Bend over and take your pricing

Critical Gamer writes: So, Microsoft will soon be increasing the prices of Xbox Live Gold subscriptions. Isn’t that terrible? Doesn’t it make you angry? I bet if you’re a Gold subscriber you’re going to do something about it, aren’t you? E mail Microsoft and detail exactly why you think the price rise is unjustified. Or perhaps you’ll ring Xbox customer support, and demand to speak to somebody with some authority so they can explain it to you directly over the phone. No, no, I know; you and a group of friends will start an internet campaign to boycott Xbox Live until the price rises are cancelled. Perhaps you’ll go a stage further and hold out for prices more reasonable than the current ones.

[Jim Crikey]

People will take it and like it.

[8800gtx]

"Microsoft will soon be increasing the prices of Xbox Live Gold subscriptions. Isn’t that terrible? Doesn’t it make you angry? I bet if you’re a Gold subscriber you’re going to do something about it, aren’t you? E mail Microsoft and detail exactly why you think the price rise is unjustified."

People believe them when they market outdated hardware as next gen, why not believe them when they say they increased content(content which is usually free on PC, just like going online) justifies the price hike?

8800gtx

[Akagi]

Sort of ironic how the 8800GTX is last-gen and you talk about outdated hardware.

[Fred-G-Sanford]

My XBL Gold account is good until January 2012, so none of this is even an issue for me.

Over the last year or so I purchased one year subscriptions when I would find them for $30 or less, so I am good to go.

Yay me. :D

[Nitrowolf2]

what is up with you and PC and console being last gen
yeah they may be last gen in hardware considering PC can be upgraded to latest tech, but at least for console you don't have to go through that hassle of upgrading cause your game doesn't support your specs.

[morganfell]

No Akagi. Consoles are not like PCs. You cannot discuss a GPU in a vacuum without considering the CPU to which it is intricately mated.

This is why we keep seeing Killzone 3 versus Crysis 2 articles and in many cases Killzone 3 is the better looking of the two. The Cell is based on GPU architecture. Developers often assign certain graphical functions to the Cell because if it is a process that requires sheer computation (vertex lighting for one) the Cell eats through it. This is why the PS3 handles Folding at Home so well.

[ABizzel1]

I could understand the price increase if it was for features I want. But I have no need for ESPN, Facebook, Twitter, or Netflix on my 360. I can use all those services on my computer.

The thing I'm mad about is, now that this is going into effect, what's to stop them from increasing the price everything a new app comes out.

[acky1]

I don't know how people can justify paying a company to have online access when you already pay another company for that very same feature.

I know that if sony started charging to play online, I would not just say meh, and pay the ridiculous fee... I would stop playing online and probably get hold of ps jailbreak.

I had so much fun with my ps2 and never once even contemplated playing online with it, and I think the single player experiences this gen are better than last gen. Offline singleplayer and multiplayer is hard to beat.

[Fred-G-Sanford]

I'm sure that some people would agree with you, but millions of people feel that Xbox Live is well worth the money, or else they would not be paying for the service.

[Troll_Police]

@Fred

You're wrong. Millions of people want to play online on the Xbox and have no choice but to pay MS to do so.

[acky1]

Also, millions of people aren't paying for live out of their own pocket so they aren't gonna complain about the price. Parents are a useful invention.

[Fred-G-Sanford]

You guys can spin it any way that you want to, but the fact remains that even with the PS3 having FREE online, people still pay to play on Xbox Live.

Now what does that say about the PSN and the PS3?

Xbox Live is an awesome service.
Stop being so immature and just accept it.

Better yet, go buy a 360 and find out what all of the fuss is about. :)

[bustamove]

You're wrong. PSN is ten times better than what it was since 2007. I see more and more people use PSN each day. How about you stop justifying Microsoft's greed?

[acky1]

"You guys can spin it any way that you want to, but the fact remains that even with the PS3 having FREE online, people still pay to play on Xbox Live.

Now what does that say about the PSN and the PS3?"

That tells me, as the Troll_Police has pointed out to you that people who own a 360 have no access to any other service so obviously if they wanna play online there gonna have to pay. Would you honestly keep paying for live if there was an alternate that gave you all the important features for online gaming at no cost at all?

I accept Live is a good service...not good enough to pay for but that's another story. I also accept, and I hope you do too, that PSN is a good service, Steam is a good service, Spotify is a good service, countless other free services are good too.

[salinidus]

yeah your right i should pay 199 for 4 gigs that cant expand only with sd cards (like a camera). then pay my internet service then pay again for my internet service but call it xbl and still not have a web browser

or keep my technologically Superior ps3 and enjoy free online services , browser, and online play on dedicated servers, not peer to peer crap

it was a hard choice but i have a fucking brain so i choose ps3.

