SoloKingRobert
Banned
If Microsoft gets rid of Gold it'll sway huge amount of fanbase from PlayStation, PC and Nintendo to Microsoft's ecosystem. This will be a huge cash flow for Microsoft.
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[Confirmed] Xbox Live is no more, will be changed to Xbox Network
- Thread starter Craig of War
- Start date
- Rumor
If Microsoft gets rid of Gold it'll sway huge amount of fanbase from PlayStation, PC and Nintendo to Microsoft's ecosystem. This will be a huge cash flow for Microsoft.
01011001
Banned
if they don't want to we have to push them to do it. Gold is bullshit, especially this day an age where PC players use the exact same services and servers as XBL Gold members completely for free.
MarkMe2525
Gold Member
Do you feel super clever now? I'm glad you can at my expense.
IntentionalPun
Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
This argument is as old as Live itself.. it's not really a "this day and age" argument since we've had Live in some form on Windows since the beginning.
Topher
Gold Member
If Microsoft believed making online gaming free would result in more revenue than paid online then that is exactly what they would do. But they have made it very clear that is not what they are going to do and that is obviously because they would take a significant hit to revenue.
Microsoft is no different than any other corporation. Just....
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01011001
Banned
that XBL was different, NOW wer literally have the same games released day and day on both usually with crossbuy and everything, running crossplay, crossprogression and using the exact same services down to party chat, Game DVR uploads etc.
this is not like the weird early Games for Windows Live shit, this is literally the same Online Store even! Yes not every app and game is available on both the XBox and PC side but developers CAN do that easily now, it runs on the same backend it just filters the compatible apps between devices. the fact that Xbox users have to pay at this point is simply in no way defendable anymore (not that it was much before, but now it isn't at all)
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kyliethicc
Member
Once XBL is dead and Game Pass is their only service, longterm plan would be to just raise prices by $1 every year or two.
Eventually basic GP and GPPC will be $15/month and GPU will be $20/month. By like 2026 I'd guess.
Netflix etc do the same shit. Start cheaper, grow, get lots of subs, lots of content, creep up the price.
Banjo64
cumsessed
Not really, was just meme-ing mate.
kuncol02
Banned
Sphere with x cut was part of xbox branding (in slightly different version) since beginning.
01011001
Banned
well sadly no, this is just a rename so far
IntentionalPun
Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
It's definitely converged more for sure.
It's still an argument as old as Live itself lol (or formerly, Live! was how you'd refer to it IIRC with the exclamation point)
IntentionalPun
Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
Pretty sure Microsoft will take $10 a month from people for Xbox Live Gold until the end of time if they can get away with it. I don't know why you think they'd get rid of it.
SoSoftFrom doubling the price and then reverting the price due to backl
MicroSony?
Just for F2P games. Finally.
The way its worded it seems like Gold is staying.
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Spukc
always chasing the next thrill
Lame
SLB1904
Banned
Damn. You should tell them. All those well paid market research team clearly have nothing on you :
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They cant just up and drop that money maker tho. Either it will get bundled with all Game Pass tiers or they will keep it. Right now its just with GPU, the console only tier doesnt have Gold, so no online MP unless you get Gold too.
One of the things that kept them ok last gen was Gold. They still have/honor the $1 deal. Thats not gonna fly forever.
Its one thing to wanna sway users, but making money on some level has to be a goal.
Remember the PS, 360? Did free online sway a bunch of 360 users away from Xbox?
Its wild how we see some of these things happen already and think if X company does it its gonna just automatically be different.
One thing that could work in their favor is Series S. They already gambled with GP and it seems to be doing fine so far. Now the gamble could be sway users with free online with a $299 console.
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DeepEnigma
Gold Member
I see it still hurts. If it's any consultation, I still like you.
As for the name change, it makes more sense.
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kyliethicc
Member
Huh? I think they'll just replace XBL Gold (current $5/month) with Game Pass ($10/month). Eventually on Xbox consoles they will just require Game Pass in order to play online multiplayer on the "Xbox Network" (except for free to play.)
Its more just a way for them to merge the 2 subs.. but also double the effective price many users pay for online mp, get rid of the monthly Games with Gold, and massively raise the number of GP subs they can claim.
I think Microsoft are greedy and want everyone on their consoles paying $10-20 per month instead of just $5/month for Live. And sadly, its their best bet to basically force most xbox owners to get game pass.
IntentionalPun
Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
Xbox Live Gold's current monthly price is $9.99... and just 2 months ago that's what they tried to make even the yearly price of XBLG.. while making the monthly price $11...
Yet people still think they are getting rid of it lol
If anything regular GamePass will go up to $15, and GPU will be $20.
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kyliethicc
Member
? You might wanna re-read what I wrote.
I don't think they'll ever make their online free. I think they're going to make their console users who currently pay $60/year for online multiplayer (XBLG) eventually have to pay DOUBLE OR MORE by raising that paywall to $120-$180/year (GP).
They will increase their revenue. Its what greedy corps do.
Just to mention as well, 2002 to 2013 worked soo well because of the duality of Green and Orange, it just worked soo well and will always remind me of that 360 domination era.
Good night sweet prince.
Topher
Gold Member
I agree with you that they would love nothing more than for Xbox Live subs to move to Game Pass. But they can't kill Xbox Live Gold and forfeit all that revenue or suffer the horrible PR that would result. And they can't force people to change to Game Pass Ultimate. Seems like they are trying to slowly "de-brand" Xbox Live and let it work itself out via attrition. I think Phil Spencer was hoping Game Pass Ultimate would have overtaken Xbox Live Gold in numbers by now, but the combination of all forms of Game Pass are still around 20 million. I'd think XLG has more than that. Not sure though.
