With all the money they make on transactions on xbox live why charge anyway? Its a complete ripoff and the PSN network is nearly as good. The only people who bitch about PSN are xbox fanboys. I know its only $8 a month for live but like i said with all the money made on transactions and advertising they are screwing you live gold members. Money is tight now with everyone, gas prices are high etc... so one less monthly fee would help and people may spend more on online transactions. If they did offer free online i might buy a xbox 360 again on top of my ps3. I just dont want to pay $8 a month to play here and there since i use my ps3 alot more.

geo1378

@Lil'Zay: That may sound good in theory until you consider that Netflix is in the states only, what about the rest of us?

This sounds good but at the risk of sounding like an ass, what about the people (like me) who have already paid the fees and the like. What will differentiate us then?

NeVeRMoRe666

@Corn: lol you're baiting with that Phil Hendrie act all over the place aren't you

Anyway, no I haven't had this experience. I'm on silver right now. I have a gold 1yr card I've been waiting to reactivate my acct with (SC4 might do the trick; condemned 2 almost did). I'm getting denied online gameplay access, so I think for the most part this rumor can be squashed. Maybe it's specific only to games with GFW compatibility? I haven't tried GoW and I probably won't bother just to report it here, but it definitely doesn't work for every game.

UltraMagnus

this isnt working for me though

MistaJeff

@gothamdarkknight: You missed the "AND" condition. It's only sad being a hereosexual AND a kid. I think the best way to live is to start out gay and go back into the closet at 18.

everybest

Please no. There are already enough douche bags boosting with one month accounts on Halo 3. Longer free accounts would make it so much worse...

mrkniceguy

i'd totally buy unreal tournament if they did this.

they definitely shouldnt charge. i've had way less fuck ups on psn in the 2 months i've had my ps3 than the 1 month of free GOLD i tried out. i know everyone says Live is better but in my experience having both consoles live has been slower and laggier not only with online play but just downloading in general

MistaJeff

@Corn: You remind me of that guy on Seinfeld who converted to Judaism just for the jokes.

spectralpulse

@Wahrheit:
It's sad being a heterosexual? That's a first .

gothamdarkknight

Someone said 8 Million Gold Subscribers. Do the Math.

8 million x 40$ = 320million 1 year.

So what will justify losing that revenue?

gothamdarkknight

@GOD: "I was on resistance the other night"

*everything makes sense*

MightyHealthy

@Leobebes: How come anyone who brings up the MGO fiasco they retort by saying its PSN's fault? Let me ask you this would the MGO disaster ever happen on PSN? I'll give you a hint the answer rhymes with glow.

everybest

@kommanderk: Maybe that wasn't very clear. You're justifying $50/year because Xbox games still work online and some PS2 games don't. The PS2 didn't have a unified online system, but next gen, PS3 will most likely have the same online support as the 360 does now. If you want to look at things that way, PS2 is the only one left from last gen with any form of support.

everybest

If this is true I'm going to buy an xbox 360 again and actually keep it.

pot3ntial2suck

How come anyone who brings up the MGO fiasco they retort by saying its Konami's fault? Let me ask you this would the MGO disaster ever happen on XBOX Live? I'll give you a hint the answer rhymes with glow.

Leobebes

@kommanderk: Playstation 2 didn't have a unified service. They don't even sell Xbox games anymore.

everybest

i know people complain about it costing money and how psn is free, but with playstation games get shut down. you can still play any online xbox game you want

kommanderk

@Corn: You're not gay. Gays aren't that obnoxious.

Tiger-Fever

@Corn:

The sad part is that you are probably heterosexual and either:

A: A kid
B: Someone trying to make people hate homosexuals.

I'm voting for both.

If you are serious about your sexual preferences, then you wouldn't be spouting them everywhere you went. Please stop that, and grow up a little, ok?

Wahrheit

As an Xbox user, this is good news-I'd cancel my Gold subscription tomorrow.

As an MS investor..wtf? XboxLive is the ONLY consistent income stream for E&D.

dogcow

@Spartan1308™: The only problem with that is there are siblings/family members that share Xboxes(?), it isn't fair to punish everyone in a household because one person is an ass.

kagai

Hey, this would really make me play online more often on that console. even if this would just be on the third party games, it would be excellent.

QC8472

@Corn: I hate you for showing us how fucking low the Kotaku commenter standard has become.

Honestly i can't blame you for your behaviour. It's the fact that any ass can comment that the good commenters don't even want to comment anymore. And you sir are nothing but one of many causes.

Cchrist

@Corn: Oh you silly troll. Not too much longer until you're banned.

ƒox

@Corn: both

Hearts_Are_1

@Corn: haha <3

everybest

@Cchrist: @Hearts_Are_1: @Elly:

Wow, so either I'm joking or I should be banned? Because I am gay? Wow. This website really speaks a lot for how our society is unaccepting of gays like myself and OwenGood. Nothing but fag-haters all around. I'm a gay man and a gay journalist. All I am trying to do here is give people the news. The news is there is now special gay Xbox access for gays on Xbox.

Corrin

Live really should be free in the first place. It makes no sense for ME to pay to have MY console host an online game, PSN even has dedicated servers for first-party games, and it remains free. Free online pay would make my 360 purchase a lot sooner, considering it would already save me $50 up front.

threeve

@Corn: I feel so bad for laughing like a maniac right now lol.

