thought you wern’t getting it 225g so far.

Price is a valid point for me. As someone who isn’t fanatical about the CoD series, I find it difficult to justify £55 on the game. Especially when there are a lot of other titles coming out right now that are cheaper, like Assassins Creed.

Private chat being taken away could also help, more people communicating to get the job done. although I always have to mute the idiots you are talking about. So I see where you are coming from.

Price, really not a valid point. There is going to be a lot of replay value.

Co-op important to me also but I am happy with special ops. good article BTW

So what am I paying for? What features can I get on the 360 that I can’t get anywhere else? (btw, I’m trying to suss out my own feelings on this… this isn’t meant as a rebuttal or anything)

1. Community
I love the feel of the xbox community. I’m always checking to see who is on at any given time and Microsoft works hard to generate a community atmosphere. I have very little experience playing on the PS3 network, but my impression is that the community is not as cohesive and that Home is pretty lackluster so far. And the Wii’s online is so gimped as to be laughable.

2. Gamerscore/Achievements
I know, I know, this is pretty silly, but what can I say? I enjoy unlocking achievements and seeing my GS go up. A small perk which I could live without, but I like it anyways.

3. Netflix
Caleb mentioned this in his comment, but I have to say that I use the living heck out of that service. My kids watch videos on it all the time, I can access full seasons of South Park and Lost whenever I feel like it… honestly, the $170 I pay yearly ($50 gold + 12 months Netflix) is almost worth it to me, I use the service so much. Granted, the PS3 is now getting Netflix, so this becomes a moot point, but for a while the Xbox was the only way to access this kind of service from your living room (no, I do NOT like watching TV in front of my computer).

4. Exclusives
A nasty word, I know, but there it is. If you like playing Halo 3 multiplayer, you only have one option. Same for Left 4 Dead, which I adore. And no, I don’t consider the PC to be an alternate option. The price to buy a rig that can run the game (I’m a mac person, so spending money on a PC is distasteful to me), combined with the fact that I don’t want to play games while sitting at a desk, makes the Xbox the only choice. Is $50 a year worth it to play versus mode in Left 4 Dead 2? Yes, yes it is.

Xbox Live is, to me, worth paying for. Yes, I would rather it be free, and yes, Caleb’s comment that “the price tag still hangs from our ankles like a ball and chain shackle” feels very appropriate, but when I consider all of the options, it is the best value for me, personally. Will that always be the case? Maybe not. Microsoft needs to take all of their Gold Membership booty and start upping the ante. Ideally, they need to start perfecting the multiplayer experience so that it is, bar none, the best option around. Additionally, they could start charging a bit less – $25-$30 sounds about right. But you know what? I’m going to pay that $50 bucks anyway, so why would they lower the price?

The PS3 could quickly become the best online experience, primarily because it matches the 360’s and it is free. It’s not quite there yet. But come the next console generation, Microsoft better have its game together.

Anyway:

I completely agree with you Pokeh; the fact that there exists almost no definable, appealing, and or advantageous qualities between the different types of Xbox Live memberships is not only horribly wrong, but very detrimental to Microsoft’s image.

In comparison of course, there are many appealing qualities of the Xbox Live community compared with that of both PS3, and the Wii. The Xbox Live community has an unparalleled culture of interaction and fun; something that one might argue that that is what you are paying for.

But, the underlining principle is that: compared with the qualities of the free online console communities, Xbox live is lacking immensely; to the point that it becomes evident that you (the player) are paying for something that you are already paying for (internet service), but also horribly managed, and heavily unbalanced.

The sound of the name “Gold Membership” brings to a consumer’s mind, features like: more reliable connections, enhanced server processing, support for more than 16 players per game, etc. Though, unfortunately, this is far from the case.

Rather puzzling to say the least, despite Nintendo and Sony not requiring players to pay fees for online play, they still are capable of managing and supporting an online community of hundreds of thousands, while maintaining a pleasureable experience. Yet, Microsoft offers a less reliable, and much less pleasurable features while charging you for it. And despite having an income from online support, they continue to provide a most unattractive service.

It is unknown to any of us, I think, why Microsoft requires payment for a service that they don’t even control. We already pay for internet service, and yet Microsoft doesn’t even own servers for their most profitable games, much less any other game. Whether or not they are greedy, or are using the funds to provide for something outside the Xbox realm, it is clear that the Xbox Live community is not getting it’s money’s worth.

Yes, last year’s fall updates were enjoyable, but Netflix requires membership as well. The sound of a “Gold Membership” would seem to maybe allow at least a limited number of viewings per week from the blockbuster super-giant, but it doesn’t. And now, we’re going to be paying for features like Lastfm, twitter, etc., things that are all free.

Microsoft is heading in the wrong direction, but also in the right direction. For every step they take forward, it always seems they take two steps back. What they are doing right is that they are providing many more features that many people would find convenient, and enjoyable. But yet, the price tag still hangs from our angles like a ball and chain shackle.

I cannot say what it is Microsoft will do, if in fact if they even plan on doing anything. Either way, it is predominately clear that Xbox Live costumers are paying for an almost monopolistic service; one that provides unbalanced features while practically stealing from the costumer.

Again, thank you for the great post Pokeh, I hope that within the next couple of days, many more people will read it, and perhaps open some closed eyes to Microsoft’s unbalanced approach to online play.

Sincerely,
Caleb