$100 Xbox Live could end the console war

Gamer Limit writes "Michael Pachter's job is to predict the future of the video games industry, which entails making sweeping accusations that usually cause quite a stir. As a guest on the most recent episode of Game Trailers' Bonus Round, he kept his hot streak going with a new prediction that stunned everyone. Apparently his crystal ball has informed him Xbox Live will eventually cost $100 a year."

[SilverDragon1979]

Now that Sony has just announced NETFLIX streaming is coming to the PS3, the odds are tilting even more and more in favor of the PSN. Microsoft won't even be able to get away with $50 a year for XBL soon.

[Projekt7tuning]

Please keep in mind this is a Michael Pachter prediction. I dont think this is going to happen. Pachter is wrong, what like 95% of the time. If it happens I will be dumbfounded. I would have to take some credence in Pachter predictions, and I cant bare the thought of that. I just dont see stock holders being that short sighted. If it happened yea stock might spike at fist, but then it would drop dramatically. The 360 is making a lot of money right now for Microsoft, I just dont see them committing suicide like that. I love my PS3 and my 360, it would suck to have to give up my live account. That's kind of one of the best features of the 360. Im not going to worry though because again its Michael Pachter were talking abut here.

[edgeofblade]

I have out predicted Pachter on a regular basis. He said the 60 GB upgrade for the 360 would push more than PS3 in that month. I predicted to the contrary... PS3 would outsell 360 despite a minor sales bump. Which it did. The normal non-blog following consumer won't know about the upgrade.

Long story short, Pachter is usually wrong when he makes a statement that turns heads, and he even misses some of the most elementary predictions. The only predictions he can hit consistently are those that a 5 year old could make.

Now, do you think Microsoft will STILL raise the price after hearing this prediction? The members of the "Church of the Holy Playstation" should recognize that if they want 360 to fail, Pachter should have kept his mouth shut and let Microsoft make the mistake they would have allegedly made.

Though honestly, I can't see MS taking the price hike anyway... not with PSN being free and all. It makes no strategic sense, and Microsoft isn't a stupid as you like to think they are.

[darkmurder]

Pachter is an idiot I could do a better job and not get paid for it.

[sack_boi]

Every single game with dedicated sercers, Home, all XBLA games and movies free, then I'd consider paying $100.

It's probably going to cost less on the internet anyway, I pay $28 instead of the $50 I always hear about.

[StanLee]

Michael Pachter must go to bed at night with a smile on his face knowing the puedo celebrity he has becoming in the gaming industry. Dude, must go to be thinking, "What dumb sh*t can I say tomorrow to have the internet regurgitating the asinine sh*t I say?"

[nbsmatambo]

you know wat SONY has to do, make an add that tells people that PSN is free...just like the PC-Mac adds APPLE makes...

im sure that would do wonders for them

[siyrobbo]

Im getting fed up woth XBOX live. To be honest, the netflix thing really bugged the hell out of me. Im having to pay £30 a year, which MS is spending on timed exclusivity needlessly. To top it all off, i live in the UK, and cant even get Netflix. Now i do enjoy xbox live, the online gaming aspect of it is really good, but i dont believe for 1 second that it is any better than playstation network.

I dont yet own a PS3, but soon i will, and no doubt my LIVE subscription will be going the way of the dodo. I dont play halo online (like the game, but not that much) the only game i want to play online is modern warfare 2, and thats on Playstation as well

[The Wood]

there are many like you. I really cant see MS putting the price up as that is suicide in the long term. Yes some will cling to false truths and features(diminishing) and more importantly, their friends/buddies( a worthy reason) but many will just say eff this sh!t. Games are getting more expensive and we're still in a recession so every little helps even if it is only 0.0000023 pence/cents a day

@ stan lee, I agree. I stopped listening to this dude over a year ago.

[zeeshan]

I think PATCHER comes up with these outrageous predictions for a reason. Who would want to look like a dumbas* who knows nothing about his very own job. I think companies pay him to do that. Not just M$ but it could also be Sony, Nintendo, Apple etc

I think they use Patcher to inject an idea in the market without any official word and they get their feedback based on Patcher's predictions. See, it's easy with the internet being so common now. Use Patcher as proxy to inject an idea of increasing the price or introducing new hardware or new features and see how the online community (that's millions of people) react to that news. If there is a huge uproar against the idea, kill it, if not, then just do it.

At least I HOPE I am right because if I am not then I'd LOVE to take on his job and I'd do it for half of what he gets paid 'cuz I know, I'd still make a buttload of money doing nothing and predicting crap :d

[leeger]

since Pachter is the one who said, then it's already confirmed that XBL Gold will NOT go up to $100/year LOL

[Blaster_Master]

Actually, I can agree with Patcher on this one. I dont know why you guys hate on him so much? He seems like a decent person. He just so happens to be an Industry Insider. So he knows things that other people dont know. Like what if Microsoft ended up still keeping it for $50 bucks just to play online, but paying for for other features like cable and other offerings for $100? The possibilities are unimaginable.