@GOD: You've got it 100% correct, any GoW player knows all about host advantage which, thankfully, is usually only used by sub-par players so it's not so noticeable, but I must say that when I host a game, as a better-then-average player, losing is about as common as a unicorn holding a three dollar bill while Dick Chaney gives money to charity.

Jayl3w

@Corn: comedy gold you are...but seriously, we get the joke now

Hearts_Are_1

@Corrin: you sad, sad little troll. Can someone ban this guy already?

Cchrist

@Elly:
Oh, so I should be banned because why? I'm gay? Wow, would someone please permaban this bigot.

Corrin

@Corrin: Have fun with the other 5 year olds in Banland.

Elly

@tralfaz23:
Oh, so I guess you hate fags, right? I'm gay, ok? I am a gay man, a gay journalist, a gay gamer, and a gay lover. Just because us gays now can play for free does not give you or any of these other bigots to make fun of us homos!

Corrin

@outforprophets:

Buy the $99 set top box then.

Ignatius

I see no problem with it as long as they do these few things:

1)silver members online during the weekdays between the hrs of 6pm-11pm, NO WEEKENDS

2)NO DLC for silver members, no free themes/pics/demos/maps/NOTHING FOR YOU CHEAPSKATES.

3)no chat capabilities

4)online gaming only for games 2 years or older

5)NO ACHIEVEMENT POINTS

tralfaz23

And I of course just upgraded.... Ugh.

thefais

@Cchrist:
Look, I'm gay, ok? I'm a gay man and a gay journalist and a gay gamer and a gay forumsposter. I refuse to be treated any differently than anyone else!! Don't you tell a gay man to "shut up", you wouldn't want all of Kotaku's extensively gay gay members on you, would you?

All I want is for everyone to know of our special gay access to gay games on the new gay Xbox service. Us gays here like GOD, OwenGood, invisible wok, etc. will not be treated differently!

Corrin

@LastAXEL: Damn straight! I'll pick it up again tomorrow I think.

It's a shame that the studio that created it has now shut down and there is no longer any official support for the game...

GOD

@Corrin: Would you SHUT UP! PLEASE! We get it you're gay as you have mentioned in your last 20 posts oh and you're also bi i see. Now please get back under your bridge!

Cchrist

@invisiblewok: I know that sony and microsoft replace consoles for the RRod or the Dodgy laser problems.

You paid money for an extra playstation when you didn't have to.

I feel sorry for you.

GOD

Shadowrun is a fun game. I recommend it. It is surprisingly deep and very re-playable with all the different shit you can do.

I play it all the time.

It deserves more praise.

LastAXEL

@Atomicvege: really? i guess you are one of the lucky people that didn't have to buy 2 or more playstations, or playstation 2's because of the problem with the laser that sony never replaced for their customers? Because i know i had to buy 2 playstations because i got sick of playing games with the system upside down, and i know i had to replace my playstation 2 when it wouldn't read dvds anymore... That being said, don't be quick to say sony stuff works and M$ stuff doesn't, I just know M$ will replace it when it breaks and Sony won't.

invisiblewok

@Corn: You are freaking me out now...

GOD

@string_theory: Read my comments pal.

I'm commenting on the actual quality of the conection to games. It depends on the strongest players conection. Hence Peer to Peer.

You can't beat a dedicated server for a fair online game. Most dedicated servers have more than capable connection speeds, and only lag up if the players connection is crap.

I love xbox live for the community features that it has, but for playing games it is a bag of balls.

If you get host on Halo or gears of war you have a better chance of winning the game. It's there where the service is lacking.

Dedicated servers would stop this from happening. Add Lewis Camel to your friends list, and I will host a game of Gears or Halo and show you. Then have a go on counterstrike on the PC or Warhawk on the PS3 and it becomes a level playing field.

GOD

I don't get why you people are still arguing. Microsoft has been allowing us gay ass gamers special "gay access" to their gay games on Xbox Live. Now, you guys know I'm gay right? I'm a gay man and a gay journalist, in case you didn't know yet. Microsoft allowed be to test this new gay access service over a week ago and our editor has just discovered this.

Corrin

@rospaya: I'm pretty sure PSN has it's own dedicated servers. And I was under the impression LIVE was p2p. **shrugs shoulders**

Why do people act as if the PSN is unstable in online play? I play online all the time and it's never unstable or disconnects, nor do I ever hear any other PS3 owners complain about its online stability.

The subscription to LIVE is one of only 2 reasons that have prevented me from picking up a 360. The first is RROD. Hopefully with the new model 360, and if LIVE eventually is free in at least basic online play, I and many others will get one.

kadaj24

Lets face it, online play should be free but ultimately thats the only major reason so many people pay money for live. If online was free then they would have to do some sort of pay service with more content (or actually the same content as now but with the non subscribers getting less) and they would have a lot less subscribers. Why isn't live free? IMO probably because of bandwidth. It costs money to supply a large amount of people with content like live does, and with a lot of the downloaded content being free (demo's, video previews, etc) the amount of paid content downloaded does not cover enough of the expenses. On top of that live is pretty fast, I downloaded the Too Human demo (which is like 1 gb or so) in less then 30 min which is pretty damn good and IMO would be slower if live was free.

