The release of the Fall Update has brought another "feature" that'll put a very bad taste in Xbox Live Silver members' mouths.Last night, Major Nelson revealed that starting now, Silver members will get to download free XBLM content one week after Xbox Live Gold members get access. This week long delay in getting free content is justified by Gold members paying for their subscription. And maybe that's how it should be. Gold members actually being treated as if they're getting perks for paying for Xbox Live. Here at X3F, we are Gold subscribers so we guess we're a bit biased and unsympathetic to our Silver brethren. But now that we think about it, it's kind of sad to know that Silver members can't get in on the hot Grunt gamer pic love until next week. Sad stuff indeed ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
12-05-2007 @ 9:54AM
HazyCloud said...
I would have to agree with Microsoft's decision on this. I would honestly go as far as having silver wait a month before access to gold content. Yes I am probably pissing people off, but it is just another perk of being a paid member.
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12-05-2007 @ 10:01AM
AL7AIR said...
That's nothing new ... you had to wait a week for free stuff and demos for almost a year now, only difference since the last dashboard update and the new game store is that you actually see what you're missing, by looking at the red strike through circle instead of not seeing the content at all. Major Nelson more than once posted about a demo release on his blog and told silver members to wait a little longer.
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12-05-2007 @ 12:13PM
Kev said...
Yeah, it's always been like this. Why are people only noticing this now?
12-05-2007 @ 10:01AM
dunnypop said...
agreed...
most free XBLM content should just be for Gold Members... there needs to be some perks besides playing games online.
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12-05-2007 @ 11:36AM
Timerider said...
Your not getting perks, your taking them away from others.
12-05-2007 @ 10:05AM
MrMuggs said...
I agree as well. I don't want to see Silver memebers get less but I'd like to get something extra for my Gold membership. As it stood, I didn't see much difference between a Gold and Silver member.
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12-05-2007 @ 10:06AM
Boff said...
Yeah we get fuck all else for £40 a year. (But obviously I pay it. What's the point of being online if you can't play against other people?)
But I like the way MS has handled this...
"We need to give more to our Gold memebers."
"Woah. That sounds like it'll eat into the profits."
"OK then let's just take something from the Silver members so the Gold members think they're getting more."
"Bargain!"
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12-05-2007 @ 11:43AM
David W. said...
I was thinking the same thing...gold members aren't getting more...silver members are just getting less
12-05-2007 @ 10:09AM
Boff said...
Nice pic in the article too.
"Ha Haw!"
Obviously not THAT sad then...!
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12-05-2007 @ 10:11AM
PilgrimXX said...
I'm an official silver.
I don't have gold because I don't play online, I've neither the time nor the patience to deal with the kiddies on X-box live (Every game I played online during my trial month was an assault on the ears/mind)
So yeah, no way I'll pay for Gold. Probably ever.
That being said, I don't really have a problem with them delaying some content. It's a perk, of paying for the online service.
I do have a problem with them doing it to content for a game that has no online component, that just strikes me as odd, but again, I can wait a week.
When I'll get pissed is if the release a free for a limited time thing, and say that's Gold members only. (Like the Fighters Stronghold in Oblivion) Then I'll start cheating and using my 48 hour free cards to get gold long enough to Get content, or creating new gamertags.
But as long as it's a week delay, and we don't miss any of the free content, then more power to them.
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12-05-2007 @ 10:44AM
booticon said...
It seems as though you have to deal with the fact that sometimes paid memberships get things that free ones do not.
12-05-2007 @ 10:21AM
IncredibleBulk92 said...
If anything there should be more perks like this for paying up for Gold, maybe a couple of free MS points when you sign up or Gold exclusive free arcade games would be a great benefit. I suppose the demo thing is good tho, even though a good demo hasn't been released for a while and probably wont be until February at least
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12-05-2007 @ 10:43AM
akatsuki said...
Xbox Live is pretty damn good because it is a paid service and the Silver members are just free-riding on the paying people for the most part. So if they don't get a perk, is it really worth getting upset over?
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12-05-2007 @ 11:32AM
Timerider said...
Free-riding? WTF are you talking about?
Why should we have to pay at all? Nintendo doesn't charge a fee to use their online service.
Live is forced upon Xbox owners. Every time I start up my 360, it takes my to the xbox live screen. I don't have an internet connection to use with my Xbox, I shouldn't have to.
12-05-2007 @ 11:43AM
akatsuki said...
Yeah, and having a Nintendo Wii, the online experience pretty much sucks, or have you had a lot of fun playing Wii Tennis online? Oh wait...
Sony's online is not much better.
And if I start my Xbox with a disc in the system, it takes me right to the game, so I have no idea why you are getting the dashboard when you start.
12-05-2007 @ 12:29PM
Bravo6 said...
Look at all the idiots on Live as it is, I can't even imagine how bad it would be if it were free and people could have 10 gold accounts if they wanted.
Free XBL would RUIN it.
12-05-2007 @ 10:43AM
PilgrimXX said...
What I'd like to see for gold is a straight across the board 5% discount for all content.
That's a perk that would make Gold a little less arduous to have. Early Demo's are nice, but not giving silvers demos is dumb, because Demos sell games, and while Silvers don't pay for online play we do have to pay to rent/buy our games just like everyone else.
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12-05-2007 @ 12:55PM
Evan said...
I wholeheartedly agree. A small discount would be nice for gold members and it is counterproductive to not make demos available to everyone as soon as possible.
If there is a demo for a game I am looking at I always play it and occasionally demos steer me to games I would not have originally considered.
I also wish they would put the real dollar cost next to the points so everyone knows how much there actually spending, but I guess the disconnect between points and dollars probably works to their advantage.
12-05-2007 @ 10:49AM
Darkwun said...
I dont know why this is big news but its been like that since before the update, i've gone silver a few times in the last year because i didnt play online as much as i do now and there were times i'd have to wait to download a demo or access GT pics etc.
i hope i wasnt being made to wait because i was silver and a UK gamer because i know MS dont appreciate us brits that much and that would leave me mighty pissed.
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12-05-2007 @ 10:51AM
pandlcg said...
It's just ashame that instead of making the gold subscription better they decided to make the silver accounts worse. Not really the best way to keep business.
I also like the idea of having a small discount to Gold subscribers...something like 5% that would only amount to anything if you spent a lot anyway.
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