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[Captain Toad]

Don't spread FUD, you can buy a year of Gold anywhere.

No Changes to Xbox Live Gold Pricing, Free-to-Play Games to be Unlocked [Update] - Xbox Wire

[UPDATED on 1/22/2021 at 8:52 PM PT] We messed up today and you were right to let us know. Connecting and playing with friends is a vital part of gaming and we failed to meet the expectations of players who count on it every day. As a result, we have decided not to change Xbox […]

news.xbox.com

You were saying?

 

[Thirty7ven]

Same could be said of those of you that lean blue.

I'm not talking about fans in general. Most Xbox/Playstation/Nintendo fans don't act like dim wits when it comes to these matters.

Those thinking MS was about to give them free Live when they don’t even make F2P free nor do they give live to standard Gamepass subscribers, what can you say about these people?

 

[Flutta]

You can't blame people for thinking Microsoft couldn't be this out of their fucking mind.

Only stupid people would think that.

 

[Forsythia]

WTF it's true, these idiots actually did it. Not only is it ridiculous we still have to pay to play online, but $60 for half a year? Jesus christ.

 

[Dabaus]

If you can't get the organic growth one way you'll get it another way. Turning Gold into Gamepass was a no brainer move if you're pressured internally to deliver on growth figures - although revenue and profit can't be hidden from Nadella any way it's spun so. But if you look at it from the pov of profit maximization - Xbox Live Gold is more clean money than Gamepass (which is more expensive to maintain). More like Phil fighting for his life (and the division) and this is the price to pay. Whether gamers are willing to pay that is another thing.

I agree but if Phil is fighting for his job then HOW did he get the boss to sign off on a 7.5 billion dollar acquisition? I remain bullish none of these Bethesda games will be permanent exclusives.

 

[Captain Toad]

$120 every year just to access online features, that basically every modern game, even mostly single-player, requires.

 

[bxrz]

If you can't get the organic growth one way you'll get it another way. Turning Gold into Gamepass was a no brainer move if you're pressured internally to deliver on growth figures - although revenue and profit can't be hidden from Nadella any way it's spun so. But if you look at it from the pov of profit maximization - Xbox Live Gold is more clean money than Gamepass (which is more expensive to maintain). More like Phil fighting for his life (and the division) and this is the price to pay. Whether gamers are willing to pay that is another thing.

They just bought a publisher for 7.5 billion dollars for this division. How are they fighting for their lives? The move was to get people on GPU. Thats it.

 

[a multicultural team of v]

 

[Matsuchezz]

This is the most anti consumer move from the most pro consumer company in the whole world!!

 

[skit_data]

Thats... not very consumer friendly

 

[Wizz-Art]

No Changes to Xbox Live Gold Pricing, Free-to-Play Games to be Unlocked [Update] - Xbox Wire

[UPDATED on 1/22/2021 at 8:52 PM PT] We messed up today and you were right to let us know. Connecting and playing with friends is a vital part of gaming and we failed to meet the expectations of players who count on it every day. As a result, we have decided not to change Xbox […]

news.xbox.com

You were saying?

I provided a link and advise anyone to top their Gold up untill they can for the cheap price. The increase sucks!

 

[quest]

I'm not talking about fans in general. Most Xbox/Playstation/Nintendo fans don't act like dim wits when it comes to these matters.

Those thinking MS was about to give them free Live when they don’t even make F2P free nor do they give live to standard Gamepass subscribers, what can you say about these people?

Yet again why would encouraging pay to win games be a positive? You screw over someone who paid 69.99 for a game but reward someone who paid nothing lol. If it was free for retail games and paid for pay to win to discourage them i could see the point. Microsoft fucked up raising prices but not encouraging pay to win games is not a fuck up.

 

[Papacheeks]

$120 every year just to access online features, that basically every modern game, even mostly single-player, requires.

$120 a year for F2P access is complete horseshit. I hope SOny never changes their stance on that. Especially now that we have great F2P games like Overwatch, warzone, Apex legends, Fortnite.

Xbox is in for a rude awakening at some point here.