They can do it by making the other more expensive. They don't forfeit revenue they actually increase it while possibly reducing users. They remove the 12 year xbox live/network cards. You no longer have that 12 mongh discount. Now getting a year of GPU is only somewhat more expensive than buying Xbox live every 3 months. Double the price of xbox live? Now GPU seems more enticing even if slightly more expensive. You increase revenue by making GPU seem like a bargain, you don't forfeit revenue.
I doubt XBL subs are that much more than 20M. Last I remember only approx 48% of the install base sign up for gold.
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IntentionalPun
Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
Errr.. where did I say that you claimed they were going to make online free?
I'm confused here. Why do I need to re-read what you wrote again? lol Why would they raise the price of something if they plan on getting rid of it.. to push people to a lower margin service? Makes.. zero sense.
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ComputerBlue
Member
Can't believe some people still think they're going to make Gold free when just two months ago they tried to double the price.
JLB
Banned
wanna bet?
kyliethicc
Member
I think they raised the yearly price of Live to $120/year because they want that $120/year per user to be the minimum. Ideally they want $180-$240/year. I think they now know they can't get away with just doubling Live price without reason. So they'll find another way, they're greedy. This new way will be forcing users to pay for Game Pass instead, then just raise the price of Game Pass.
It makes perfect sense. They get to have:
1) more revenue overall
2) more GP subscribers to brag about to their investors
3) higher minimum revenue per user ($120 vs $60)
4) less bad PR when they raise the price "cuz game pass so good"
5) no more monthly games with gold expenses
6) set up easy future price hikes for game pass
7) streamline and simplify the services they sell
8) focus all marketing just on game pass brand (no more live brand)
9) profit
I think their initial plan was "lets make XBLG cost $120/year so GPU at $180/year LOOKS like a deal." People got mad at the price doubling, so they're gonna try to do it again somehow. They want that $180/year per user, somehow.
Right now, millions of Xbox users only give them $60/year, others $120, and some $180. The min is 60, max is 180.
If they simply announce "all existing XBLG subs are now GP subs" and then add in "GP will now be required online multiplayer *except free to play" sure some people would be mad, but not nearly as mad as when they just said "fuck it XBLG costs 2x now."
They want that year min per user up to $120, not 60. Its not quite as good as getting the GPU $180 but its a start. Once everyones comfy with GP for $120/year, just bump the price up $1 each year and suddenly they've got to their $180+/year goal.
They're never gonna add value to XBLG anymore, so how else do you achieve the goal? Gotta pretend to offer more value in order to take more of their money.
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alabtrosMyster
Banned
zaanan
Banned
DaGwaphics
Member
I hear you. Especially with Steam covering a lot of the core Xbox Live features for free as well. In the early days Xbox Live was doing a lot of things that just weren't done elsewhere, that isn't so much the case anymore. Not to say that they aren't still the best in some areas.
But, with everyone in the console space charging for online, I just don't see them ever dropping the paid online requirement. Look at how long they left the FtP games behind the paywall, even though that flew directly in the face of putting the 1S on firesale like they did so often.
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Zog
Banned
Only on PC. Microsoft has corrupted everyone else.
zaanan
Banned
JLB
Banned
wanna bet?
ReBurn
Gold Member
you bought an xbox because you liked the name xbox live?
zaanan
Banned
Bingo! This is how they make that $7b back.
Indyblue
Member
On the Xbox console, it is still going to be called Xbox live.
“’Xbox network’ refers to the underlying Xbox online service, which was updated in the Microsoft Services Agreement,” says a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to The Verge. “The update from ‘Xbox Live’ to ‘Xbox network’ is intended to distinguish the underlying service from Xbox Live Gold memberships.”
“’Xbox network’ refers to the underlying Xbox online service, which was updated in the Microsoft Services Agreement,” says a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to The Verge. “The update from ‘Xbox Live’ to ‘Xbox network’ is intended to distinguish the underlying service from Xbox Live Gold memberships.”
zaanan
Banned
My $.02, Microsoft is trying to emulate what they do with Windows/Office.
On the PC side, you pay them for the platform (Windows), you subscribe to their service (Office365), and you get to use the applications (Word, Excel).
On the console side, you pay them for the platform (Xbox), you subscribe to their service (Gamepass), and you get to use the individual games (Doom, Halo). It just makes sense.
Plus I was an IT guy in the nineties, and even then they were always trying to get us to subscribe to Windows (they called it “maintenance”). It’s in their DNA.
On the PC side, you pay them for the platform (Windows), you subscribe to their service (Office365), and you get to use the applications (Word, Excel).
On the console side, you pay them for the platform (Xbox), you subscribe to their service (Gamepass), and you get to use the individual games (Doom, Halo). It just makes sense.
Plus I was an IT guy in the nineties, and even then they were always trying to get us to subscribe to Windows (they called it “maintenance”). It’s in their DNA.
Little Chicken
Member
I wonder if they're the one buying Discord then
Well when you're right you're right.
My guess is that they're going to use Discord as a platform for xCloud.
alabtrosMyster
Banned
*free with a GPU subscription
ZehDon
Gold Member
In all seriousness, I'm just having an "old man yells at cloud" moment. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a nostalgic attachment to the service, since I've effectively been using it for some 18 years. "Catch you on Live later?" is a common phrase in my circle.
In an ideal world, there wouldn't be Xbox Live Gold; free online for everyone. After 18 years of making money off of online play, I doubt Microsoft will be looking to kill that golden goose.
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DaGwaphics
Member
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