While psn is free to the users, Sony is spending money to provide and deliver content to its users and there may be a point when the only feasible way to continue doing so is to charge some sort of monthly fee or raising prices on the content. Maybe that's why where seeing more news of mmo titles, which I would assume would cost something per month due to most likely needing dedicated servers, as a way to bring in more revenue to cover other costs. Who knows though, if they can keep it free with there growing user base I will be seriously impressed.

Veraky

@rospaya: There are 8 million xbox live users, but Microsoft has not released the number of current active gold membership owners.

You may find that it is quite a bit lower than 8 million.

GOD

Considering all were paying for is just for the online play, it does seem like it may possibly be free at some point.

Theyre making bank off of charging for downloading everything on live.

Altima NEO

How come my live isn't free right now....Or all weekend... I call Shananigans!

TWEEDLEDEEZNUTZ

@GOD: I've been gaming online since the days of v.22 2400 baud modems & i've yet to come across a better online experience than XBL. if you have, provide an example please. ;)

string_theory

So, many of you are whining that Xbox multiplayer should be free. Well I agree, but using arguments like "Screw M$, Sony has it free" aren't really working... The reason: about 8 million people are paying for a Live Gold account and bring money to Microsoft.
If so many people don't find it so wrong my assumption is that too many of you are whining for no good reason.

Not to mention that MS has it's own servers (on two locations AFAIK) unlike Sony. I think that in the end basic multiplayer will be free, but anything beyond that (like stuff that will persuade 8 million people to continue paying their subscriptions) will cost some money.

rospaya

I hear the pay is good in that shed. They use an Intel pentium 90Mhz pc to run it all, and a small monkey to press the buttons. The server crashed the other day when the monkey has a fit and smeared fecal matter on the motherboard. This is why the 4.0 patch messed up...

GOD

omg this is like the one factor thats making me debate between getting a 360 or ps3...the online

i dun wanna pay for online but if this rumor is true, this will make my purchase of the 360 100%

ShnitzelsBelgianROFLs

@Rectangle: Yeah, but it also isn't particularly cost effective at this point in time for Sony to "force" games to use their servers. If the servers are licensed out, they save money and time, which they can use to make sure they don't go bankrupt every fiscal year.

CitizenInsane27

@CardJoker: Not all games work, only the ones that are on PC that use the Games for Windows - LIVE service which is a very limited number.

And yeah, looks like most people have missed that point. Can't just throw in any game with online play and have it work.

KaneRobot

I have no problem with Silver members getting to play online - as long as Gold members get stuff that is of value to justify my $50 a year purchase...and I don't mean holding back demos for a week for Silver memebers. That is worthless and only servers to anger Silver members rather than reward Gold Members.

KaneRobot

Some of you can't read.

Not all games work, only the ones that are on PC that use the Games for Windows - LIVE service which is a very limited number.

CardJoker

@shufflemoomin: Ha ha!

You are having a laugh...right?

How about steam? Hotmail? Guildwars? Playstation Network? do these all run themselves?

GOD

@shufflemoomin: We should obviously go to the PSN model that thanks to user contributions has paid for a very small building in Timbukto that houses the PSN servers and the dedicated staff of a small lump of cheese and some wood shavings.

Burguois

@Otacon85:
What? You can get quality games on PSN, and its not like you get the YEARS worth of entertainment free. All that stuff you're naming is on other platforms man, except the social ease of use. I have both systems I'm not a fanboy, but it seems to me you think LIVE is quality because you're paying for it. Be honest to yourself, how does that stuff justify the price?

Lil'Zay

If this is true, they better either lower the gold price or give us some big incentives to use it (dedicated servers for Gold? I'd pay for that).

In any case, though, they will try to make up any money they lose elsewhere.

Muk1000

@shufflemoomin:

And PSN/ NWFC?

Maverickly

The real question is, if it does go free now, why were they charging people to begin with? Oh that's right, cause they could. Silly Me.

VampHuntD

How about let GOLD play online for the first X amount months and then Silver can join.

kylerg

@JohAE86: "MGO isn't on the PS network. It's konami's own servers. you fail "

Sony should force every game on the PS3 to use the PSN and login. This is what Microsoft does, and it means a higher quality standard.

Rectangle

@Otacon85: You can mute players quite easily.

I think that people need to use the reporting facility alot more.

That would clean up xbox live for most people.

I was on resistance the other night, and some kid was spouting racist abuse at everyone. All my clan reported him, and his account was barred. End of the line for that little turd!

This is what needs to be done with live.

Implement some kind of sin bin or timed ban system.

Take away their ability to have voice over IP for a week If they are using abusive language.

Alot of these kids act like dicks because they can get away with it.

GOD

Of course MS should charge for it. The Data centres don't run themselves. You DO know that MS has admins, tech support and rooms full of gear simply to allow LIVE to happen right? Who should pay for that if it's not the users? Honestly, £5 a month in the UK to contribute towards the infrastructure that makes live tick? Not worth complaining about. If you can't afford that, you shouldn't have bought a games console.

shufflemoomin

I honestly hope that they give online gaming ability to silver members. A switch to a free-based online gaming service would push them past the minor thing the PS3 currently has over it which is the fact that the PSN is free, though kinda shit. A switch like this could have a huge effect on their already substantial market share.

However, it would also make sense for them to give gold members a reason to keep paying a subscription fee.