 

[CaptainConlock]

Paid online console gaming was a Microsoft invention and it's becoming clear that their subscription model is showing it's detriments to the consumer. Microsoft will string consumers along with good deals at first until they decide to manipulate the price for their liking. It will be a matter of time when the value of game pass will begin to dwindle once the loyalty of subscribers is strong enough. Also I won't be surprised if Sony chooses to follow Microsoft's footsteps, however that may not happen for awhile.

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

Guess it is done to push Game Pass Subscription, while they don't get rid of Xbox Live Gold in general.

Doesn't affect me as I am on GPU anyway.

 

[Papacheeks]

Paid online console gaming was a Microsoft invention and it's becoming clear that their subscription model is showing it's detriments to the consumer. Microsoft will string consumers along with good deals at first until they decide to manipulate the price for their liking. It will be a matter of time when the value of game pass will begin to dwindle once the loyalty of subscribers is strong enough. Also I won't be surprised if Sony chooses to follow Microsoft's footsteps, however that may not happen for awhile.

I honestly think and i mean this is just me thinking outloud, but I think Sony had plans to do something similar but then went another direction and increased game prices.

 

[PropellerEar]

Yet again why would encouraging pay to win games be a positive? You screw over someone who paid 69.99 for a game but reward someone who paid nothing lol. If it was free for retail games and paid for pay to win to discourage them i could see the point. Microsoft fucked up raising prices but not encouraging pay to win games is not a fuck up.

They get a generous cut from all the MTX.

 

[The_Mike]

Only stupid people would think that.

Yeah because Microsoft is the only evil company thinking profit.

Are you still OK with paying 70 dollars/ 80 euro for sonys games?

I'd rather pay 60 euro more every half year than playing 20 euro extra per exclusive. Actually, I rather neither of these shitty practises and are pc only.

Both companies are shit let's not pretend one is good and the other is evil.

 

[Rbk_3]

Guess it is done to push Game Pass Subscription, while they don't get rid of Xbox Live Gold in general.

Doesn't affect me as I am on GPU anyway.

Also doesn't affect me. I too play using my GPU.

 

[XXL]

People went from acting like Gold would be free to being ok with Xbox forcing people into Gamepass Ultimate.

 

[bxrz]

Guess it is done to push Game Pass Subscription, while they don't get rid of Xbox Live Gold in general.

Doesn't affect me as I am on GPU anyway.

I am also on GPU

 

[Papacheeks]

Yeah because Microsoft is the only evil company thinking profit.

Are you still OK with paying 70 dollars/ 80 euro for sonys games?

I'd rather pay 60 euro more every half year than playing 20 euro extra per exclusive. Actually, I rather neither of these shitty practises and are pc only.

Both companies are shit let's not pretend one is good and the other is evil.

Until they change it, Sony doesn't charge to play F2P games. XBox does and has for sometime now. ANd not getting ride of gamepass tier and just having gamepass ultimate to me is the move they should make. It would make more sense.

 

[Dane]

Shit move, imagine doubling the price overnight. Unless +85% of the console userbase is already a gamepass ultimate subscriber I can't see not making a damage.

 

[Knitted Knight]

They just bought a publisher for 7.5 billion dollars for this division. How are they fighting for their lives? The move was to get people on GPU. Thats it.

I'm not Nadella, so I'm not sure what his criteria is on what the division performance must be. But I wouldn't have given Phil that kinda money in the first place - for sure. Dude is incompetent managing that ship, as was he when managing Xbox studios as the head under Matrick - but that is just my opinion.

Once the one trick pony of turning Gold subscribers into Gamepass subs has maxed its usefulness where will your organic growth come from? You're back to the same old place you where - subject to the same market pressures and competition. If you're resorting to those tactics now, instead of doing so out the gate when Gamepass was launched (or shortly after) it tells me as an observer that there is strong internal pressure to deliver on growth figures and that it wasn't part of the initial strategy (which is compounded by the fact that you just got a 7.5B gift for a "no excuses to deliver" send off). Although there is the possibility that they did think of it but in order to give the ploy (Gamepass) a chance they thought that selling it as an optional sub was more appealing to the audience (to not be seen as pushy and mandatory, and avoid branding association aka "the new Gold"), and thus its value proposition had to be extremely low within a set time-frame (introductory period) in order to give marketing a chance to create a bandwagon effect backed up by loss-leader pricing (which is what they've been trying to do - "best value in gaming™").

