Topic: Rumor: XBL Silver Now Allows (Some) Free Online Play? (Read 252 times)

Xbox-Scene · « **on:** July 27, 2008, 06:26:00 PM »

Rumor: XBL Silver Now Allows (Some) Free Online Play?
Posted by XanTium | July 27 21:34 EST | News Category: Xbox360

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From kotaku.com:

Quote

OK, this is hard to run down exactly, because there's a Live Weekend going on right now, which means you can play online for free on Xbox Live. But reader Draco, a Silver level gamer, says that he's been playing cross-platform multiplayer games for free since Wednesday night, which precedes the Live Weekend (which started at midnight Friday.) I checked his Gamercard and, yeah, he played Shadowrun online on Thursday.

It seems that ending the gold/silver distinction in Games for Windows Live (effectively making it free) might have had the same effect for those who game on titles that are both PC and 360. A commenter on Xbox Live forums found that Shadowrun online play was free, for example. Reader Draco, who spotted this, says it works for Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition and Universe at War: Earth Assault, too.

Full Story: kotaku.com | forums.xbox.com

Mr N · « **Reply #1 on:** July 27, 2008, 07:31:00 PM »

That's one step closer to completely free online play on XBL

Mushy2000 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 27, 2008, 07:38:00 PM »

If they do not make it 100% Free compatible with all Games for Windows... I.E. including Halo 2/Gears of Wars... Then they are not 100% serious about this new direction they are taking with free online play...

Shadowrun is a good Game... But it's not exactly the most popular title out there...

This post has been edited by Mushy2000: Jul 28 2008, 02:39 AM

g8crapachino · « **Reply #3 on:** July 27, 2008, 08:09:00 PM »

Wow, it figures someone would still complain. You guys are so whiny. If the cost of XBL bothers you so much, just cancel it. At $14 a month it's a bargain for an optional service, not a requirement. Yeah, it could be free, but you'll get what you pay for. Free services never have much to answer to and provide zero incentive to improve, let alone stay in existence.

Everyone here has probable thrown out more money on other, even less tangible, products or services. Think about that as you drink down that $6 Starbucks coffee every morning, or pay $100 each month on cable service for 150 TV channels that you don't watch.

This post has been edited by g8crapachino: Jul 28 2008, 03:12 AM

readmore · « **Reply #4 on:** July 27, 2008, 09:29:00 PM »

QUOTE(g8crapachino @ Jul 28 2008, 04:53 AM)

Wow, it figures someone would still complain. You guys are so whiny. If the cost of XBL bothers you so much, just cancel it. At $14 a month it's a bargain for an optional service, not a requirement. Yeah, it could be free, but you'll get what you pay for. Free services never have much to answer to and provide zero incentive to improve, let alone stay in existence.

Everyone here has probable thrown out more money on other, even less tangible, products or services. Think about that as you drink down that $6 Starbucks coffee every morning, or pay $100 each month on cable service for 150 TV channels that you don't watch.

This
*golf clap*

xjustsumloserx · « **Reply #5 on:** July 27, 2008, 08:35:00 PM »

I can confirm this also, I have a friend who is a silver member who has been playing Shadowrun with us recently.

TexT · « **Reply #6 on:** July 27, 2008, 08:47:00 PM »

Awesome, I think it's really screwed up of MS to make people pay for P2P.

Chimp5000 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 27, 2008, 08:56:00 PM »

Yeah. I can see Live being free very, very soon.

If not free, alot cheaper with more benefits.

This post has been edited by Chimp5000: Jul 28 2008, 03:56 AM

sabbath_dude · « **Reply #8 on:** July 27, 2008, 10:06:00 PM »

I just tried Shadowrun with an old UK silver account I have. I'm able to join online matches and there's no Live weekend happening here in the UK as far as I'm aware. Hopefully this is the beginning of free Xbox Live. They can't justify making us pay for online play in some games and not others. Maybe this will be one of Microsoft's big announcements before the new dash release

.

thetrueBROSKY · « **Reply #9 on:** July 27, 2008, 09:34:00 PM »

i hope this is the start!!!! i have been saving money for a little while and am close to getting gold, but this would be amazing!!!

