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AlfredoTurkey said:
Conina said:

So which console games did you play in the 80's with free online modes?

In the 80's and 90's the model was simple. Buy one console which was stagnant and unchanging (internally) for five or six years and then buy complete games, fully tested which worked the moment you put them into your console. No charging controllers. No day one patches. No console updates. No DLC. Nothing. You bought a console, you hooked it up and then played the fucking games which worked instantly when you hit the power button. Simple. Easy. 

What we have now? It's not even recognizable. Now, whether that's better or not is subjective and up to each person's views and opinions. But it certainly isn't the same industry or business model anymore. That's my point. 

Well, you can ignore DLCs and online modes in most modern games, too, if the single player experience is good enough for you . And the download of game patches and firmware updates are free.

You also don't have to worry about charging controllers if you don't mind a cable between console and controller. just connect the wireless controller with an USB-cable to the console (works for PS3, PS4 and Xbox controller) or connect a wired controller (works for Xbox 360 and even the Switch with a cheap adapter). 

But if you WANT to play multiplayer games online on consoles, it wasn't free in the past either. You needed an additional modem for $100+ and/or had to pay the dial-up telephone costs (which were a lot more than $2 - $5 per month for an online subscription nowadays) and blocked the telephone line for the whole family in some setups.

And if you WANT the added comfort of wireless controllers of course you have to charge them occasionally.