DigitalSmoke]

Good points, exclusive Xbox owners have no idea how they are getting trick rick rolled into all these money shams.

Kinect is "useless" besides showing off a techdemo pressing play to something...
The HDDVD nobody speaks about anymore, overpriced harddrives which are basicaly just PC drives but with a 150% price tag.
Online play costs money to host a server on your OWN Xbox, running over your OWN internet...

Adds after pay.. only no backbone packing zombies accept this shit.

[KMCROC54]

With all that going on ,I still have no issues paying for it.

[cleverusername]

Of course, inflation!

[DigitalSmoke]

Ms will do anything they can get away with, console nazi's.
They even "forced" iD to put a price card on DLC that used to be FREE on PC.

Disgusted.

[TemplarDante]

Ha ha ha ha. More?
No sir. Then I let it lapse. I will not pay, so 3rd parties can
1)Hear
2)See
me and feed me advertisments.

I'd rather jump out than pay for the casual gamers wet dream
(Facebook,Twitter) and Borg integration of any sort.

[edonus]

Somethings got to give unless things stay completely the same.

If Sony still gives away free online and make a well designed UI and add all the features and integration XBL has Sony will gain some serious appeal.

If MS adds more features and makes XBL even more premium and stay a nice step above Sony I can see the price being the same maybe more depending on what they add.

They could easily just murder Sony by making XBL free. They keep them at bay now charging imagine a open play XBL.

I can see them doing that if they block used games and or lower the cost of games. or they could just make XBL cheaper.

My solution would be be a 2 year contract when you buy your console then 2-3 month extensions with new game purchases.

[aiBreeze]

If I'm supposedly paying MORE to game online, then I won't be paying anything at all. Right now currently in time, I can live without Gears, Halo, Fable and Forza. If Microsoft want to justify upping the price for me to game online, they had better have more than a few new core games on the horizon.

[Summons75]

I dunno at this point the only reason why I even still own an Xbox is because of halo and Alan wake. If ms doesn't step up when they announce their net system I may not even get it. I pay for live because getting to play with my brother who I barely see and old high school friends who are off at different collages makes the value worth it more than anything.

[stage88]

Xbox Live: Jump Out

[RuleofOne343]

Yes , cause I believe it with be much better next gen + who knows what other features it will have & am paid up for the next 24 months.

[StrongMan]

Hell no!

[Excalibur]

Yep.
Just 2 Gold cards from Amazon week before last when they were on sale for $29.95

They are still on sale but not for as much as they were a few weeks ago.

[Jek_Porkins]

Yea, I bought a couple of 12 month cards that were on sale for $30 each, I also have about 6 months left currently. I'll let the complainers complain, I'll just game!

[MAULxx]

I'm curious to see what Sony does with online gaming. They already have PS+ so what's to stop them from locking out multiplayer for non subscribers especialy if the competitions raking in the dough?

If Sony keeps the current model then they will probably get my money as long as I get a fuly featured game machine. I dont care for netflix or any "apps" or renting overpriced movies on my game console. Let the folks who want "other crap" pay for it & don't lock gamers out of console capabilities related to gaming. If capabilities are highjacked for a fee on these new systems then Im gonna lose interest pretty quick & will not buy either. I got other options for gaming as well as different forms of entertainment I can experience.

Sorry for the rant... had to let it out.
Guess I'm in wait 'n see mode for now.

[clintagious650]

Im sure MS will add a feature or 2 that ppl will pay for and they will DEFEND it with their LIVES & say its the best thing in the world just to make themselves feel better about something they PAYED EXTRA for which is free on PC/WiiU/PS3.

[KMCROC54]

You ever considered that even though those other things are free, everyone just prefers the one they have or are comfortable with it. Just a thought