So what would you still have to pay for in this "New" Gold Membership? How about a subscription to Netflix giving you access to the new streaming video service available late this fall, and how about that streaming alternative/replacement to cable/satellite television they brought up with that DirectTV partnership a couple years back.....? I'd keep paying for Gold for that.... and cancel my cable.

CochiseFugue

Frontlines has dedicated servers too iirc.

(come on guys, try not to say 'yer but frontlinessuxlol'

DUFFKING

@Mit: sorry mate. There are no dedicated servers setup by microsoft. There are servers that collect stats, and connect gamers, but the games are run peer to peer.

It's a bit of a scam if you ask me.

GOD

Those games offer cross platform play. I'm guessing since their PC counterparts allow for free online play, it extends to the 360 version as well. I'm guessing it's just for cross-platform play games though.

KingBroly

If it does go free I'll buy an XBox 360. If it doesn't go free, I won't buy one. I'm sure Microsoft would rather lose £40 a year from me rather than lose the hundreds it'll cost me to buy the actual console.

Xandros

God I hope they dont make it free to play online. I prefer keeping it that way, as it only increases the chances of moronic kids of the service. I'm sorry, but for all the quality I get for just $50 a year, it's hard to bitch, unless your a kid who relies on your parents.

$50 for a YEARS worth of entertainment? Thats less than the cost of 5 movies where tickets are now over $10 for a single movie in todays time averages an hour and a half.

$50 for it being easy as hell to play with my friends, an almost always lag free experience, the occasional free goodies microsoft throws us, plus the kick ass games in X-Box Live arcade? Sorry, no complaints here. And I've been paying it since the 1st X-Box.

Otacon85

@Mit:

Nope...Only Bad Company on the 360 has Dedicated servers and EA runs those.

Halo 3, CoD4, Gears of War, and Shadowrun are all P2P.

AEREC

I don't know how a Sony could be criticized for their $400-500 console when M$soft nickel and dimes you for something that has been free for many years, which is network access and other misc junk. Sure they provide a service, connecting you seamlessly with your friends to game, but that seems like Steam charging you to register your username...

denebola

@string_theory: The article is food for thought, but I don't think Xbox live is a "Killer app".

It should be free.

You can get a better online gaming performance on other platforms for free.

GOD

@outforprophets: PS3 doesnt have really any whiney kids online, LIVE is flooded with them, just join a room in Halo 3 and youll see what I mean. It couldnt get worse than it is

Scott3D

@Mit: Also, that may be sarcasm coming from Jefflar, my detectors may be malfunctioning.

Mit

I like Shadowrun, it's certainly better than overrated stuff like CoD 4 where all you have to do is hope it doesn't spawn someone 3 feet behind you/you on top of a grenade.

DUFFKING

@Jefflar: You would really protest to the fact that you'd no longer have to pay for online play?

Really?

It's not going to happen anyways. People really must not read past titles in articles. This article features nothing contributing to the fact that Xbox Live Gold might become free. Owen merely says it's gotta be on people's minds.

Mit

This is not going to happen. It could happen for cross platform games, but definitely not for all games.

And correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the reason Xbox Live Gold costs money is because they do have dedicated servers? I was under the impression that Microsoft themselves hosted most of the servers, enabling them to monitor the functionality of the servers, and keep major crashes and other problems from happening, which you may encounter on publisher-run servers, thus giving them the absolute best online service across all consoles, not to mention all the other features it has outside of online gameplay.

Mit

@Ampillion, Dayman. Fighter of the Nightman.: True mate.

Since playing online on my PS3 on games like Warhawks completely lag free dedicated servers I cringe when I go back to playing online games on my Xbox.

It's safe to say that the Xbox has a better interface, and has alot more focus on the social aspect of online gaming, but when they were implementing the actual online play side of things they could have at least given us some servers!

It's easy to Implement. I can make my xbox into a dedicated server for rainbow 6 vegas and farcry. why not do it for halo 3? So the sereous gamers can feel like they are getting something for their money.

I hope they sort it out, as the gap between the playstation network and Xbox live is getting smaller.

GOD

@GOD: Well I can't argue with the word of God...
@Corrin: As for you, yes, well - I have a feeling you might have overplayed the joke.

Meldy

Oh come on Microsoft! The fact that you made us pay for online is what set you apart from the other companies! Now you are just going to ditch that unique factor to join in with the "cool" kids? Well the moment I hear this is true I will be hurling my 360 out a window in protest. Maybe I'll hit a small whining child.

Jefflar

[www.8bitjoystick.com]
hmmmmmmmmm... interesting

string_theory

Well... it doesn't work with GTA: IV.

Jojuinc

I'd like my 200 dollars back, thank you... And I concur: Shadownrun is awesome.

Rorschach2112

@Meldy:
Look, forumsposter Meldy, as a gay man and a gay journalist, I can tell you why your post is wrong. You see, Shadowrun was one of the first gay games announced by Microsoft. If you're gay, you can play Shadowrun online for free with other gays!

Corrin

Anyone who suggests that Shadowrun isn't made of awesome should accept that their opinion is wrong :)

hahaha

okrangerbob

@Meldy: It was not a bad game mate. You can also play it over a LAN...

GOD

Not to jump into the sea of other comments, but yeah... this was something they should've done a lot sooner. I'd understand it if you were paying for dedicated services and servers, but setting up a subscription tier on your system when the competition doesn't have such things isn't a 'plus' in the "Reason to Buy." category when it's not really enhancing your gaming experience. Sure, it might be the best online model, but I know people who are vehement about subscriptions for gaming.