@ g8crapachino:its $14/month for gold?!? where are you living? in Canada a 12month subscription card costs 60. in ontario its 13% tax, making it $5.65/monthly. then add a "free" month and its $5.20. where are you getting ripped off from?!?

juan_2006 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 27, 2008, 10:00:00 PM »

I'm guessing that it will be like this for cross platform games..it makes sense..why should the xbox gamer pay while the pc gamer doesnt have to? Good move by microsoft. I doubt this will bring free xbox live multiplayer..i actually dont see it coming anytime soon...microsoft just makes too much money from it.

quarky43 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 27, 2008, 10:09:00 PM »

I would be very glad to see Live become at least partially free. I just hope that this isn't some sort of "fluke" or mistake on MicroShaft's part.

I hope we are seeing the beginning of some level of online play for free. I don't mind them having some premium services, but it shouldn't center around playing against other people. If they need more money how about some tasteful and well placed in-game advertising.

I thought the billboard in Crackdown was pretty neat with a real advertisement. The money from advertising should either a> make the game cheaper, or b> improve the development / initial game quality or at least provide some add-ons for the game.

We'll see if they yank it and pawn it off as a mistake of the free weekend or of the windows live or maybe we'll see some sort of announcement monday/tuesday ? hmmmm. The thought plickens!

Mr N · « **Reply #12 on:** July 27, 2008, 10:59:00 PM »

QUOTE(g8crapachino @ Jul 28 2008, 04:53 AM)

Wow, it figures someone would still complain. You guys are so whiny. If the cost of XBL bothers you so much, just cancel it. At $14 a month it's a bargain for an optional service, not a requirement. Yeah, it could be free, but you'll get what you pay for. Free services never have much to answer to and provide zero incentive to improve, let alone stay in existence.

Everyone here has probable thrown out more money on other, even less tangible, products or services. Think about that as you drink down that $6 Starbucks coffee every morning, or pay $100 each month on cable service for 150 TV channels that you don't watch.

Amen

$5-$6 a month is cheap as hell, especially when you consider the 10 million or so people who pay $15/month to play WOW. With XBL, you get tons of games to play online for that $5-$6/month. Sure I'd like it to be free, but it might not happen, so at least the price we have to pay for it is pretty damn good. People will argue and say "But PSN is free!" Well, the truth is, PSN sucks compared to XBL.

Besides, even a homeless person could afford $5-$6/ month.

This post has been edited by Mr N: Jul 28 2008, 06:00 AM

Devedander · « **Reply #13 on:** July 27, 2008, 11:27:00 PM »

I am always torn on the cost of live... on one side, it's really not that much and live does offer some nice features in terms of match making, ranking and buddy support.

But then it is still a forced cost to play mutiplayer and when I say forced, I mean they intentionally blocked using something like xlink kai via ping limits. Now had they left that intact and people actually had a choice (you know becuase MS supports their users who like choice) it would be a bit better from my point of view becuase then those who honestly don't see the benefit of live could just go elsewhere for free. Those who honestly do feel it's wroth the $$$ could then continue paying.

I find the $6 a month to not be too bad at all, but I can understand that there are many people for whom it is a noteable amount. You can argue what they should be spending their money on, but that's an easy judgement to pass when you are sitting comfy at home enjoying your gaming.

Basically the only negative I see to the Live Gold cost is the bitter taste I get from pairing it with the blocked xlink kai use.

With the amount of advertising that is making it's way into Live I really would like to see the cost go away, but considering how many commercials their are on cable and how much it still costs I am not holding my breath.

HotKnife420 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 28, 2008, 12:45:00 AM »

QUOTE(g8crapachino @ Jul 28 2008, 04:53 AM)

Wow, it figures someone would still complain. You guys are so whiny. If the cost of XBL bothers you so much, just cancel it. At $14 a month it's a bargain for an optional service, not a requirement. Yeah, it could be free, but you'll get what you pay for. Free services never have much to answer to and provide zero incentive to improve, let alone stay in existence.

Everyone here has probable thrown out more money on other, even less tangible, products or services. Think about that as you drink down that $6 Starbucks coffee every morning, or pay $100 each month on cable service for 150 TV channels that you don't watch.

I've just bottled some tap water; selling bottles for a $1. Good deal, because anybody can afford $1, right?

Author Topic: Rumor: XBL Silver Now Allows (Some) Free Online Play? (Read 252 times)