[Fred-G-Sanford]

Everyone is free to buy what they want.

I own an Xbox 360 and a PS3, and I like the experience that XBL provides me more than I like the PSN, so I pay for Xbox Live.

That doesn't make me "stupid", it's simply a choice that I (and millions of others) make.

Again, it says a lot about the PSN that people are willing to buy a 360 and then pay to play online, instead of just going with the free option.

That's not a slam, it's just the truth.

If I could not afford the cost of an XBL subscription every year I would definitely be thankful that the PSN is free, though.
Thumbs up to Sony for that.

[acky1]

"Again, it says a lot about the PSN that people are willing to buy a 360 and then pay to play online, instead of just going with the free option."

That says nothing about PSN. You should of said '...it says a lot about Live...' instead. That way you could argue that despite having to pay, people still will for a good service.
But then, you have to think of the people who have Live accounts and who pays for it. There are about 20 million Live users and I am willing to bet well over half of them have it payed directly or indirectly from parents and other sources negating the fact that they are willing to pay for a brilliant service.

If Microsoft announced a new service, simply xbox online which allowed you to play games online, message your friends, browse the web etc for free, your telling me you wouldn't be praising Microsoft and jump into some free online gaming? Live would be dead if there was a free alternative, even if the alternative was slightly inferior.

[MorganX]

Have you ever considered some people like it and take it. Some people, can afford it, and prefer and exclusive service with a real user interface and lots of meaningful non-game content. A community, in which it is easy to completely isolate yourself and your kids from the low-lifes that find their way onto both services, but in much higher droves and lower levels of degradation on the "free" service.

I'm happy to pay to be away from them. I rarely sign on to PSN anymore. Maybe if it was easier to truly avoid the people from the gutter, perverts, drug smokers and dealer, porn videos over their PS Eyes. Unfortunatley, while fanboys cry about someone elses service, Sony still hasn't improved the PSN UI or functionality one iota.

[TotalPS3Fanboy]

No. They don't like it. They just have no choice. To access the second portion of the games they bought (the multi-player portion), they have to pay a fee to Microsoft.

[Lifendz]

Not much you can do about it. If you want to play the multiplayer portion of your 360 games you're going to have to pay. If you're smart, you can make out okay by checking out online retailers for deals on Live cards.

[scruffy_bear]

Wish gamers would stick together on issus like this, then maybe we get a fairer deal

[OSU_Gamer]

stick together????

Its non 360 owning PS3 fanboys telling 360 owners that they are paying too much. Good luck with that.

[GarandShooter]

Yeah, there couldn't possibly be a 360 owner legitimately unhappy about the price hike could there?

[MorganX]

You still haven't responded to his suggestion that all these threads are started by and populated primarily by PS3 fanboys.

[Why o why]

of course its only ps3 fans who complain.....

seems some people dont notice that its their own blood that MS is using for lube.

[OSU_Gamer]

all you guys are blind

Of course there are 360 fans who are unhappy, but the majority of gamers who think XBL is overpriced are PS3 fanboys on N4G.

Anyone who thinks differently are blind. Check out the first comments on any N4G "is XBL overpriced" article and tell me otherwise.

You disagrees make me laugh.

@bustamove

Ill reexamine mine you you reexamine the population on N4G.

Every single on of the non-N4G 360 owners (some who also have PS3s) that I have talked to do not care in the least about the $10/year price hike. Then I come to N4G and see a bunch of people saying the exact opposite. That explains a lot right there.

[Why o why]

but i couldnt give a rats ass about the million people you say you spoke too...people will justify anything when there's no other option. With that extra tenner you are still paying to play the online part of a game you've already purchased. Ive also paid but i got mine on the cheap. You're letting the fanboys and fans of the ps3 that you see cloud your judgment. Maybe next year MS will increase it by another tenner....its only a little more but i guess you'll be kool with that...smh. Point is what extras are you getting.....dedicated servers maybe.....new ip's, additional studios...

[OSU_Gamer]

@Why O Why

Well I could give a rats ass what other non N4G users think. I know you don't because they don't coincide with what you belive.

" You're letting the fanboys and fans of the ps3 that you see cloud your judgment"

Should I say the same for you?

A 7+ year online service get its first price increase by $0.83 a month and you are ready to jump on the bash MS bandwagon.

You fail to think about anything else but the present or what MS has done in the past. When MS had a clear monopoly on the online console service they didn't increase the price ONCE.

What is worse is the fact that you set the online pricing standard as whatever Sony has it at. Sony came in late to the online service game. They had no choice but to make their free. When PSN sucked and EVERYONE was on XBL I bet you weren't pissed at the price then. Now that PSN is catching up, you magically think that MS should drop their price to $0 even though they have record # of users and their service is better than it ever has been. how does this make sense for MS to do? Please Explain.