That being said, if this is true, I certainly might have to pick one up when money is... well, coming my way again.

Ampillion, Dayman. Fighter of the Nightman.

What's this I see going on here? Happiness? HOPE?!! NOT ON MY WATCH!!

Listen, I have two dead chickens with broken necks and a vat of virgin blood on this not being true. I hope we pay forever!

okenny :)

@Corn: There was alot of Gay in that comment.

GOD

Ok, so this guy has a silver account and Shadowrun? Someone's not right in the head... Even if you used to have a Gold account:
1) Why would you not sell/trade-in an essentially multiplayer only title.
2) Play said multiplayer title while using a silver account.
3) Buy and play the piece of crap in the first place.

Meldy

@outforprophets: I didn't think you could get more "whiny/obnoxious kids" on xbox live.

It would be a good move, but what about all those people who have already stocked up on xbox live gold accounts.

Also!

If you are going to make some changes...

Get some dedicated servers you cheap sods!

I'm sick of getting beat down from some dude who is 5 yards away from me, because he has host advantage!!!

If sony can do it why can't you?

GOD

@knewknow:

Yes, because the business model of free servers works for pc and PSN and wii and DS, it shouldn't work for Xbox? Only thing in the way is greed.

Just look at Blizzard. Battlenet has been around since 1997 and without fees. Free multiplayer packed in a great service sells games. Blizzard knew this. To make it even more clear to you, do you think Counterstrike would have been a hit if it had a monthly fee?

I shudder at how many more people that would own a Xbox 360 instead of a wii or ps3 had MS realised this simple truth.

Wahrheit

@Lil'Zay:
Well, Lil'Zay, gay Xbox access if free for us gay gamers. As a gay man and a gay journalist, I'm very excited that this news has been leaked to the public; Microsoft had asked me not to speak about it their new special free gay gamer gay Xbox access yet.

Corrin

Good!

The only reason I picked up a gold sub back in the day was multiplayer. Turns out I don't play 360 that much online, so I let the sub fade. If it were free to play like, say, every other platform I've ever owned, I would at least use it on occasion. Worst case for them, they get the chance to target me for the new gold content that I may decide is worth it after all.

The pay-to-play model is so insulting it hurts my brain trying to think why they think I'd think it's worth it, when they know that I know that I can just load up Steam and be done with it. Speaking of which I'll be in DoD if anyone wants a go at me.

Buddy_DoQ

Maybe Microsoft finally realized that people don't like paying for free services provided by other platforms? PC gaming has ALWAYS been a free service (beyond the horrible MMO business model) and PSN isn't holding customers' multi-player experiences for ransom.

I found it hard to justify paying for the service and haven't since the complimentary trial expired.

The fact that a good deal of online experience on Xbox Live-governed games have been fraught with lagtastic services *cough* TF2 *cough* (that have had low pings on a PC from the same connection), makes me wonder what the fees are going toward beyond fatten the coffers of an already rich conglomerate.

When quality services are provided that warrant the additional fees are implemented, I may consider paying but, until then - It's Silver for me.

resvrgam

Is it true that LiveWeekend is free for ALL users?

Lil'Zay

I sold my 360 earlier in the year when it was failing and have thought about a PS3. Mostly cause i'm sure it won't die on me, but also cause as a PC gamer, there is no way in hell i will ever pay extra for online multiplayer. A free to play live is enticing. Probably not enough to tip the scales and get me to buy another Xbox, but still enticing. :)

Atomicvege

live should be free i dont understand why we should play online for the games we spoon 60$ around for. i say they should just make online free and keep their microsoft points to make their extra money.

OnimousDante

@outforprophets: You think it can get worse?

@Muisee: Yeah! Also, PC games and THEIR online play for free! We see how crappy that is, why would we want it anywhere near our 360's!?

P-Flute

Well, I'm so glad I paid for my 1-year renew last week. Really, I'm so pleased I spent the money I could have used elsewhere.

Suuuuuper.

Jayl3w

I can personally attest that, as a gay man and a gay journalist and a big time gay gamer, that gay Xbox access is, for all intents and gay purposes, free.

Corrin

For people who are wondering what Gold will get you if Silver gets free online remeber that all that Prime Time channel stuff thats getting added in the new interface update (Netflix, Trivia Games, 1 vs 100 etc.) are Gold members only.

RonCey

If they can maintain the quality of the service, then I'm all for Xbox Live going free, but if not, then I'm not sure that's the direction I'd like Microsoft to go. I'm not a big online gamer, but I like knowing that when I do want to play online, I don't have to worry about server issues and crap that might be more likely on a purely free service.

kylenalepa

@banana_ridah: The reason I just mute everyone and don't use the mic is b/c of all the annoying tweeners on their now. The $4-$7 per month charge isn't keeping them off.

I think MS would be more likely to issue permanent bans if doing so didn't effect their profits as it does now. It seems to me that there might be fewer annoying people if the service were free.

They have the ability to ban the actual console not just the gamertag, so they wouldn't be able to simply create another tag.

Spartan1308™

@Lukems:
No, Lukems you can't play Halo 4, it isn't out yet! Another thing, you have to be gay to be able to play gay access gay games for free. As a gay man and a gay journalist, my "gay eye" isn't picking anything up on you so you are S.O.L. as they say.

