Xbox360 Microsoft raising Live subscription fees in November

Somehow I don't see an extra 83 cents a month breaking the bank.
 
And I thought it used to be 60 bucks a year anyway. Didn't it? Or am I just high and don't remember the past that well...
 
As long as they keep the same difference ratio when it's converted from dollars to pounds then it won't really affect much.
 
Glad I re-upped for $39.99 when i got the offer a couple weeks ago, but ya it won't make much difference. It's only $10 more than normal price and I didn't really need that pizza on Sept 1st 2011 anyway.
 
Some MS PR dude said:
We're confident that when the new pricing takes effect, an Xbox LIVE Gold membership will continue to offer the best value in the industry.
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Dreamcast online cost: $0
PS2 online cost: $0
Gamecube online cost: $0
PS3 online cost: $0
DS online cost: $0
PSP online cost: $0
Wii online cost: $0
PC online cost: $0 (with services that blow all of the above and below out of the water)
360 online cost: $60/year base price

:nono:
 
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I don't play Xbox live so this doesn't effect me at all.
 
For a minute I thought this had something to do with Microsoft in the business world rather than Xbox.
*goes back to not caring*
 
meh, I knew they would, and I know they will again might as well learn to deal with it if you use Xbox Live Gold.
 
The only analyst to predict the price hike, most thought it would lower, has also stated he believes MS is preparing to roll out another tier of service, Platinum. Considering what they offer for Gold the only thing I could see Platinum being used for is to take away from Gold or start offering some sort of T.V. service like the premium style Hulu for "free".

All I can say is I'm glad to have leeched enough free codes to get me to May of 2011. Hopefully by then the crack on the new model 360 will be fully complete. If not, bye bye Live.
 
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That would be intresting to see actually Strid. Say if they did offer some form of TV service (hulu) for instance, how would that translate overseas? I know Hulu is blocked in the United Kingdom, I wonder what they would offer us? If Plat was to launch would it be just an NA thing only?

Then again we do have Sky (cable service TV) on our xbox 360s already for free, if you already have sky in your household (which pretty much most people I know have). Not sure if NA have anything like that on your 360 yet? If so, the fact we get it for free (well, over than the subscription you need in the first place, but an extra sky box costs more to install yadayada) would make it a little odd for them to charge you guys for a similar service no?

Also, as far as features goes. Do you guys have lastfm or Pandora on your live service? We have this thing called lastfm (it's exactly the same as Pandora, you create your own station they play similar music etc) which is bundled into our live service also.

Features of Sky service:

Watch great TV from Sky on the Xbox 360
Sky Player is Sky's online TV service - great TV from Sky on your computer.
And now you can watch Sky Player on your Xbox 360. (Xbox LIVE Gold and
relevant Sky subscriptions required.)

* Live TV: Up to 32 channels including great sports
and movies.
* TV on demand: You're in charge! Watch programmes when
you want. With hundreds of movies, sports, top shows and
documentaries available, there's something for everyone.
* Experience the amazing Avatar Party mode that lets your Xbox
avatar enjoy live sports or movies as they're screened in the
company of your friends’ avatars, with live chat and brilliant emotes.


So it's not a full sky box, but then again I didn't think it would of been. I think adding a separate box to your houshold costs extra a month in the first place. I doubt they would let you just use your xbox as one but yeh. Still pretty decent if you already have the sub at least.
 
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I know we have lastfm for sure, I don't think we have Pandora and I know we don't have Sky. Something like Sky, wouldn't fly over here in the U.S. If its that awesome it cost money and if Xbox has it, it cost even more money. To the most of my knowledge everything dealing with T.V. shows and movies is either subscription based, Netflix, or a pay-per-show system, Zune.

I'm sure if Platinum does launch it'll be worldwide, I wouldn't see them restricting a country access to giving them money, you know? How useless it is for your crowd though I wouldn't know, I don't even know where to begin, but bet your ass they'd have it out, even if the only thing they did was take away some Gold privileges to make it "worthwhile" to idiots. I'm sure they'll even do that over here. My speculation for us though is things like the "free" ESPN channel will fall under this tier and they'll try to round up a few more. If they did that I may actually have to eat my words despite being pissed that ESPN3 was announced to be a service for -Gold- subscribers. Considering about the only thing I turn on my T.V. for is ESPN, if it is in depth enough, I might be able to cut my cable T.V. subscription and save some money.

I'm not sure about this prediction though. It does seem like something MS would do, but they are also offering a pretty nice discount right now, after the price update announcement, tryin' to get people to extend their Gold for another year, and it's only with the year long package. However, it's also like them to pull a, "Hey, sign up for Gold, it's our best package!" and then a few months later say, "Oh, you remember that Gold package we locked you into a few months back? That's not good enough anymore, give us a little more and we'll upgrade that now lowered tier Gold package!! It's the best deal in town!111!!"
 
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Strid said:
Dreamcast online cost: $0
PS2 online cost: $0
Gamecube online cost: $0
PS3 online cost: $0
DS online cost: $0
PSP online cost: $0
Wii online cost: $0
PC online cost: $0 (with services that blow all of the above and below out of the water)
360 online cost: $60/year base price

:nono:
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None of them are even really comparable to Live though in the terms of features provided, except PC and PS3. And really, comparing PS3s online service to that provided by Live is really playing up the PS3 service. It's good for a free one, but it's by no means a good alternative when you're talking straight factors such as ease of use, and what you're given.

I really didn't expect subscriptions to go down. And seeing them go up doesn't really surprise me. Entering contracts cost money, and these contracts are to improve the service itself. A tiered service really would be nice though, with the current Gold sitting at the top. Live could do with a barebones Multiplayer/Friends List Features Only plan. A lot of the flak isn't from the $10 price increase because of more features. It's because of a $10 price increase from features people may not use.
 
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Skaw said:
None of them are even really comparable to Live though
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Sure they are, if you look at live for what its main purpose is. I can see, by now, how easily forgotten that can be though. Hardly anyone on my friends list is ever playing a game anymore. Except Osy, he's just an oddball.

MS doesn't offer a bare bones multiplayer + friends service with no bullshit. There is no reason someone who doesn't care about Netflix should pay for Netflix or anything brought around a Netflix inclusion, same for the other shit, just to get the most out of their $60 game.

As a gamer who owns a computer, DVD player, Cable T.V. service, and television, I turn on my Xbox to play games, period.
 
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Strid said:
Sure they are, if you look at live for what its main purpose is. I can see, by now, how easily forgotten that can be though. Hardly anyone on my friends list is ever playing a game anymore. Except Osy, he's just an oddball.

MS doesn't offer a bare bones multiplayer + friends service with no bullshit. There is no reason someone who doesn't care about Netflix should pay for Netflix or anything brought around a Netflix inclusion, same for the other shit, just to get the most out of their $60 game.

As a gamer who owns a computer, DVD player, Cable T.V. service, and television, I turn on my Xbox to play games, period.
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It's so nice you took the time to only read the first ten words of my post.

Shit, I'll still humor you. No, they aren't comparable. All those options except the two previous exceptions lack a universal friends list.

There you go.
 
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Skaw said:
It's so nice you took the time to only read the first ten words of my post.

Shit, I'll still humor you. No, they aren't comparable. All those options except the two previous exceptions lack a universal friends list.

There you go.
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I never said the friends list was a main purpose, now did I?

I'll say though, it's a welcome addition and the only damn one, which is why I included it in block 2. I wouldn't pay for it if it wasn't necessary to get the online MP though.
 
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