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S.T.A.G.E. on 31 August 2012
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richardhutnik said:
S.T.A.G.E. said:
TRios_Zen said:
S.T.A.G.E. said:
 

Um dude...Xbox Live is a subscription based program. If Microsoft blocks other people from using online because of a fee it defeats the purpose of free to play. Nothing is free on Xbox Live outside of the silver package which is bare bones at best. No doubt Xbox Live will be a great MMO platform for free online games elsewhere, but Xbox Live is a premium service. Free and Xbox Live dont mix in a press statement. On PC, PS3, Wii definitely...Xbox 360 no.  This isn't bias I pay for live when theres games I want to play online on it, but it really was a bad choice of words and shows just how out of touch they are with their own policy. 

I currently am an XBOX Live Gold member.

When these games are released, how much more will I have to spend to play the base game?


Thats the point you already paid to be privy to such releases. Silver members aren't privy to shit on the Xbox 360. On PSN, Wii or PC silver class members would be privy to the same shit as long as the company making the game allowed for it. It's not like being "free" on any other platform. On Xbox Live you pay for everything ontop of 3rd party subscriptions.

And this is an example of why discussions on here break down to console partisan stupidity, to be blunt.  It ends up being "On X... blah blah blah blah",  and then a shot at how much XBox Live sucks because they charge for it.    It is fairly pathetic.  Seriously, it is pathetic.

The business models are different.  Due to Gold, one gets demos for about everything over XBox Live, even at Silver.  PS3 owners who don't have a PS3 think that PS+ is awesome because you get so many demos and betas.  And the Wii?  Argh, you get FRIEND CODES, if you want to be able to play anyone, as if much online gaming goes on with the Wii.  

I get more content for free, on XBox Live Silver, due to gold than PS3 and Wii owners do.  That is the reality of it.  And there are a number of free games also that Silver level can get also.  


I never said Xbox Live sucks (I like Xbox Live just as much as PSN). Don't misunderstand me on that, but my point is the statement in OP is erroneous because you need to pay for Xbox Live to even gain access to the online game (any online game) I find Xbox Live Gold and free PSN (Today not two years ago) to be virtually equal because I did essentially the same things like game online and entertain myself on netflix, video chat with friends and more. The statement about you gaining more content on Xbox Live Silver than PSN owners who do is highly erroneous. Without gold you cant even voice chat. It's essentially the same experience as gold without paying for it. Also on PSN you aren't barricaded from your subscriptions that you already pay for outside of your console. This situation is not equal in the slightest. To isolate a free to play no longer makes it free to play. Perhaps if they allowed gold and silver members to play that game online only and still purchase the content (Which will be the games only real revenue builder) then it would truly be free to play, but until then on Xbox Live it can never be. Microsoft draws the fine line between privilages, especially when it comes to the word free, which PC and PSN users seem to get the best of. This isn't isn't a preference issue, but merely clearing up the truth of the matter.

It would be wise to understand. The closest anyone will ever get to free online by Microsoft is to not support it. The Windows Live Gold subscription being dropped and given for free is proof of this.

http://www.1up.com/news/games-windows-live-multiplayer-free

 

P.S.

Microsoft can only force people to pay for online on a closed OS. It kind of psyches people into the mentality that they are paying for quality when in reality the fact is you have two choices, either join or enjoy the bare minimum.