Corrin

There is no chance MS will offer free Live online play. MS has invested too much money for Live and it's infrastructure. The reason Nintendo and Sony are not charging for online play because, quite honestly, there is not much online play nor it's as stable as Live.

Nintendo's online services will remain free but don't be surprised once PS3 starts charging for online connectivity. They clearly see how much profit Live provides for MS and there is no way Sony is going to host these online games for free forever. Afterall, it is a business and they are in it to make money.

When you buy a cell phone, you don't expect free service.

knewknow

Will probably be "fixed" if true. I don't think MS is willing to give up a good chunk of revenue.

SG79

ZOMG can I play teh Halo 4 FREE?

Lukems

I'm assuming the poster who sent you this link is gay. As a gay man and a gay journalist, I have personally been requesting Microsoft for years to give us gays special gay Xbox Access. I've been playing gay online games for free for over a week now.

Corrin

@CHunterX: Seems you are ill informed sir. You need to look at the past comments and posts about MGO and "Konami's" servers and not the PSN.
Sad to see people ill educated on matters such as this. Ill school you and rear you as my own if it would teach you better. Hell ill teach you how to read and comprihend.

Jopan

@resetbutton: On the one hand, they'd be missing out on £40 a year multiplied by what, 12 million Gold members?

That's a lot.

However, with PSN improving and the (sorta-maybe) imminent release of Home, they maybe need to get a bigger advantage. Because if you want to play online for 3 years, a PS3 is much cheaper in the long run.

Maybe they figure they'll claw back some folks on the fence, or give people more reason to choose 360 on multi-format releases. It'd make sense they'd risk stuff like this considering how much they've risked already on the Xbox brand.

Meh, I still say it's false, but who knows?

Krondonian

and then, sony shat bricks.

Bugged?

@Sparx: I like the anger and flaming. lol Anyway Konami is retarded for not using sonys platform of dedicated servers.

deathtastic

Yeah, Not to mention the XBL servers will blow up due to the sudden surge of new players.

gothamdarkknight

@jigglypoofs:
Metal Gear Solid 4 is a masterpiece, far from disastrous. Metal Gear Online however, is not as good because it uses Konami servers for online play.

Lil'Zay

@Fermbiz:
Most have Dedicated Matchmaking Servers ;)
But some have DEdicated Servers.

gothamdarkknight

This wont happen at all. Microsoft get too much money from subscription costs. If it does then many people will be more than over the moon :P

DanteIX

@everybest: With most things its true.

Honestly I would prefer to pay for Xbl if they had more dedicated servers.

deathtastic

@jigglypoofs:

When are people like you going to get it through your thick heads that MGO has NOTHING to do with PSN? Its all on Konami. If your going to badmouth something at least know what the hell your talking about.

Sparx

If XBL goes free, I get the feeling the cost of DLC stuff will go up. They're going to want to recoup some of the lost profits.

Nedus

I always thought XBL shoudl be free since theres no dedicated severs. I still wonder what exactly are we paying for.

Fermbiz

@jerimas:
Thanks to how PSN operates.

gothamdarkknight

@jigglypoofs: Oh boy, another ill-informed fanboy.

CHunterX

@TheExiledLeader: Well I doubt any of this is happening anyway, but a man can dream!

A man can dream...

Sugoi

Well, Gold members still get Betas and DLC early, it just feels like online play should never cost if games are already 60 dollars its like half the money then. This is probably a glitch in the system though. Nothing permanent.

Lil'Zay

how much would microsoft lose if they decided to make online free for 360?

resetbutton

@jigglypoofs: I know this is a little off topic, but isn't the MGS 4 issue more a problem with Konami and their servers, as opposed to the PSN?

jerimas

I really hope they do not make it free. Then MS would have an excuse to let Live go and they wouldn't have to be the leader any longer. I hate PSN and do not want anything to do with it on my 360.

Muisee

@jigglypoofs: MGO isn't on the PS network. It's konami's own servers. you fail

JohAE86

Oh Please be True ive had my 360 for like 2 years and if i can finally play online for free that will be so awsome

SirThoraxe

it wont be free i will pay just so i can say i play on a good system you can go ahead and play for free with sony all 4 of you

xeroblade

If it is true, I could see them doing free online for specific older titles. I think if they make "LIVE" totally free it would piss off far too many people who have paid already. Though I suppose they could do a refund or MS point trade thing too. Anyhow, would be a nice feature to add for MS to keep their edge, as the PSN is really starting to come into its own at this point. Though the PSN is not as integrated and robust as "LIVE" quite yet, its price of fee makes it very compelling.

-EDGE-

I would like them to adopt an advertising form of xbox live, every time I sign in I get adverts streamed to a small flashbox on my dashboard or something.

or perhaps in some games, after every 5 or 6 games, when in matchmaking, or in the lobby an advert is played.@

href="#c6907887">LilZay14: well look at MGS4, their biggest online game and it's an online disaster due to PSNetwork.

jigglypoofs

Playing online should have been free in the first place. Why should I have to pay for part of a game that I already bought?

la1337

@Sugoi: Yeah that would be the best way but we all know Microsoft and their legal loop holes and endless tunnel of customer support...

TheExiledLeader

@LilZay14: So I have to pay 2 subscription fees to watch Netflix on my TV?