[cwir]

I got a friend at work who told me last week that his 3rd 360 died on him and he's getting a PS3 this time (through some phone plan deal). He already got PES2010 for it and is still waiting for the PS3 to come. And we had a funny conversation (funny for me):
Dave: hey man, what do I need to do to play online with you?
Me: just create PSN account, send me a friend request and we're playing.
Dave: how much is it?
Me: how much is what?
Dave: that PSN account.
Me: it's free!
Dave: yeah. but how much is the subscription so I can play online?
Me: there's no subscription! you create an account and you can play right away.
Dave: you don't pay for it?
Me: hell no!
Dave: so you got it hacked or something?
Me: what? no! it's free, man! Playstation Network is free, playing online is FREE!
Dave: you're joking, right?
Me: no man :). that's the way it is. I know you were paying for Xbox Live but that wasn't normal. normal is free :)
Dave: shiiiiit..
Me: so let me know when you get it and we'll play some footy online.
Dave: (holding his phone to his ear) hold on I have to tell my brother..

About an hour later Dave was passing by my desk and asked me:
Dave: is it really free?...

True story :)

[otherZinc]

He's wrong most of the time & M$ isn't that stupid. I'll have 3 360's soon (son & I have ours, daughter this winter) & I wont pay $300 a year for live, its a little to much.

[CimmerianDrake]

You all understand don't you that Pachter wasn't the only one to say this right? Plus, Microsoft haven't even denied it. They simply said that they don't plan on doing anything with the price of Live in the next few months. That means that Live could easily go up to $100 a year next year. And if you think Microsoft WON'T do it, you're naive.

[sikbeta]

Live has to be free, but fanboys instead prefer to pay just because M$ says, M$ is really happy with their zealots, damn, Who in hell will support a faulty console like the xbox 360, first owners that bought another xbox because of the RROD and now compare with the YLOD, saying why Sony give only 1 year warranty like every electronic company do and feel so happy having 3 years warranty, but don't understand M$ did it in order to not get sued as hell, then zealots talk about quality games comparing multiplat games, but when someone bring first party games, they say: "but the sales", that's why It'll not surprise me if M$ rise to $100 for Live and zealots will pay it with joy

Irrational is the only word resounding in my head

[Maddens Raiders]

Microsoft can charge $150 a year if they wanted because of the quality of their product.

[Xgamerzus]

LOL, after RROD, Vista, and Zune, 100 dollars is a Discount!!
Just be glad Xbox live works most of the time!!!!

[Projekt7tuning]

Michael Pachter dose not deserve this much attention. He is most likely Getting a bigger head over this attention.

[vhero]

Was in a game store yesterday and 2 people both bought PS3's and both said the reason they chose the PS3 over 360 was the online fee and since the consoles were so close in price now in the UK if you bought 1 year sub with 360. They both chose PS3 plus they both wanted wireless for no extra cost and the large hard drive versions. Cost was always on 360s side but its not longer a benefactor and now PS3 has a lot more going for it and its actually cheaper than 360 for the ultimate version of the console (if you include wireless+1year online sub+120HDD) their is really no choice. That's not even throwing blu-ray support into the mix either! I cannot see MS upping Live but they are greedy enough to try it.

[The Creep]

when xbox live starts washing the dishes and cooking me dinner will be the day i start shilling out 100 bucks for an online service

=)

[kunit22c]

just the other day I was playing Halo with a bunch of friends and their 360's (all my friends have 360's except me) but they were all saying how paying for online is like an arm and a leg, and how they are already considering getting a PS3, if this happened they would definitely switch over. I am already planning to get a PS3, I have the money now but I will wait and try my luck at Christmas and see if I could just get it as a Christmas present and then spend my $400 on games, or I was thinking maybe even an Itouch and a few games.

[7thNightvolley]

not could .... "WILL END THE CONSOLE WAR"..

i for one do about 98 percent of my gaming on my 360 and if that was what the price to pay was .. i will sell this shyt so fast.. if microsoft was even for a second .. think about that .. and the 360 is not shytting out gold... they go go eat dirt for all i care...

[edgeofblade]

The only naive one is you if you think Microsoft isn't aware of the situation. Odds are, you're just a Microsoft hating cynic. There is no way Microsoft will hike the price unless they offer something additional. Can you imagine the backlash Microsoft will suffer? Microsoft does. Like I said, they aren't as stupid as you like to think they are...

[CimmerianDrake]

Oh really? You're talking about a company that overcharges on everything. A company that is forcing the consumer into using their overpriced HDD so that they can make money. A company that KNOWINGLY released a defective product, denied the defects until forced to acknowledge them, and pretends that the warranty they offer was an idea offered out of the kindness of their heart and NOT because of impending class action lawsuits and a possible forced recall. A company that didn't want to acknowledge the ADDITIONAL problems their product caused. A company that charges consumers for features they can get for FREE everywhere else. A company that has proven that they are more interested in buying old ideas than risking the push for new ones. A company that SUCCESSFULLY released an EXPANSION PACK at the price of a FULL game and SUCCESSFULLY marketed as such thanks to a fanbase that is STARVED for variety in their games. A company that knows it can release the same games over and over and people will buy them because they really have no choice since nothing else is released.

I can keep going on and on. But suffice it to say, if you think Microsoft WON'T do this, you haven't been paying attention to what they've been doing thus far and you're exactly the problem with the state of gaming when an expansion pack can outsell a full, and better, game. Microsoft haven't even denied it, and you think that they won't do it? What will it take for the Microsoft enthusiasts to finally open their eyes? Microsoft coming right out and saying "yeah, we're just going to financially sodomize you and you're going to take it and like it."?