If you look at Phil as a spoiled brat you get something like this:

"But but... papa Nadella, Sony has all these studios making content, we have so few....it's not fair."

Papa Nadella is like: "here go buy some new toys. But... no more excuses".

"Sure Papa".

With Phil crossing fingers hoping the division can stay afloat until the next CEO is crowned so he can attempt to sweet talk him too.

One of many possible reads.

 

[Fess]

Lol this is so dumb, I didn’t even think it was worth the money before.

And how will this affect Gamepass? I still have another year of cheap prepaid Gamepass Ultimate though but it would be nice to not have to pay for half a console each year.

 

[Three]

Okay... where the fuck is the free F2P online?

Considering the fact that games like Fortnite and Rocket League are in the top played games this will be more and more unlikely since MS like money.

 

[PropellerEar]

Would USA legislation support some kind of price gouging lawsuit?
They doubled the price, and didn't add any benefits, while being a monopoly to provide such a service on their HW platform.

 

[demigod]

Yeah because Microsoft is the only evil company thinking profit.

Are you still OK with paying 70 dollars/ 80 euro for sonys games?

I'd rather pay 60 euro more every half year than playing 20 euro extra per exclusive. Actually, I rather neither of these shitty practises and are pc only.

Both companies are shit let's not pretend one is good and the other is evil.

What does Sony have to do with xbox live price increase? Nothing. But go ahead and bring them into the discussion to defend Microsofts actions.

 

[Dabaus]

All of the usual suspects with xbox avatars: "This is great for me as im already subscribed to Game pass ultimate already." These must be the talking points MS has given you. I see what youre doing here.

 

[Rossco EZ]

ooooof that’s awful

 

[sublimit]

What worries me is that now those idiots at Sony are going to raise the price of PS+ as well. A service that i'm paying only to be able to play online and for cloud saves which both should have been free in the first place.

 

[Topher]

Would USA legislation support some kind of price gouging lawsuit?
They doubled the price, and didn't add any benefits, while being a monopoly to provide such a service on their HW platform.

Microsoft's "monopoly" is really only with Windows though. Plenty of competition in gaming. So it really isn't "price gouging" as there are clear alternatives. Microsoft or any other company can price themselves out of the market whenever they want. It is stupid, but not illegal.

What worries me is that now those idiots at Sony are going to raise the price of PS+ as well. A service that i'm paying only to be able to play online...

Microsoft has handed Sony a pretty clear advantage with this. Let's hope Jim Ryan refrains from being Jim Ryan for once.

 

[bxrz]

I'm not Nadella, so I'm not sure what his criteria is clearly on what the division performance must be. But I wouldn't have given Phil that kinda money for sure in the first place. Dude is incompetent managing that ship - but that is just my opinion.

Once the one trick pony of turning Gold subscribers into Gamepass subs where will your organic growth come from? If you're resorting to that now, instead of doing so out the gate when Gamepass was launched (or shortly after) it tells me as an observer that there is strong internal pressure to deliver on growth figures (which is compounded by the fact that you just got a 7.5B gift for a "no excuses" to deliver send off). That's just my read.

How is he incompetent? He turned Xbox into a net positive when the last leader of Xbox left the brand in absolute shambles, which they are still attempting to clean up til this day.

Your read is wrong. They want people off Gold and onto Game Pass.

 

[Lone Wolf]

Bad move, will backfire badly.

 

[The_Mike]

What does Sony have to do with xbox live price increase? Nothing. But go ahead and bring them into the discussion to defend Microsofts actions.

Can you read, or do you just having reading comprehension? Go back to my post and see where I defended Microsoft.

 

[GHG]

GOOD GOD!!!! This is bad for the console industry.

$10 a month to play online.

Makes me feel good about upgrading my PC and getting a PS5 just for the single player exclusives.

That price increase is a piss take.

DGrayson the rumour tag needs to be removed from the thread listing.

 

[PropellerEar]

Microsoft's "monopoly" is really only with Windows though. Plenty of competition in gaming. So it really isn't "price gouging" as there are clear alternatives. Microsoft or any other company can price themselves out of the market whenever they want. It is stupid, but not illegal.

