Rumour: Xbox Live to get TV Channel, Gold to increase by $1-2 dollars

[Mr Puggsly]

Impulsivity said:

Mr Puggsly said:

wichdog69 said:
NO! If they raise the cost for live I'll have to get rid of my 360 and get a PS3. I will not pay a dollar more for something that should be free in the first place.

It shouldn't be free. It cost money to run those servers.

Could be worse, people pay $10 - $15 just to play a single MMORPG.

  Somehow Sony manages, somehow steam manages, somehow the iphone/ipod touch manage, somehow the DS manages, somehow the Wii manages....etc etc

 

  It is very clearly possible to not charge for online games and more then cover the costs of an online system with game and movie revenue.  Microsoft doesn't because once they get you locked into a platform they milk you for all you're worth (for other examples see Office costing 500 dollars+ and Windows 7 costing over 300 dollars for a full version).

 

  It should absolutely be free to play the games I PAID for.  The payment for the online services should be included in the 60 dollars I pay for the game just as playing starcraft for years on battlenet was covered by buying starcraft at retail.

Because its generally free means it should always be free?

Sony, Steam, and Nintendo doesn't pay for the servers for every game like Microsoft does (excluding EA games).

Hence, offering online play on the PS3, DS, Wii, and PC becomes another expense for developers/publishers.

 

Also, people don't need the $500 or $300 versions of Windows 7 and Office. Office Home and Student is $150. You could also get Open Office for free. Windows Home Premium is about $100. It basically comes free with new computers as well.