*EDIT* Microsoft can't even justify the $50 a year they charge now. What kind of feature would you be willing to pay ANOTHER $50 a year for? For $100 a year, they'd better offer something their competitors not only DON'T have, but never WILL have. They don't even have dedicated servers for goodness sake, and you seriously think they won't do this? Microsoft has really brainwashed the masses this gen.

[Cueil]

I like how you don't take into account both the quality assurance that your crappy hong kong HDD didn't go through nor the percentage of sales that go to Intel and Nvidia for emulation license. And blatantly ignore the fact that the wifi adapter uses A,B, and G instead of just B and G. These items are priced for profit to be sure, but they are not as blatant a rip off as some seem to think.

edit: Also dedicated servers are something that Live does support and has supported since the original Xbox. It's up to the developers or publishers to offer it.

[Austin_SJ]

At first I thought this was a fanboy rant, but the full read makes sense. I would never pay $100 (I don't even pay $50 yet because I have no friends with xbox)

[Fullish]

At least if it was that much you would know that the fellow players aren't annoying kiddies.

[Johnny Jiron]

It's not worth an extra $50 to shut some of them up. Even then I think they'd be more than willing, than an adult with common sense, to pay it. Half them pay $100+ just to have a modded controller.

If they ever do increase the price and I'm unable to buy one the cheap offers on sites like Amazon, they can say goodbye to another customer once the current sub runs dry. Luckily I am already set and ready with a PS3 just in case.

[mastiffchild]

What worries me(as I don't really want to lose Live permanently but won't payan more than I do now-as that's a piss take really)is that after what MS did with ODST they might just do this after Xmas.

I don't usually subscrive to MS being as daft as some make out but, to me , ODST was a shockingly executed mistake. Had they done two versions and both at a lower price the uptke would have been amazing(yes, way better than the good sales it got-I'm talking sales as nig as H3 itsel;f at the right ptices)and brought Bungie and MS much more cash and given many more people another reason to pay for Live.

None of my mates bought it as we couldn't justify £45 for the package when we all had the maps anyway and the campaign's so short. Thing is had they released just the two new maps and Firefight with the SP for £25 we'd ALL have got it-and release the full package at £30-35 and even more of those without the maps would have been tempted. Selling at a discount works in gaming-look at Vavle and the Steam deals for L4D. Selling 4mllion ODST at full price wouldn't stack up to9million at three quarters of the price esp when these people would then buy Live subs.

Maybe I'm wrong but we've talked abiut this a lot and I worry that this kind of short sighted approach might bring MS to the belief that £50/$100 for Live is a good idea when it would really hurt them, imo. PSN is catching up in all areas and in some important ones(like dedicated servers)has surpassed Live already-make no mistake I and many others would wanl away from Live with ANY rise let alone that big a rise!

With a better line up next year(Reach inparticular)of exclusives would anyone be THAT surprised should MS think they could force this through. It's unlikely, granted, but after some other shonky decisions it isn't impossible.

[jFND90]

I'd never pay $100 for XBL. Actually..I don't know, depends on how desperate I am. Considering that PSN's free (even though it's inferior to XBL), it'll probably have to do.

[zeeshan]

How the heck is it inferior to XBL? Seriously, stop with the lame fanboy crap!

[Cueil]

His opinion is just as valid as yours... Live is a seamlessly integrated service that extends through the entire console... PSN is not and never will be. That's just the nature of how the two different services got placed on their system.

[syvergy]

It's already close to that in Australia!

[The Wood]

damn :(

[Cueil]

You guys down there always get the raw deal... you think a group of people who lived in one of the most dangerous places in the world would get the better prices... it's closer to china than the US is

[PimpHandHappy]

what makes XBL better? Is it the dedicated servers on XBL?

just wondering

PS3 has cross game invites with some games.... Devs are building it in 2da party systems
like if i was playing COD4 i would see someone sent me a invite to play Uncharted 2

maybe its the cross game chat? Tell the truth i dont need that if im playing online... if i was playing a single player game i wouldn't mind really because then i can talk without neglecting the team im playing with

anyway
why is XBL better? Does XBL have chat rooms? How about text chat rooms that can hold (my limit so far) 6... might do more but thats just the most i have had in one room while everyone was playing other games... its like cross game chat but without voice

@EDX
what do you mean back doors? Most if not all online games have a party system... so what you saying?

[Pennywise]

When people generalize and cookie cut their responses, they usually don't have a reason.

[Serial_EDX]

Actually for me, its the ease of use that makes XBL better. I don't have to go threw a bunch of backdoors to do what I want.

That doesn't mean I don't love PSN, Because Home is one thing I love so much about PSN.

[Bucky Sligo]

Cross-game invites for all games
Cross-game party systems which let you take part in chat sessions even if you are not playing the same game.
Ease of use - joining one of your friends is realy easy, just select "join game & party" on his gamertag and you will be chating to him instantly even before you are in the game.

I own both consoles and apart from the above, there is just something that makes XBL very friendly and inviting that I can't put my finger on. It's just so simple to socialize on it.

PSN is busy trying to catch up but I don't think it will ever. XBL is just always one step ahead. Is it worth 4$ a month? It's up to you to decide but I will gladly pay the 4$ since it's almost nothing and it's a great system.

