MS to offer Xbox Live Gold subscribers content first

[Zeus]

Microsoft's Major Nelson has revealed that Microsoft are planning to make no paying members of the Xbox Live service wait a little longer for game trailers and demos in contrast to their gold counterparts.


"This is going to happen more and more (Gold getting things before Silver), so you may want to think about upgrading if you want all the latest and greatest trailers, demos etc.," Hryb wrote.

More than 4 million gamers now use Xbox Live, and Microsoft expects that figure to hit 6 million by June. Over 70 million pieces of content, including demos and game and movie trailers, have been downloaded from Xbox Live Marketplace since its launch last November.


News Source: <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=20677" target="_blank">Gamesindustry</a>

[darkpaladin]

Interesting on the 4 million Xbox live users. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't every 360 come with at least Silver service for free? I wonder how many Gold members they have. Those numbers will be interesting.

[TuSeiSkeefoso]

Haha, you gotta love Microsoft digging their own grave. Instead of moving towards a free model, they stiff people. We'll see how their attach rate increases once PS3 starts using their PC based model, as, EVERY PS3 SOLD, will have an online attach rate.

[Trashcat]

"This is going to happen more and more (Gold getting things before Silver), so you may want to think about upgrading if you want all the latest and greatest trailers, demos etc.," Hryb wrote.
Looks like Ms is trying to catch up to sony in terms of retarded decisions and forcing their customers to pay. I don't know who came up with the bright idea but he should be fired at the spot, trailers demos and stuff is promotion for THEIR OWN DAMN PRODUCTS trying to force ppl to get gold membership over getting their attantion to the products as soon as possible is beyond retarded, especially when some companies are ready to ship demos on a disk to your own home for free. I tried to download new Gears of War trailer and I couldn't because I have silver membership:eek: , its your freakin potentially top selling game you should shove promotions of it up every customer's hole you can reach especially if you don't release the demo before the game ships.

[wigsplitta]

It looks like they are trying to force Silver members into becoming Gold. Haha Gold member. It may be an act of arrogance. Look Sony we can charge because we have a better service. I don't know for sure though. I would never pay for Gold to download trailers and demos. You can't stream the trailers and it's annoying as hell waiting for them to download. I usually just stream them on my pc. The demos are nice but not worth paying for. I really just pay to play online and for the diamond card. I've gotten so many free Quizznos subs that it has actually passed the cost of Live for a year. They aren't digging their own grave by doing this. People aren't going to jump up and buy a 600.00 console just to have free online play. The PS2 has free online play as well and it's just not fun. I know they have changed it for the PS3 but I don't want to rely on developers to support online play. Once they decide to pull the plug it's game over. EA sports pulled the plug on many of it's games a few weeks ago didn't they? I could be wrong so.........

"Additionally, rather than a centralized network like the one operated by Microsoft, Sony has elected to allow PS3 game developers to use their own systems to connect gamers, and decide whether they would charge for those services."

[iratasan]

wow, trailers AND demos? i that case i just HAVE to get me a gold account.;)

i guess the next step is to let us pay for those demos and trailers.

well done, major nelson friend of all gamers. i guess the excuse will be as usual "it is just an OPTION, you don't have to."

lame.

[Robotron]

Very stupid move.

Making people pay for commercials? That's funny.
Yes I need a gold account to see idiots masterbaiting and have little kids curse at me and tell me how "elite" they are. No thanks MS.
It's a community I want no part of and it's becoming more arrogant every day.

Paying for the console and the games I guess isn't enough anymore is it?
Guess I'll either sell my 360 or mod it now since Live doesn't matter anymore.

[kronikdaddy]

Is $50/year really to much? It's not expensive and M$ is trying to make money, after all they are not a charity.

[iratasan]

Is $50/year really to much? It's not expensive and M$ is trying to make money, after all they are not a charity.

is it too much for what you get? yes, i think so.

give me some content that is worth the money and i will pay for that. i dont see that given so far on XBL. as they are a hardware, software and periphal manufacturer they make a lot of money as it is.