According to "multiple sources within Microsoft", Ars Technica is reporting that Microsoft is set to ditch its long-standing strategy of making users pay for Xbox Live Gold to access services like Netflix and Hulu Plus. Services users already pay for anyway.

The change, if true, would likely be announced at E3.

If you think that's good news, hold tight; Ars also reports that, to compensate, "Xbox Live Gold may put other services behind the paywall to make up for this shift".

We've contacted Microsoft for comment, and will update if we hear back.

http://kotaku.com/report-xbox-will-stop-charging-you-to-watch-netflix-h-1575399746

Yeah seems strange. We'll see what stays behind the paywall and what doesnt.

Still this is as least a step in the right direction.

Very true, it's just frustrating that Microsoft just can't come out and make Xbox Live Gold required only for playing games online. 

1) Well it's a step in the right direction as long as those other services are pay-worthy or actual premium services (things like Microsofts own premium video and TV content being available available to enjoy at no additional cost behind the paywall or new discounts and weekly sales or whatever). I would like to be surprised on what they put behind the pay-wall but I do not expect to be.

2) "Microsoft does not comment on rumours or speculation." Guess we will have to wait until E3.

Come on MS, you don't need the petty money, your rich enough damn it! Let all subscription services be usable without a paywall without putting other services to compensate for it that is

what do they even have left to put behind a paywall? hdmi passthrough? tv guide? kinect functionality?

how could they ever imagine that people will be okay with baaically swapping whats behind a paywall.

until it actually happens im filing this under clickbait, ars technica or not.

What could they put behind the pay-wall to compensate though??? I'll reserve my congratulations until they officially give details on the change.

i think they are putting there tv shows behind gold

What is not behind the pay wall that they can put behind it? Free to play games? Game patches?
That would be worse than free Netflix as you can already get that on everything else anyway.

As I'm not interested in online multiplayer, I would like to see what games with gold is going to bring on xb1.