*edit

@ skittles

If it catches up, well done Sony, maybey Msoft will drop the 4$ a month? But remember that Msoft isn't sitting around waiting for Sony. By the time Sony get cross-game chat, Msoft will get something else. Remember that XBL had cross-game chat since 2006 so they are focusing on other aspects.

[LtSkittles]

And, what if PSN does catch up? We have proof that cross-game chat is in the works.

[D4RkNIKON]

PS3 text chat rooms hold 16 people.

[gamehistoryx]

This story is fake because Xbox has to will have to compete with the PS3 so if anything Xbox live might be free soon if the PS3 keeps selling as good.

[LtSkittles]

I don't think Xbl would be free, or $100. If Xbl was free Microsoft would have to have a good reason, and the same would be true if they charged $100.

[Droid Control]

It would sink the Xbox.

[stb]

Xbox to sink, but this could be outrageous, i just would drop this console like a shot in my head would make me fall like a stone lol. even so i dont even pay for live, but wow, make it more hard to give those xboxfan the oportunity for play online, well sir and mirss, i guess this had to happen sooner or later, lately microsht is all over the money, scrwing their supporter(users), they already said it, they arent thinking into that now, but that would last between 3 or more months, lol, explode microcrp.

[I am Legend]

I want free xbox live..

[The Wood]

silly people continue to spout how much better x is over y that they forget they're still paying. With the gap closed xbox fans will surely reap the benefits of MS lowering the price. Sometimes fanboy logic wherever it comes from is a gamers own worst enemy. If both were paid for services i'd understand but the quicker psn catches up on SOME aspect the better for xbox owners.....its really not quantum physics

[I am Legend]

I like the Playstation....but I prefer the 360 way more. So the faster the PS3 catches up...the more microsoft is gonna have to make the 360 more appealing to keep their current place.

And it'll be hell if I'm not there to reap the benefits.

[Cueil]

It's far more likely that after the financial toll that Sony is taking that PSN will go paid. I'm guessing with the release of their next console... Live is way to lucrative for Sony to pass up following suit. Think of all the early adopters of the 360 have probably already made up the loss that Microsoft took on that console even with the 3 billion in repairs for every RRoD. If Sony had a paid service that was even half as successful as Xbox Live they would be in a much better position.

[Sarcasm]

Pfftt no way... XBOX Live is not going to be $100 in the next COUPLE of months!!!!!

:)

For those who don't understand the joke.

"I don’t foresee a scenario where we’re going to double the price of LIVE anytime in the next couple months."-MS Rep

[Optical_Matrix]

The article speaks the truth. Even with 50 a year it's still too much. Netflix was announced for PSN today. And with proper Facebook and proper Twitter being available on PS3's free internet browser since day 1, where can Microsoft justify the XBL fee? They can't anymore. PS3 has arguably far more stable servers e.g MAG and Resistance 2.
The only thing it's missing is Cross game chat and Party Invites(even then Uncharted 2 integrates party invites and Cross game chat has been confirmed). And PSN allows all of this AND MORE, for free.

[Rocco Siffredi]

Hell, 100 USD would be really the biggest mistake MS could do.

Even 50 USD a a little bit overpriced cause not everybody has a fast internet connection to play lag free because of P2P.

[Optical_Matrix]

QFT. I can't believe MS charges for P2P online gaming. yet PSN is free and has a larger number of dedicated servers for it's top games.

[Serial_EDX]

Tell me all of those people you are talking about?

Are they little kids who got the system from there parents, because you can get a 1.5MB connection for 20$ a month, plus XBL for 7$ a month makes it really cheap, just stop eating fast food, *which most of the US needs to do* and there ya go, you have enough money for internet and XBL.

@matrix

you do know Dedicated servers is actually a bad thing, once they shut the server down you can't play anymore, Monster hunter, Metal Gear sub online, Toca 3, Killzone 1, All of the good games from the ps2 era where shutdown because they were free dedicated servers. how long do you think a company will keep the server up if they aren't selling anymore games, and only have 1000-3000 players online. I can still go back and play Halo 2, Project Gothem, Ghost recon, all Online right now, and there are several xbox 1 games that still have players on them.

[sack_boi]

Apart from Warhawk, name one Sony exclusive that has dedicated servers on the PS3.

[The Wood]

like 90% of the 1st party games that have online...whas your point? PSN can have games with 60 players or 16 cars or whatever...even if they weren't/aren't dedicated servers they play lag free FOR FREE. You should be asking why isnt a paid for service using dedicated servers dont you think or are you gunna be like some of the others and make misinformed excuses for MS

by lag free i mean hardly any lag. U2 is a fine example of that. Yes lag is impossible to eradicate but you KNOW what i mean especially when you look at top games like gears and gears 2..Are gears and U2 comparable....now way, could be net code could be dedicated servers or a lack of

[sack_boi]

If you're talking about Killzone 2, Uncharted or LBP, they all use P2P servers.
I'm not saying PSN is bad or anything, just pointing out the fact that not all first party games use dedicated servers on PSN...

EDIT @ you edited post:
Come on bud, there's nothing like "lag free" games on PSN (or XBL btw), even Uncharted 2 and LBP lag all the time.

[Bucky Sligo]

"even if they weren't/aren't dedicated servers they play lag free FOR FREE"

Dude, this doesn't make sense. So peer to peer on XBL is a "lagfest" while peer to peer on PSN is lag free? Give me a break.

