I am sad ... Really sad

[Intrinsic]

Simply put, you need to focus on actually gaming and not the business of gaming.

Options are good, being more exposed to media and information is great too, but most people (and you apparently) need to learn how to use a filter. I do a near total media black out of anything I am interested in getting. I hardly ever buy DLC of any kind unless its a completely new and justifiable expansion (so no maps/weapons/skins...etc). I will not use "my money" and support anything; be it a game or service that I do not like or that doesn't appeal to me. And most importantly, I do not make it my business to care about how or why others spend their money.

You need to look at the gaming media as nothing more than opinionated people like you and I, in most cases, they are even just flat out stupid attention seeking idiots or PR outlets and you should disregard them accordingly.

Focus on the parts of gaming you like and you will always be fine.

And with this MS blaming thingy, the way I see it is that MS will always be MS. Anyone that knows MS as a company over the past 20yrs will in no way be surprised by anything they are doing today. Its in their DNA. But in their defence, the real problem lies with the people stupid enough to support some of their ultimately anti-consumer policies. Simply put, they want your money and would rightfully do everything to get it. If you give it to them, then they will keep doing what they are doing. And if they can get away with anything, be rest assured that others will follow. Case in point, look at Steam vs. PS+/XBL. MS could have made XBL like steam. That was also a viable business model, but they figured they could try and make people pay to play games online. Pay to do something that they could already do for free. They got away with it and now sony has followed suit.