Although I do admit, the communal movie watching is a nifty idea but I don't see myself using it

outforprophets

I don't know what Microsoft are playing at by this. If this is true, there is no reason to possibly pay for a gold subscription now. I believe this has to be a glitch, and nothing more. Otherwise they'd have a lot of refunds to hand out for anyone who's prepaid.

wild homes loves you but chooses darkness!

@TheExiledLeader: Well if you only play 360-PC cross compatible titles, then I feel sorry for you.

Otherwise, I'd like MS to keep this glitch around. If it hangs, I'm going for a cheap Shadowrun.

.endejas.

Given how crappy Shadowrun is and it effectively being an online only game the only way to get people to play it on the 360 is to let them play online for free.

EmptyRepublic

Just cancel the subscriptions of people who are currently paying for gold and give them a number of points relative to the value of the time that they've paid up to.

This seems like the most reasonable way to address it.

Sugoi

even with a Gold type service, i still encountered a fair amount of asses throughout Live.

open up the floodgates, and there will just be many many more.

flight240

Thats crap I just bought a new 13 month subscription thursday...

TheExiledLeader

That would be nice. I hardly use Live, but I still pay for it each month out of convenience - it doesn't seem like much, but that $8 or so a month certainly adds up.

Be interesting how they would phase Gold out though... credit those that already had months left of credit from the year purchases? I find that hard to believe.

More likely they're just trying to snag more subscribers to Gold, and the Wednesday deal is a glitch - there's been enough of live. I remember seeing a download link to the Tales demo that popped up on the 'featured' section weeks before it was supposed to be available for download - the link was dead of course and disappeared soon after.

sir_carrot

@banana_ridah: They've infiltrated everything, I don't think it can get much worse. I'd rather not test that theory though. @_@

Elly

@LilZay14: IF they have a netflix account in addition :p

Aex

@Scottendo: Exactly, if Silver goes free now..What happens to the Gold users?

Arnold Rimmer's Garden Strimmer

@.endejas.: I meant that if they transfer the Silver experience from GFW-Live to the console.

Just to clear that up.

.endejas.

@Scottendo: You won't be getting it back, that's for damn sure.

Free would be cool, but like outforprophets said, would it just degenerate into a griefing nightmare of kids and rednecks spouting racial slurs, even more than it is now?

banana_ridah

@outforprophets:
Gold members will have Netflix.

Lil'Zay

That wouldn't be fair to all the fanboys. Last I heard, free things lacked quality!

everybest

They could give Silver members free, low-level multiplayer and limit them from online achievements. Like on the PC version, they might also limit voice communications.

As much as a free Xbox Live multiplayer pleases me, I don't want a tiered multiplayer experience that might limit communication between me and my teammates. I get angry already when I come across a guy that doesn't have a mic on XBL.

.endejas.

Nice try, but they'd have to pay ME to play Shadowrun.

MeanMF

Oh man, free model would be great. I cancelled my subscription during a long string of console failures and haven't had an inkling to pony up any cash since.

I wonder if they'd refund gold members or give them points or something.

Elly

What will happen to all that money I invested, eh?

Scottendo

Please be free, please be free. Call me a cheapskate, but it doesn't make sense to pay for online play when I have free PSN.

Lil'Zay

On the one hand I would be happy to see it go free. One of the main reasons I'm picking up Soul Calibur 4 on PS3 is free online play.

On the other hand it might degenerate into a Bnet situation with whiny/obnoxious kids - even more so than it is now.

Either way, what's the distinction then between Gold and Silver Live members if this all is true?

outforprophets

Well, they should! I don't really get why it needed being payed for in the first place.

hezz05

They wouldn't just up and make it free without yelling it from the highest mountain.

justhesh

If it becomes free then why the fuck am i paying $50 a year for gold?

kagebutsu

They had no option but to do this for PC gaming as it was killing the games and sadly the developers. But now that that's free its now totally unfair for xbox users to pay for the same service, Microsoft will have to cook up something.

Ryuujin1024

@gothamdarkknight:

Mind reading what I write? I said that the sad part was that he is probably lying about being a homosexual.

Sigh at you.

Wahrheit

they mean cros platform by saying pc to 360. least from what i just read.

and does this mean that i can play cod4 with my silver acount... and is there a list of cross platform games

darkmdbeener

@GOD:

Dedicated servers aren't really an answer because you can have some ppl w/ pings sub 20 and others w/ 200+. That's very common. The only thing dedicated servers are better at is in the number of players that can connect because they're generally on fatter pipes. almost all P2P games also have artificial host lag now, based upon the connection quality of the people connected. Then there are ping tools & connection quality heuristics which help people/matchmaking choose the best connections. Also, warhawk isn't all dedicated servers (on a backbone). only some are; most are P2P.

XBL also enables more games online; whether it be a tiny arcade title or something from a big studio like VF5. It being independent also means that even if a studio closes or gets absorbed by another company the online remains.

string_theory

How many of you paid a subscription for Live-Gold on Vista to play shadowrun?. I might have been 1 of the 10 people that actually bought the game.

Then I bought a 360.

PsycheE

Strangely enough I came across a guy with a silver account in Halo 3 matchmaking last week...
Cool if true.

Zeouterlimits

This would probably push me into getting a 360....the online was the main reason I wasn't getting it in the first place.