[The Wood]

resistance motorstorm etc. of course p2p lags more than dedicated but it seems ur sidestepping my actual point and thats that dedicated servers exist on psn which is free. whats so hard to fathom. Why hasnt xbl had a game that can handle 60 players....Im not even going only 256 yet....so yeah you can shut me down on a technicality BUT you know what im on about....both of ya

[Bucky Sligo]

I can't think of a reason why they can't develop a game on the Xbox 360 that has 60 players online. I mean, almost all EA games already use dedicated servers on XBL, or at least I know Left 4 Dead use dedicated servers.
Anyway, I've played resistance 2 online a couple of times and 60 players online realy doesn't add that much to the gameplay. IMO it's more than a bragging right than an actual gameplay enhancing feature. Maybe MAG will be better since they design the game around it's multiplayer instead of just increasing the number of players.

[The Wood]

more doesn't exclusively mean better and i preferred the 1st resistance to the second but when it comes to games like forza/gt5 more does equal better imo Is it the forza engine thats holding it back, xbl or both 15 other people to race just seems more enjoyable especially if your buddy list is long. If killzone/resistance can have so many players at 1 time why cant all others. As long as the 'more' doesnt distract or hamper the game its a good option to have and psn seems to provide that option at the moment. MAG for me is overkill in the fact that ill never get to meet or kill everybody out there but its built ground up with 256 in mind so Ill wait to make any sort of judgement from a playability stance. What i cant make comment on is that the beta testers have been playing it and it somehow works so that a plus mark for dedicated servers/psn.....did i mention that psn is FREE;)

[TheGameLlama]

@ Serial_EDX

Calling All Cars' server just went belly up too...

[divideby0]

my wallet and my bud list tells me the true story about the console wars,
I have not purchased a 360 game since GOW2. I dont see any 360 game till AlanWake and maybe SC which are buy games.
Charter Gold member here, which is ending this year..cant justify to pay 50 bucks to play games...
As far as the PS3, Demon Souls, UC2, back to back buys and MW next month.

[Sarcasm]

I'm a big renter myself. If a game is remotely good but not quite worth buying, I'll feel happy that I rented it instead. If a game isn't good, then I'll feel even happier. If a game is terrible, I'll feel bad that I rented it lol

[divideby0]

Monthly gaming pass from BlockBuster is where its at...
60 bucks for a < 15 hr ONLY SP game....to me is a rental

[kingme71]

The logic Pacther uses is that they will add services and make it more appealing to the point they can justify the $100 price tag. The main service 95% of the XBox Live customers find appealing is multiplayer. Twitter and Facebook services are just noise. Something MS can put on a bullet list on PowerPoint slide and have their marketing team go nuts over. Adding more services akin to Twitter won't make it that much better to a typical user. MS is just using that to justify the price increase (if it happens). Their hope is that those addicted to the service will just shut up and pay $100.00. Sort of like doubling the cost of WoW and hoping the WoW addicts have no choice but to pay or miss out.

Personally, I'm debating if the $50.00 is worth it. I paid it the first year I had my 360, but may not renew. $100, I would definitely jump out.

[OpiZA]

Ok Patcher. I don't see why they would shoot themselves in the foot

[PimpHandHappy]

Socom on PS2 is still running and thats 4-5 years old

Warhawk is over 2 years old

i cant name many games that have shut down servers other then calling all cars

[Sarcasm]

Not to mention games that NOBODY plays online like Stranglehold is still up and running.

If people didn't play online anyway, who honestly cares if they shut down servers for unpopular online games?

[NateDPG]

What's the problem, it's just 8.3 bucks a month, 0.27 a day. You people can't afford 0.27 a day? (MS fanboy reasoning as why paying for Live is no problem LOL)

[Sarcasm]

They don't understand the concept of "Things adding up"

Sure, a 360 arcade is $199... Then add a HDD. A Wi-Fi. XBL.

That low low price of $199 isn't so low low anymore.

And sure, it's ONLY $100 a year. But play for 4 years, that's $400...

I don't know about kids these days, but for 400 big ones that's two 360 arcades, a 360 MW2 bundle, a PS3 250gb with $50 to spare, and heck. $400 is $400 that could pay some rent.

[The Wood]

nobody else having to pay (fanboys that is)

[Bucky Sligo]

compare $50 a year to the total amount you spend on everything PS3 related in a year, then you would see that it's insignificant. I know the PSN is free but so what? $4 a month for a service I love using isn't much.

[camachoreloaded8806]

That's over 4 years though. I can make that much in a week or two.

[Pwee]

Because when you can have it for free, why pay?

[mastiffchild]

Yeah, the point is that you ALREADY pay to get online once and there's a free alternatice that isn't a world away from the service Live gives you.. Broken down it doesn't sound much but that's how they all get away with nickel and diming us anyway-it all adds up and if you have a way to get the same thing for free it's a bit of a mickey take, tbh, and people like myself who paying the sub has become habit don't always consider it fully.

Put it this way-if I was just buying a 360 and PS3 today there's no way I'd bother paying for Live and I doubt I'd miss it that much even if I did sack it but it's harder to get rid of something you're used to having as it feels like a necessity even when it isn't. IMHO Sony have prolly saved Live subscibers from there being a hike so far by cacthing up as well as they have with PSN improving so much. If PSN was still as poor as at launch do you honestly think MS wouldn't have tried it on rather than justifying the price with extra features they hope the majority won't notice were always free on PSN/PS3.

