M$ explains Live price increase....

by Guest Tue 2 Nov 2010 - 11:32

Microsoft believes that exclusive content and consistent quality of service justify this month's increase to Xbox Live subscription prices.

"... if I'm playing Halo: Reach, Gears of War, Call of Duty, the consistency of the service and the experience needs to be there regardless of what that entertainment application is," Xbox Live marketing man Craig Davison told Gamasutra.

"So that has been critical. As you can imagine, the costs associated with maintaining a service at that level and making sure all of those features are consistent, we're hitting that quality bar, we're adding the customer service infrastructure necessary, we're accommodating all of the same social features and functionality too, there's a cost. Infrastructure costs, of course. And we're continuing to bring more and more content."

Microsoft is passing some of those costs onto gamers, with Xbox Live subscription prices going up in the UK, US, Mexico and Canada from yesterday.

"Now in 2002, it was strictly multiplayer gaming," Davison added. "Now we get those Call of Duty map packs before anybody else does. We've got Gears and Halo, of course, as exclusives. We continue to get exclusives on the service as well. And we've gone from 400,000 members in our first year to 25 million.

"So during that time, we've definitely got to fund it, and we want to add more and more and more. ESPN is a great example. No extra charge for Xbox Live Gold members. But we want to continue to bring that content in. We also want to continue to innovate on all dimensions, whether it's social, entertainment, or gaming. So there you go."

by **FWG Rigor Mortice** Tue 2 Nov 2010 - 13:13

CHA CHING!!!!

by **Andy** Tue 2 Nov 2010 - 13:17

now have mixed views about ms/bill gates.

the mrs gates was on a programme the other week and she states that they are philanthropists and that before they die that 90% of their wealth will have gone to good causes.

not sure if that fact makes ms money grabbing acceptable or not.

by **FWG Plod** Tue 2 Nov 2010 - 17:17

Weget ESPN free?

Also i don't use PS3 but what is their service like, it's free but they still get the map packs etc so not sure that is a selling point really

by Guest Tue 2 Nov 2010 - 17:20

FWG Plod wrote:Weget ESPN free?

Also i don't use PS3 but what is their service like, it's free but they still get the map packs etc so not sure that is a selling point really

No we don't which is why only our monthly sub has gone up, We get some new feature free nextyear when the rest of the subs go up.

PSN is functional and is getting better but it is missing ALOT of the features we enjoy on live (Party chat, Cross game chat etc)

by **FWG Plod** Tue 2 Nov 2010 - 17:25

Cool thanks for that, what is the feature we get free any clues yet? If it is some shitty football channel i will not be impressed with Mr Gates

by Guest Tue 2 Nov 2010 - 17:26

No idea yet but my money is on Lovefilm....

by **FWG Plod** Tue 2 Nov 2010 - 17:29

killswitchmad wrote:No idea yet but my money is on Lovefilm....

Be good if it is Cool

by **Andy** Tue 2 Nov 2010 - 17:55

hhhmmm, lovefilm have advertised that they will soon be available via ps3 but no mention of the xbox

by **MAVERiCK FWG** Wed 3 Nov 2010 - 19:08

bill gates is no longer ceo of microdosh matey

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