They sold tens of millions of consoles. They are the sole provider of services of XBLGs kind on these consoles.
One can compare pricing to Nintendo Online or PS+ which are atleast half the price.

Quote from Eu law.

Article 82(a) EC prohibits a dominant firm from “directly or indirectly imposing unfair
purchase or selling prices or other unfair trading conditions”. A firm holds a dominant
position if it possesses enough market power to behave to an appreciable extent independently
of the competitors, customers and ultimately consumers
5
. Due to the general formulation of
Article 82, every dominant firm, however its market power has been acquired or maintained
(Kauper, 1990:660), has the special responsibility
6
not to set excessive prices.

 

[LisaMariaMartin]

They are basically saying if you only play yearly releases like madden or fifa, buy a ps4 /ps5.

Incredibly short sighted and silly. Dropping f2p requirment would have softened the blow.

 

[Three]

Can you read, or do you just having reading comprehension? Go back to my post and see where I defended Microsoft.

Admit it, you were doing a Sony Too(tm) completely out of the blue to make the price hike seem like some kind of lesser evil. What's wrong with you?

 

[Flutta]

Can you read, or do you just having reading comprehension? Go back to my post and see where I defended Microsoft.

You kinda did, then went on a rant.

 

[H-I-M]

I was told that good guys Microsoft are pro consumer.

 

[The_Mike]

Definitely one of the best consoles and generations in gaming history, if this is it for PS4 it will be the third straight generation of beating Microsoft.

Admit it, you were doing a Sony Too(tm) completely out of the blue to make the price hike seem like some kind of lesser evil. What's wrong with you?

I said it was shit in the very first post and never tried to defend shit like this don't put fake shit like this down on me.

You kinda did, then went on a rant.

No. I kinda didn't.

 

[Reindeer]

cOnSoLe GaMiNg Is ChEaP

 

[xrnzaaas]

The outrage if (when?) they'll increase the price of GPU to 20 dollars will be more interesting to watch. At this point it's absolutely pointless to sub only to Gold without Game Pass.

 

[DonkeyKong]

That looks like a crazy price increase, double PS+ cost for 12 months sub. Who thought that was a good idea???

 

[Topher]

They sold tens of millions of consoles. They are the sole provider of services of XBLGs kind on these consoles.
One can compare pricing to Nintendo Online or PS+ which are atleast half the price.

Right. I'm saying that this won't raise any eyebrows in the US due to the competitive nature of the industry.

 

[chonga]

That's CDKeys. Now, go log onto to Xbox and try to buy a year from Gold from Microsoft.

Microsoft Has Stopped Selling One-Year Xbox Live Gold Subscriptions - Thurrott.com

Microsoft has confirmed that it is no longer selling one-year Xbox Live Gold subscriptions, leading to speculation about the future.

www.thurrott.com

And this is Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002VBWIP6/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Plus where do you think CD Keys et al get their codes from? Do they hack into Microsoft and generate impossible codes? No. They have stock of real 12 months codes.

Just because MS doesn't sell direct does not mean it does not exist. Likewise despite the gloom over the withdrawal I can go to any retailer in my country and they all still sell the 12 month option.

You are presenting a false argument. Give it up.

 

[GHG]

And this is Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002VBWIP6/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Plus where do you think CD Keys et al get their codes from? Do they hack into Microsoft and generate impossible codes? No. They have stock of real 12 months codes.

Just because MS doesn't sell direct does not mean it does not exist. Likewise despite the gloom over the withdrawal I can go to any retailer in my country and they all still sell the 12 month option.

You are presenting a false argument. Give it up.

The price increase isn't real guys.

 

[Derktron]

No Changes to Xbox Live Gold Pricing, Free-to-Play Games to be Unlocked [Update] - Xbox Wire

[UPDATED on 1/22/2021 at 8:52 PM PT] We messed up today and you were right to let us know. Connecting and playing with friends is a vital part of gaming and we failed to meet the expectations of players who count on it every day. As a result, we have decided not to change Xbox […]

news.xbox.com

You were saying?

GOTTEM!!!!!

 

[phil_t98]

Still £49 for the year on uk Amazon. What is price of ultimate for the year?