So, no, the current charge isn't unaffordable it's just not jusifiable, imo, when PSN offers the same thing(practically) and does it for nowt. MS will prolly increase the charge at some point as they're pretty bold but they'll definitely add more to it and more likely than not also add in more content and a possible further level of subscription-either gold will remain and a premium serbice will emerge above it with more apps for more money.

I agree that it appears a mistake to force a hike right now too but MS aren't always sound in their policies and might well do somehthing to increase Live revenue but NOT just a plain hike, imo. With Netflix arriving on PSN and rumoured Party/Xgame chat next update, though, I'm wondering what exactly MS will bring in but they don't usually give you something for nothing so I do think something will give if and when further services are introduced.

So, imo, a hike as it stands is a very outside bet but you have to remember that a lot of my PS3 only mates just can't fathom why we pay for Live at all. Personally I only really play Halo on it anyway(lost patience with Gears2 a long time back now-and that game REALLY would have benefitted from dedicated servers)and if I could access that little bit more content with silver I'd already have given it up as it's hard enough to say just why I pay up already! If I pay my sub for basically one game(a pretty old game too by now)when the sub would buy me another game a year to play for free over PSN it does start to look a bit too much to pay, doesn't it?

I sometimes think that I'm part of the problem. I know I'm not getting my money's worth but because I'm a spoilt westerner I still pony up the cash so I don't feel I'm missing out. If the only game I ever played was Halo3 online then I guess I'd have to pay however unfair it felt but when you think I play other games more on PSN and rarely ANYTHING else on Live it really looks like I'm part of the reason MS get away with charging us all. It's exactly the kind of thing where we, if we made a stand together, by dropping our subs and/or choosing for a time to game online on PSN instead of Libe we could get a result out of MS but they know that wn't happen.

The zealous among the 360 contingent would always gladly pay and justify it for MS but they aren't the majority MS rely on to keep things as they are and the cash tolling in. No they rely on me and people who, like me, just don't like the thought of not having the choice of using Live when we like.Maybe it's time to bite the cullet over this for me as the longer I leave it the more likely I'll find a reason to keep it(not a good one but a reason)and the more people that find themselves in my situation the more likely MS being able to raise the price becomes.MS are relying on my apathy to keep me paying!

BTW, I've had to drop a few "mates" recently on PSN for the amount of sully chain letters that keep coming about PSN turning into a pay to play service at Xmas this year(seriously I've had about ten!)and I wonder if these start from 360 fanboys or someone wishing to deliberately spread FUD to hurt the PS3? Or is it just people being bored-anyone else keep getting this BS?

[coolfool]

PS3? Awwwww why am I always the last to know these things!? :P

[Darrius Cole]

He is almost never right. In fact, he is so consistently wrong that he is a good indicator of the future.

XBLive won't cost $100 until the it normal uptick of inflation takes it there, not because Microsoft want to increase their profit from XB Live.

The market-perceived price of an Xbox 360 is already $299, the same as a PS3. When you add in the cost of other essential features, like batteries, the 360 actually costs more than a PS3 costs today (10/26/09). If XBL went up in price to $100, then people would think "$299 + $100 = $399, that's too much, I can get all of that for $299 on the PS3," and nobody who doesn't already have 20 games on the 360 would buy one.

[kevinx1000]

i'd get a lot of subscribtion cards from the store shortly before this would happen.

[-x.Red.x-]

LMFaO
instead of being outraged at this "prediction"(if it comes true) you find a way to go around it.

kudos for being such a supporter.

[kevinx1000]

i know it's BS from MS if this is true, but if there's a way around it, why not? if i'd somehow be too late i'd cancle my subscription until it would get cheaper again.

(BTW i was talking about $60 subscribtion cards, not the then $100 ones, if that wasn't clear)

[wingman32x]

I think MS would discontinue the $60 pre-paids before making the announcement.

[Mo0eY]

Best way around this?

Buy a PS3. Simple.

[123360]

i would sooner pay for a better internet service,live is not the holy grail of online play.i jumped out along time ago with a 20 mb broadband connection i was always 99 times out of 100 the main host anyways be it live or psn.so not paying for live gives me mw2 for free this year.psn here in the uk is rock solid with games like mag,warhawk,killzone,resistanc e having 32 players and above on dedicated servers its some think live hasn,t been able to match even now.to think people still pay for live is laughable now,back at the start of psn,s life ,yes live was worth the money but psn is getting better all the time.with bbc i player free,vidzone free soon to be a movie service free its a no brainer not to use.i find my mate has more lag on live than psn. with my mate having only 4mb hooked up to live he reckons its probaly due to most live subscribers are american and there internet speeds plain suck he trys to keep local with freinds etc,but as soon as he goes quick matching the problems begin

[gumgum99]

Hard to say at the moment. I can say that Patcher still hasn't updated me with my firmware "patch". Well, how bout it?

[Rowsdower]

This is just an effort by Patcher to keep his name in the gaming news. I have both consoles and have been looking for a reason to stop paying live fees. Netflix was on e of the reasons I still use live, my wife loves the setup. Now that that is also going to be on my PS3, the only thing left are the XBLA arcade (Peggle, with online competitive multiplayer modes comes to mind) exclusives that I love to play, and the people on my friends list. I like any person want to save money, but there are still reasons to pay for live, and some of those reasons dont fit nicely into bullet point comparisons.