Hopefully they get rid of the fee...

paulrules

@MantisDragon: Damn. That's dedication. Though, I guess you're technically using the non-subscription fee for that.

justhesh

@geo1378: Live isn't $8 per month. It is ~$4 per month.

A 13 month card is $50.

$50/13 = $3.84 a month

And you can find the 13 month cards for $40 all the time.

$40/13 = $3.07 a month

That's less than a cappuccino at Starbucks.

Rectangle

I thought free was a four-letter word at Microsoft. How can they keep the quality ads going all over your Blades if you do not pay for them?

jackal888

YES!!!! I HOPE ITS TRUE!!

Cheap ass gamers FTW!

Majpain007

LOL MGS0 biggest ever online game, are you retarded call of duty 4 is statisically and figures don't lie.

Oh and yeah MS are really poor they have a cash surplus of 750 billion essentially 750 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000. yes thats a lot of money they can buy nintendo like 200 times over and yes xbox live should be free cus they can't run through 750 billion

SteveeVader

Does this work for Halo 2 aswell?

Mundus

Man, I wish it were free.

Wubbytoes

While MS may not actually run dedicated servers for games, the money does go to matchmaking and voice which I am fine paying $5 a month to have.

Seriously, if you think online gaming should be free talk to the people that run dedicated gaming and voice servers. It isn't cheap.

It is $150 a year just for my GW alliance to run one of our VOIP servers. We have three total.

MantisDragon

So if they end up making XBL gaming free...what are their plans to appease gamers that are currently sitting in 13 month subscriptions to what will now be a worthless service?

I hope refunds.

TRT-X

sorry but i like paying, Live is leaps and bounds ahead of anything out right now and 5 dollars a month is completely laughable cost, if you can afford it save your lunch money for 1 week out of the month.

MINIBOSS

This is totally another "Down with playstation" move. Free Live. Oh man, totally going to get one now.

mergedwarrior

When your the only competitor in Console MP for years you can charge...

I thought that eventually the rise of the Home Network on PS3 and Wii's online capabilties would drive MS to eventually make a good portion of their Service to be free eventually...

This is why the console war must stagnate and is healthy for all included; it drives MS and Sony to compete and make the customer's choice all the harder and enable great benefits for going with one or the other...in this case I think Xbox live will eventually be free to play games but other things such as content will always be pay to play...

Ibramgaunt

@invisiblewok:

so your using the ps2 as an example? my xbox broke i didnt have the option to buy a new one because there not sold.

Well back to this gen both companies support their consoles well. However my buddy had a problem with removing disks from his ps3 last month and is now back to playing with his refurbed ps3 and a free control (six axis)they sent with it to make up for the lose. While someone who has a 360 and had a problem that didnt have to do with rrod and got no free support from from microsoft and had to buy a new xbox.

rwhp3

It's silly to look at xbox live and think.. "boy it's bad, but just imagine what we're keeping out"

You're not keeping anyone out!

A year subscription is 40 bucks, do you think cheap people are inherently more rude and obnoxious than the millions of 12-year-olds that already roam the servers now? I seriously doubt it.

I can see an issue with a paid service on a computer. People can generally get one or use one as part of their everyday life. And the networks they used are largely unregulated. Unlike the 360's.

The reality is that obnoxious people have no age, and maturity isn't tied to a wallet. It's a weak argument at best.

Scuba Steve

@SteveeVader: BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH MICROSOFT WINS AND BUYS NINTENDO SONY BLAH BLAH BLAH SO MUCH MONEY BLAH BLAH RULES THE WORLD

everybest

what about someone like me who's paid in full for the next 5 years for gold membership. it becomes free, now what? what happens to us? i hope we get our money back or some bonuses. i accept ms points

Orionsaint

@justhesh: Seriously, any guild that is worth their weight has a dedicated VOIP server. Doesn't matter if the game has subs or not.

MantisDragon

@teeps1981:

I got the money. So why not?

Orionsaint

I used to not have a problem paying for live, but ever since I've tasted the PSN, which has it's own problems, I know...I've been wanting XBL to go free. I don't feel I'm getting $50 dollars worth of extra stuff for being on live as opposed to PSN.

paulofjustice

I sure hope so. I haven't played a single multiplayer game for Xbox live 'cuz of it, but I've certainly wanted to. I just don't have any desire to pay a monthly fee in order to play multiplayer games that have, up till now, normally been free-multiplayer types of games. I can understand specific games having paid online services, but the Live model where you're locked out of services that the game developer themselves should be deciding upon doesn't quite work for me.

Poojipoo

@Orionsaint: How the hell did you manage to pay for 5 years?

teeps1981

XB Live become free for Silver members seems to be too magnanimous a move for Microsoft. I'll believe this once we figure out what the catch it, be it dedicated servers for Gold subscribers, unranked play only for Silver, or something along those lines.

Altersparck

if u divide the cost for xbox live up, you are paying around $4.17 per month. that's not that bad, but it still should be free, cause eventually, psn will start to catch up, but not right now.

dipsetboy17

@Mmoney667: That sounds more like it.

Altersparck

@jigglypoofs:

Congratulations, you just unlocked the Douchebag Medal Award!.

xCruciaLx

@Orionsaint:

LOL...

XBL was the only console multiplayer service for years, it was worth the money before sony and nintendo started doing it for free.

cookiesareafriend

or maybe someone over at Microsoft forgot to pull the plug on the free service?

Mmoney667