Instead of recognizing anything good or non-greedy MS did, you are too busy playing patty cake with your single console owning friends on every 360 article. I love my PS3 and it is my favorite conosle, but I will continue to pay for XBl until Sony gives BASIC features like X-Game chat, voice messages, a non-broken invite system, Halo, Gears, and all of my XBL using friends.

XBL is cheap. I have a job, and I spend more than one months worth of XBL almost everyday for lunch. Stop telling me what is or isn't worth my hard earned $5.00 a month.

[Why o why]

you're infected. So my single console owning friends who dont have jobs complain because they're/im basing my price off sony and that im NOW jumping on the bandwagon and it should be free because sony's is....... what...lol. Thats a whole heap of assumptions. You replied to a dude saying people should stick together and not let themselves get ass fcuked. You flipped that into ps3 fans fault why it cant happen....Not once do you look at the bigger picture or stop to think that many people thought that the price was too high to begin with long before extras.

Its attitudes like the one you seem to have why xbl will never be free. They need your type....the type that listened and believed that the failure rate was 'within industry standards' and got pissed at the numerous rrod articles because ps3 fans were in them and were submitting them like that somehow made the real issue disappear. The type that will continue to deflect and spin. Are you really that ignorant to think its all ps3 fans expressing annoyance at the price. I have a 360 and many of my friends do but i realise that ms has its customers by the short n curlys...Its how they work. They know that by adding things like facebook, twitter and other things that everyone else gets for free they can mask the fact that they are charging you to play the online component of the games you've already purchased. Not only that but guys like yourself will defend till the end.. Yeah i know.. 'the integration', 'the x game chat' 'psn sux'...lol. They could increase it by another tenner and you'd be fine because of all of the good they've done just like how you cut sony some slack for all the good they've done in/for the industry right...

My real point is that your fellow 360 owners and potential ones who DONT like the price or the hike may need our help...we're all frikin gamers and just like the pc heads stood together and got the fee for live for windows scrapped, console owners could do the same or at least lessen the price.

Why should a 14,15,16 year old have to pay to play their games online?? honestly why? Nobody ever answers that question.. console online gaming isnt a monopoly anymore but MS are pricing it like it is. Trust me the day announce an online enabled lite cheaper version of xbl is the day you'd see what people really think about the great service.

[Why o why]

i wouldnt of written all of that if i'd seen you were out of bubbles and couldnt reply...i hate when that happens:(

[bustamove]

I love how you make assumptions. How do you know that PS3 owners don't own 360's? There are people here who own both consoles and have protested against the price.

Me thinks you need to step away a bit and reexamine your comment.

[jack_burt0n]

lol @ title.

[scruffy_bear]

Yeah it's LOL

[chak_]

Ain't like they got choice haha

maybe can we see activision's idea behind that? I recall they were grumpy about not getting anything out of live...

[scruffy_bear]

If activision have there way they have you paiding to play there games online

[jack_burt0n]

Its only a matter of time before kotick gets his way and COD goes pay 2 play on all formats.

[chak_]

we don't know what microsoft gave for those timed exclusivity, might be a % of income, who knows

[RBLAZE1988]

For cod games because activision knows the 360 fanbase would pay extra to play cod on top of live cause they know the 360 fanbase just takes it up the a$$ all the time. You'll see after black ops which already adds theater mode the next cod game will be pay to play and only online. And everyone who ripped on WOW players will be paying to play cod online even tho they payed 60 for the game and 60 a year for live.

[Jockie]

I'm not sure if the rape analogy works, because this is more of a choice - Will I allow myself to be shafted and pay up, or will I take my money elsewhere?

I know what I'll be doing.

[lonix]

If you want to play xbox 360 online you will just have to suck it

[IDesertFoxI]

As far as Xbox Live pricing is concerned, yeah, people will pay it because there isn't an alternative (if they stick to Xbox) if they want to play their games online. Doesn't mean they aren't entitled to complain. It is a slap accross the face. Unfortunately the forum poo storm of complaints is basically just pissing into the wind.

As far as individual game prices are concerned though, it does bug me that many Lemmings say it's atrocious before mindlessly throwing their money at a cashier and running off with a smile. At times it's best to watch a game for a drop in price. I'm doing it at the moment with Starcraft 2. Yes I want it, but I don't want to pay extra for it. Especially when there are other things that I want just as much but for less.

[Bathyj]

Lube up well boys, it will stop any tearing.

[Games4M - Rob]

Thats just what they tell you to sell you xbox lube, the reality is its gonna tear anyway.

[Bathyj]

Haha, thats funny.

Xbox lube has got sand in it.

[lonix]

Is if everyone refuses to buy xbox live gold
I know I won't buy it

[palaeomerus]

I haven't bought it since the beginning.