[Darrius Cole]

You are describing investment that you have already made into Xbox live. Games that you have already bought and friends that you have already made can be a compelling reason to stay where you are. However, Microsoft must be careful not to abuse that or else people will leave slowly but surely.

Those are the same reasons that people always give for buying their 4th and 5th Xbox 360 when all the previous ones have broken. The have bought 40 Xbox 360 games, and have 50 friends and if they switch to PS3 they will have to start all over from scratch.

[RealtorMDandDC]

I can see this happening.............Right now MS is offering Netflix..........Facebook..... Games on Demand.......Tweeter.......... ..and 1080p streaming where you can watch with your friends...they are adding these features to add VALUE to their platform. The 1080p streaming will cost MS a ton.......MS is not stupid...and they know for a fact if LIVE went to $100.00 a year many will still pay...why would they not pay??? they have their friends list amassed....they are use to cross chat.............they are use to playing with their friends they have amassed......to think that MS would not do raise the price for LIVE and their premium service is just plain naive........MS is a for profit company.....

[TheMailman]

Even MS can´t pull this off... come on? XBL for $100... If they succeed I lose all my fate in humanity...

[Droid Control]

its like £30 on ebay for 13 months.

How many would you buy?

how many years worth?

And what happens when M$ abandon the xbox business when all their fans leave for free PSN?

[devilhunterx]

M$! Make it so. Cross chat alone is worth $200!

[ambientFLIER]

Why does this stupid prediction keep making the rounds now? It's not going to happen. It would be idiotic to do that, when most people already complain about it.

[tordavis]

"Considering that their only real competition during this time has been the PS3, a more expensive console with a sub-par online service, it’s no shock the Xbox has garnered a huge following."

How is PS3 online service sub-par? I've never had any problems with it except that it takes long to download a demo.

[FF7numbaone]

Lol they would still pay it.

[Tron_Rocks]

I personally think he is just trying to make headlines. If they was to raise the price even a penny I would not renew. 50 a year is too much as it is. I love my XBOX 360 and Xbox Live is great, but I am sure Sony will get to the point where you can get just about the same exact experience on there console and it is free. That might just be the lure to bring me over.

[Tron_Rocks]

If it is FAKE then MS should come right out and discredit Patcher and nicely tell him to stop trying to predict or be a spokesperson for MS...

[TeChNiC12s]

I honestly dont think ppl really understand and realize just how money hungry ms is.. they rushed out their crapbox360 just to get a lead over the ps3, bc they knew that going head to head with sony would be no contest. so they rushed out a system that they knew would give 360 owners the RROD. MS is raping every 360 owner.

[SteveSmith]

Michael Pachter is an idiot. He never predicted anything right and most of his predictions are really stupid. Why is he getting paid for that?

[Shendow]

I wouldn't be shock if Microsoft does it to make up for any loss's, but who knows, I think they just need to make it free like the PSN is.

Then again the 360 never needed a price drop as much as the hard drives an everything else you have to buy to play online or to keep your controller going.

[Austin_SJ]

They also need to make their wireless adapter cheaper.

[Karum]

I can't see MS increasing the price of LIVE any time soon.

[badkolo]

besides that this is the 5th article about this its obviously a ps3 or sony fan doing this, are we going to drive this rumor every freaking day in attempts to hurt the 360, really?

anyway, since it gives you guys a hard on just thinking about the 360 failing I will agree that if this rumor or if pachters usually wrong predictions comes true then yes xbox is done for, but if they just add a new membership, meaning like a platinum for 100 with tons of new features then NO it wont harm the 360.

so if live stays the same at 50 bucks but also gives a 100buck live with more features as an option then so be it.

And i do agree that psn is getting better and eventually live will look dumb at any price. I dont this netflix changes the game becuase in reality netlfix streaming simply sucks, I have always stated that.

how many times can you watch tv shows that you can get online, and the movies are either total garbage or very old, yeah there is a few gems but you can blast through the gems in 2 weeks then your left with a usuless oiption.

Most people have a dvr or computer, so while netflix is great to have, the tv shows arent that important in the big picture, its always about movies, and netflix has a poor selection of movies for streaming.

[xg-ei8ht]

cwir

No man that wasn't me crying, i had something in my eye.

Ahh always love a true story:)

[TheDesperado]

There are none. That's the joke. Even PSN, which is free for online play, has dedicated servers for some games.

Naughty Dog confirmed cross game voice chat is coming, so now what?

You pay 50USD a year for what? Cross game invites? How often do you switch games in the middle of a session? Twitter, Facebook? Free on PS3 because it has a browser. "Ease of use"? Microsoft has made you sheep believe theirs is the only way. That PSN is so inferior when it's actually BETTER in most ways. That it's like going from Uncharted 2 to any 360 game ever made in terms of downgrade, only it's not true. (Except it is with Uncharted 2.)

Give it up MS, you will NEVER MATCH UC2 or PS3. YOU'RE DONE!!!!!

[Saaking]

The 299 slim and UC2 already ended the console war. Seriously though, MS wouldn't be stupid enough to do this.

[espiritu604]

Apart from Warhawk, name one Sony exclusive that has dedicated servers on the PS3.

