This topic sure to be a hotbed of commenting action. Yesterday Microsoft announced that Games for Windows Live, the PC-based equivalent of the
Xbox Live service, has changed to a completely free business model. After a lukewarm launch against PC service powerhouse Steam the Games for Live service has ended the Gold/Silver distinction for PC gamers that Xbox Live subscribers are subjected to. Changing to a free model means gamers can compete in cross-platform gaming (where applicable) at no additional charge. The question now remains, does this move signify a a change that must be made to the Xbox Live structure or are the services two completely different beasts. Consider, only a handful of games and features exist on the PC side of Live and with strong competition from other free services it's a move Microsoft had no choice but to make to survive. So, what are your thoughts on Games for Windows Live going free?
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in. Via Engadget]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-23-2008 @ 1:20PM
Vcize said...
I really wish GFWL would have caught on. The lack of an XBL interface across ALL games (not just steam games, etc) is one of the things that drove me away from PC gaming in the first place. Unlike on the 360 though, MS can't force games to support it, so it's probably never going to catch on.
And before it's brought up...
XBL on the PC: huge failure
XBL on the 360: huge success
XBL on the 360 is not going to go free in the wake of this.
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7-23-2008 @ 1:24PM
sifer2400 said...
i agree 100%
7-23-2008 @ 2:16PM
joey said...
the only way for MS to make Xbox Live free is if SONY and NINTENDO have comparable and free service.
7-24-2008 @ 11:04AM
xenocidic said...
maybe if they had done this back when shadowrun launched, the game wouldn't have died such a horrible death
7-23-2008 @ 1:25PM
todd said...
Where's the Uno? I was going to buy it but don't see it.
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7-23-2008 @ 1:28PM
chenry said...
I wouldn't expect XBL to go free; it's a much more expensive system to run I'd imagine. Moreover, XBL has been nothing but a success. MS needs to get the ball rolling for GfWL before it can consider charging. There aren't enough games and not enough incentive to bother paying for the service either. Plenty of alternatives to GfWL when you have a PC.
Captive audience, I guess is what I'm saying.
I wouldn't mind a price break though.
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7-23-2008 @ 1:51PM
MDJ2010 said...
Can't see it going free on the 360, and to be honest I think anyone who would complain is a bit cheap, it's more than worth the money.
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7-23-2008 @ 1:55PM
Tim Emmerling said...
I hate paying for the service. The WII service is free. The PS3 service is free. Somehow, they think they can jack us for the $50/year and we still end up paying for it, willingly and for many, gladly. I'd love to see them make this service free, or knock down the cost by about 80%.
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7-23-2008 @ 2:09PM
James said...
The thing is that XBL is a very, very good service, as opposed to the service that the Wii offers (nonexistant) or what the PS3 offers (not integrated enough) and I'm very willing to support Microsoft if they continue to keep XBL going and improving upon its already great features.
7-23-2008 @ 2:31PM
Mr.U2 said...
Tim: James definately has a point. The 360 has the best service, and Microsoft is seemingly a lot more dedicated to their console than either Wii or PS3. And seriously, its only $0.14 a day. Who wouldn't gladly pay that for an awesome service?
7-23-2008 @ 2:38PM
David said...
I agree with Mr U2. I got a 13+1 month card from Buy.com for 38.99 a bit ago and that works out to $3 a month. That's a great price for the friends list, game support, and the time I've spent gaming online with friends local or not.
Have you ever spent a couple hours gaming with friends on CoD4? Then turned around and tried to game with friends on Mario Kart? Which one did you think was worth $3 a month (or $0.004 cents an hour if you use a 30 day month).
It probably cost's more to have the system powered on and running a game that to subscribe to live.
Now broadband internet, that should be either free or less than what the cable company charges for it. How come everyone comes down on $50 a year (or 13 months actually) for Live when broadband is $50 a month?
7-23-2008 @ 6:24PM
dUb said...
I really don't want to question anybody's economic status, but Live is like $4 bucks and some change a month. Come on kid it's well worth the price.
7-23-2008 @ 6:20PM
Mark said...
"what the PS3 offers (not integrated enough) "
Back on the Xbox, XBL wasn't integrated in to everything and it still cost the same. So, the value went up, but PS3 is launching what Xbox 1 had at a cheaper price than it had it.
I know that $50 / year to play online isn't a big deal, but I guess the question comes up if we have to pay for it anymore. With XBLA, DLC and video marketplace making so much money, do we need to pay this fee to play online? I think the infrastructure and development costs are being covered by the money made on those other things.
7-23-2008 @ 7:54PM
James said...
Yeah, I know the PS3 was offering what the Xbox 1 had for free, but you should reread what you just wrote.
First off XBL on the original Xbox was a new service. Of course it wasn't integrated well, Microsoft had much to learn and eventually did learn after years of the service on the Xbox. They took feedback and turned it into what became XBL on the 360.
Secondly, the fact that the PS3 is offering what the original Xbox had for an online service is nice, but the PS3 should have improved (and I will admit, its getting better) much, much more than what it arrived with. It was a much better service than the PS2, but why are you trying to prove a point by comparing a current-gen service to a service from last gen?
XBL on the 360 is worth it and I don't see any other service quite reaching the quality of it right now. That justifies the price for me.
7-23-2008 @ 2:03PM
Anticrawl said...
Live is only $28 dollars total a year if you are an informed consumer, I can live with that, not a big deal. Online gaming on my PS3 and Wii is lackluster. Glad they made Windows Live online service free, now it's time to go pick up a copy of Shadowrun for my PC and get that last achievement, didn't matter though because I already have a live membership and it would have been included regardless.
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7-23-2008 @ 2:23PM
JAKEJAX said...
Please inform me on how I can get Live for $28 a year.
7-23-2008 @ 2:30PM
Rodney Jr. said...
Dont you mean $50 per year (or $50 for 13 months, depending on whether you bought a 12mth+1 card)?
7-23-2008 @ 2:50PM
Anticrawl said...
If you frequent slickdeals, cheapassgamer or the internet you should be able to find out where. The easiest way is to use google checkout with one of the many online retailers that sell the 13 month card for 38-39 dollars.
7-23-2008 @ 3:05PM
Anticrawl said...
Also if you don't like shopping online you can keep an eye on the limited video game 13 month cards which occasionally go on sale at Target for 30-40 bucks depending on how well they are selling.
7-23-2008 @ 3:10PM
Anticrawl said...
I bought a couple from buy.com when they still had their 38 dollar 13 month card deal, which you combined with the 10 dollar new user google checkout deal to drop it to 28. Just need more than one bank account or payment method and you could get a few of them for 28. I stocked up a while ago when they were on sale at a different site for less than 30 dollar shipped.