[earbus]

It never bothers me the price i dont drink or use cell phones its $80 dollars a year in australia has been for years i love the service that much id be prepared to pay $ 120 a year before it would be a concern not drinking or partying constantly has saved me a fortune i want the superior service im prepared to pay love it.

[RBLAZE1988]

To use netflix, last.fm, twitter, and edpn3 when you can go on a computer and get all those things free? I game with all my friends on psn and we somehow are able to all have fun playing the same games. F cross game chat you don't need to be talking with your friends 24/7 what are you a bunch of girls? Use a cell phone. Anything else on live does not warrant 60 a year.

[Calm Down Sunshine]

PSN used Update
Xbox Live is loafing around...
PSN used Update
Xbox Live is loafing around...
PSN used Update
Xbox Live is loafing around...
PSN used Update
Xbox Live used Price Hike
Xbox Live is confused
PSN is confused
Xbox Live hurt itself in it's confusion.
Xbox Live fainted.
Microsoft is out of farmable income. Microsoft whited out.

[120FPS]

Dude you need to get out abit more

[Calm Down Sunshine]

I disagree, and nice way to spend your bubble, dude.

[palaeomerus]

Cool story bro.

[GrooveChampion]

Gaming is a hobby, it's not a requirement. If we don't like the costs, we can just take our money and spend it someplace else. On the other hand, if we can afford it and the features are somewhat worth the 4 or 5 bucks a month then why not?

I don't like price hikes any more than the next guy, but a ten dollar increase in Xbox Live is hardly a shaft. If Live was worth $50 when it was just online play and early access to demos, then surely it's worth $60 if you use and enjoy the additional services they've added over the years. PS+ is clearly worth it for similar reasons, but much like Live it's not worth it for everyone. Regardless, it's still optional and when it isn't, that's when we should be up in arms.

If you really want to vote with your wallet, do so, but no one is any more or less of an idiot for choosing to pay for a service they see value in.

[RBLAZE1988]

But microsoft shouldn't make you pay 60 a year to play online that bs. What if you just want to play online and don't care about all the bs services they keep giving why should they be charged for something they already pay for? Don't tell me paying for live gives better online play because i play ps3 and 360 at a friends house and we both get the same connection issues in mw2.

[OSU_Gamer]

I wonder how many of the commenters on this page actually own a 360.

I will put money on the minority.

[RBLAZE1988]

And i would own one again if it wasn't for the mandatory xbl fee...there is just somethin about having to pay to use my netflix account that just didn't sit right with me. On top of nutering any game you buy with multiplayer if you don't have live gold

[Cubes]

I can see MS making dramatic increases in the future, as people can't do without the service. I find it shocking that they charge in the first place, as we already fork out near £20 a month for broadband, which is only just good enough for online play. If Activision start charging for COD I'll move full time to Battlefield, which is a lot more fun anyway.

[palaeomerus]

I do without the service just fine.

[supremacy]

Where do these people come up with headlines like these.

[MorganX]

Out of their fanboy asses.

[123360]

paying a higher price for a service that should get better is a good thing,but thats the problem there it hasn,t,its not like your going to get free avatars,games,films etc.its still the same pay as you play and lag,disconnects,etc are still present as with all online services.it was worth the money a few years back but here in the uk if anythink i have a much better experience with the psn service by far mainly to do with the 50mb service i have and the fact that dedicated servers seem to be the norm for sony,s service on first and second party games.MS should really be reducing it,sony,s giving games,avatars etc away for ps+ owners ms is only allowing you to play online for you £40.

[RBLAZE1988]

I have phenominal service on psn and my friend on xbl has more disconnects when playing cod mw2 than i do on psn.

[AliTheBrit19]

No change for us in the UK :D

[TheDeadMetalhead]

Give it a few months.

[amiga-man]

You don't need to own an xbox to see, paying to play on the intrnet you have already paid for is a joke, if they were allowing free online, but charging for xbl i would have no problems, but microsoft know xbl is not worth it so they take your internet play off you and charge you $60 to get it back.
that my friend is something everybody should complain about.

[Garrus_Vakarian]

I know when my subscription runs out next March I won't be paying to renew. Fudge that. MS can suck it. I'll enjoy Halo: Reach multiplayer for as long as I can.

[WLPowell]

but I have a friend who enjoys the wallet rape so if I ever need my cross game chat fix I'll go over to his house.

[midgard229]

is cross game chat that fun that u must go over someones house to use it???? i tried using it and especially during halo its useless if ur doing anything with teams because u cant hear ur team mates so wtf is the point?

only point for cross game chat i see is if 2 people are playing a game like oblivion or final fantasy, otherwise........useless????

[kasasensei]

get a phone! lol

[OSU_Gamer]

I would like to see a4 way phone conversation with friends.