MS: We will not be doubling price of LIVE anytime soon

[Zeus]

An analyst recently expressed a prediction that MS were to double the price of LIVE in the near future. However, this thought has been rejected by MS who stated they do not see such an event happening in the next few months as predicted.

<blockquote>Microsoft's group manager of corporate PR ('PR man') David Dennis has played down Michael Pachter's recent statement that the company is looking to double Xbox Live membership fees.

Says Mr Dennis to Matt Peckham at PC World, "I don't foresee a scenario where we're going to double the price of LIVE any time in the next couple (of) months".</blockquote>

News Source: <A href="http://news.spong.com/article/19558/Microsoft-Denies-Xbox-Live-Price-Hike?via=rss" target="_blank">Spong</a>

[kama]

Says Mr Dennis to Matt Peckham at PC World, "I don't foresee a scenario where we're going to double the price of LIVE any time in the next couple (of) months"
Maybe not in the next couple of months, but it seems they're planning to double the price.

I guess the banning of memory cards wasn't a bad enough move to make.

[seann33uk]

thats sooo not going to help.
people will certainly start moving to the ps3.

[ThreeDog]

Maybe not in the next couple of months, but it seems they're planning to double the price.

They can't get away with raising the price simple as that, im not saying they won't but i am saying it would be the worst move MS could make unless it offered something amazing or of really high value.

[stanleyopar2000]

Yea...I like it how they said "not anytime soon"

"Past few months"


COUGH COUGH : 2010


they diddn't say NEVER. So it will happen. and when it does..DONT STAND UP FOR IT. if you do it will be accepted...

the same thing with IW closing out the PC private servers...it was a TEST to see if people would respond....and we passed...the same thing goes for here.....

DONT LET M$ PHUCK YOU ANY LONGER!!!!

[legendofphil]

There are things to consider with XBL on both sides of the price increase story.
XBL launched 7 years ago almost and in that time the price has stayed the same.

Increase:
1) The service deals with more people and data than ever before, requiring more hardware.
2) The price of electricity has rocketed since launch.
3) More profit = more investment = more features
4) Costs aren't passed onto publishers/developers

Decrease:
1) More people = more income
2) The cost of servers and Internet bandwidth has dropped dramatically
3) DLC, XBLA, micro-payments (avatars, pictures, themes, etc), video services and full game downloads are offering new income streams that didn't exist 7 years ago.


Personally it doesn't bother me which they go for, its not a vast amount to be paying out. Most paid MMOs cost more to play.

[ThreeDog]

There are things to consider with XBL on both sides of the price increase story.
XBL launched 7 years ago almost and in that time the price has stayed the same.

Increase:
1) The service deals with more people and data than ever before, requiring more hardware.
2) The price of electricity has rocketed since launch.
3) More profit = more investment = more features
4) Costs aren't passed onto publishers/developers

Consider what we get for a gold membership though.
1) We pay for matchmaking on games we host ourselves (gamespy does this free on other platforms)
2) Weekly discounts on a particular DLC item
3) To have our dashboard mutilated without choice which directly points to network advertising on boot.
4) Social networking access we can get free anywhere anyway. (if you use such a thing)
5) Netflix access that half the world can't use anyway.
6) No real active staff to keep the network clean and secure or they focus on the wrong areas.

I realise the essentials will have risen for microsoft but they've risen for the consumer too, unemployment, ever rising bills, day to days like milk and bread have even shot up.

Unless this double price hike includes the ability to download an allocation of DLC and Arcade games each month like a spotify payment plan this serves no real benefit except for MS.

[DaFireStarter]

I can guarantee that if they raise the price of live, I am getting a PS3 and canceling my Live membership. XBOX 360 is the console that charges for Live, they cannot raise it.

[twoboys]

Consider what we get for a gold membership though.
1) We pay for matchmaking on games we host ourselves (gamespy does this free on other platforms)
2) Weekly discounts on a particular DLC item
3) To have our dashboard mutilated without choice which directly points to network advertising on boot.
4) Social networking access we can get free anywhere anyway. (if you use such a thing)
5) Netflix access that half the world can't use anyway.
6) No real active staff to keep the network clean and secure or they focus on the wrong areas.

I realise the essentials will have risen for microsoft but they've risen for the consumer too, unemployment, ever rising bills, day to days like milk and bread have even shot up.

Unless this double price hike includes the ability to download an allocation of DLC and Arcade games each month like a spotify payment plan this serves no real benefit except for MS.

All very true and I couldn't have put it better myself.

I believe multi-tier system is inevitable - not just Silver and Gold.

[gonepostl]

IF it happens it's just more slimey **** from microshaft

[QrafTee]

... "anytime soon," huh? How about "ever." Would've sounded better then. In fact it should be, "We are actually in the process of making XBL Gold free."

[grapeape]

The only way I would pay more for live is if I got significantly more for live...and I mean more than features I don't use like last.fm. If for instance they went to system similar to gametap where I could play all the arcade games for free with a paid sub...I might do it...or if netflix was included...I might do it. There are things that would make a "platinum" level of live attractive and could command a premium but my confidence in MS figuring out how to position it in a way that consumer would really see any usable benefit is about nill. If it just went up for the hell of it I would just stop using live.

[jackoneil2000]

Even if they were doubling it.... how hard is it to buy 4 x 12 month subscription cards for $50? you would never have to pay a higher price for those 4 years.

[pinchez]

If this happens, it's gonna hit people like me hard, I have to buy 4 x live subs every year for myself, wife and kids at a cost of around £140. Imagine it rising to £280 :eek:

Yet we can all play on PSN for free, It's hard to justify live at current prices and it will be impossible if it increases.

Greedy M$

[lostn]

I think he's telling the truth. It's not going to happen in the next couple of months. MS will wait 3 or 4 months instead before offering Live! Platinum.

[dwrecording]

OK new topic, this the 3erd time in 2months this has been a topic. And just not true.

[iLLNESS]

If this happens, it's gonna hit people like me hard, I have to buy 4 x live subs every year for myself, wife and kids at a cost of around £140. Imagine it rising to £280 :eek:

Yet we can all play on PSN for free, It's hard to justify live at current prices and it will be impossible if it increases.

Greedy M$

wtf do you buy so many subs for?

either way, live is cheap as is. psn is garbage thats why its free. wii online is even worse and its also free.

[John Crichton]

lol, i'm not paying the 30 euro for the ebay 12 month live codes, why should i pay for 120 euro