----------------------------- ---------------------
MAG 256 players online for ps3 for free.

[ballsofsteel]

there is absolutly now way the xbl will cost $100 bucks this generation or the next. the only way i see a $100 subcription fee is for an ultimate membership where you can play any XBLA game you want and get special premium features above gold membership but a standard gold membership will always be there being cheaper. i can see the price getting hiked to $60 but no anything above that

[AnonUser5555]

Can someone please explain to me why "PSN is clearly inferior to XBL" ?

I'm confused by that.

I buy games online. I play games online. I can access the internet with a browser (Wait, 360 can't do that!). I stream video. I have a friend list. I have trophies. I download demos and videos. I could use Home (if I actually wanted to...). I can access Facebook and Twitter with the browser. I can ALREADY stream Netflix to my PS3 (Using PlayOn) even BEFORE Netflix officially supports it. I chat with my friends.

so why exactly are you guys paying $50?

I suppose that, right now, I can't cross-game chat. But:

a) It's coming to PS3

b) Do people really chat with friends playing DIFFERENT games? I hardly like chatting with my friends in the SAME game lol

[thedoctor]

Although I agree with a lot of your points, I would still pay an increased fee :(

[MetalGearRisingBan]

the end of console war! PS3 will end it! xbox 360 dead!

[EasilyTheBest]

Just not like you all think..
The Xbox will be free as long as you take out a sub to Xbox live.
A little like Sky Tv in the UK or perhaps Mobile phones..

Its going to happen..

[patterson]

Ever get the feeling Pachter's real role in all this is to pose ridiculous questions on behalf of companies to gauge the temperature of customers reactions?

It's a free way to see if something is feasible or not. I mean, as often as he's been wrong, why do people continue to seek his advise, it makes you wonder.

[AcesAndEights]

I've only just gotten back on Live, and frankly, not exactly alot to do. If price was raised, I just wouldn't bother with it. I wouldn't abandon the system, I'm not that fussed.

[BlackSharinganX]

go ahead put 100 bucks for online i dont mind im rich lol

[Stryfeno2]

Of course no-one will pay that price...That just like Someone paying for PSN. No droid will do that.

[Mo0eY]

Excuse me guys, I speak bot:

Translation: Hruuh Durrr durr durrh duhdur rhuhhh durrhhh hruhhhh.

[Solotov]

There is no way if the PSN stays free. If Sony starts charging $50 a year for PSN, then MS may be able to get away with $100 bucks a year.

[tweet75]

At first glace I didnt see the word "Live". I thought this was about the xbox price dropping to $100 to win the war with free gold service for all users. Now that along with more great exclusive games could win the console war. Increasing the cost of live will just put the xbox in last place and insure it stays there.

[Another One]

I gotta say, if they doubled the price of LIVE, they'd lose this customer. I'd sell my Xbox for a PS3 or just finally buckle down and build me a nice pc gaming rig.

[Whitefox789]

you can back it up with evidence. He states that since Xbox 360 is the most online playing console (which is true) that they wouldn't give gamers a choice for it.

Even if this did happen I doubt people would be stupid enough to accept that without some sort of benefit from paying that much for online gaming. Here's my prediction for you Pachter "The day that MS charges $100 for Xbox Live, is the day that over 75% of the Xbox fanbase will cancel their subscription to Xbox Live"

[danielle007]

I'm a cheapo..

[gamer7804]

I think we can file this prediction under "not in this generation".

This is pure speculation and really has no basis, i'm not sure what kind of market conditions Patcher is studying under but if the competition isn't raising prices, they aren't going to either. This price I predict will only change with natural inflation for upcoming generations and the then competitor environments.

[Jorrel56]

If they add features that XBL users find as absolute necessities, I don't doubt Microsoft would do something like this. You surely won't see me paying for it though.

[fo3]

at this rate that x-box is going right now sony will top them in sales

[i_zamorak_i]

@ 2-

just like alot of bots got "around" the RROD problem?

"let's be smart and buy an extra xbox , so when this one RROD i'll play other xbox wile other is in repair."

xbot mentality is not the smartest :(

anyways, xbox is it's own doom.

[i_zamorak_i]

MS has that intention of suicide:)

[Mister_G]

If it goes to $100 it'll happen in steps.... $10 or $20 at a time.

It's the old frog in boiling water thing. When the temperature rises gradually the frog just sits there, but when there's a sudden increase it jumps!

Don't understand why M$ would increase the price though, they already have a money mountain! ;)

[Marty8370]

It will be great to see MS crash out of the console market so fast.

[Pwee]

Could it?

[Droid Control]

and some morons actually are OK with this!
They are willing to pay to be raped in the wallet by M$!

Can you believe that?!

[Marty8370]

Seen as they fine getting crapboxes replaced for the umpteentime becuse of RROD. Bots have no brains.

[RealtorMDandDC]

According to Microsoft’s spokesman David Dennis made some very interesting comments in a post-NPD conference call. “I don’t foresee a scenario where we’re going to double the price of LIVE any time in the next couple months”

link: http://www.thesixthaxis.com...

Blu-ray cost because of the premium visuals........there will be a cost associated with streaming 1080p video on ur 360.....MS is pretty smart if they raise the price to $100.00 many of you will continue to pay and MS KNOWS THIS MAN!!!!!!!!