XBL Gold yearly sub goes up $10, MS uses Major Nelson as their whipping boy

Krakn3Dfx

Platinum Member
Sep 29, 2000
2,969
1
81
http://majornelson.com/archive/2010/08/30/price-change-for-xbox-live-gold-subscription.aspx

People are frantic about the $10/year price hike on his blog and on Twitter. I'm of two minds: First, $50 was too much for what I use XBL for, which would be the occasional multiplayer and Netflix, Second, it's still only $5/month, which is still pretty good for what XBL potentially offers people who take advantage of it.

I think for $60/month, they could stand to tone down the ads for Gold subscribers, but they won't, so pointless to even bring it up I guess.

Personally, I've subscribed 2 non-consecutive years to XBL Gold, and both times I only spent $30 on the 12+1 card during deals at Amazon and Newegg.

In the end, it is what it is, and 95% of the people who whine about it will be ponying up one way or the other once they can't get into a MW2 match online. That's what MS is banking on, their user base will bitch, sure, but in the end, a large majority of them won't cancel, they'll just complain and pay.
 
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Thraxen

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2001
4,683
1
81
Wow... if anything I would have expected a price drop, not an increase. And raising the price on the heels of killing 1 vs 100? I'm not sure that this is a wise move.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,344
6,169
126
haha wow that is terrible.

while $50 is the 'normal' price I haven't paid more than $30 for a year since xbox 360 even came out. i'm actually good until like september 2012 right now too so I'm not too worried.

regardless that is so stupid and there really is no justification for this price increase imo.
 

FeathersMcGraw

Diamond Member
Oct 17, 2001
4,041
1
0
Guess I'm 20% more glad that I grabbed a $30 subscription card the last time Dell had a sale. Although it's been so long since I've done any multiplayer online that this will likely be my last renewal once it expires.
 

Kabob

Lifer
Sep 5, 2004
15,248
0
76
That's just ridiculous. Guess I "should" buy another 12 month card for $30 or so before Amazon jacks their prices up as well.
 

Phobic9

Golden Member
Apr 6, 2001
1,822
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Cards on sale @ about $40 from Amazon for a 1-yr sub. Newegg is doing the same looks like as well.

I have a year and a half left of XBL but I don't think I'm going to pay after that's up.
 

Kabob

Lifer
Sep 5, 2004
15,248
0
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$40 is the normal price for Amazon. It goes as low as $34 there and $30 at Dell, but with Dell you need 2 or more to get free shipping.
 

Gillbot

Lifer
Jan 11, 2001
28,830
17
81
haha wow that is terrible.

while $50 is the 'normal' price I haven't paid more than $30 for a year since xbox 360 even came out. i'm actually good until like september 2012 right now too so I'm not too worried.

regardless that is so stupid and there really is no justification for this price increase imo.

Guess I'm 20% more glad that I grabbed a $30 subscription card the last time Dell had a sale. Although it's been so long since I've done any multiplayer online that this will likely be my last renewal once it expires.

That's just ridiculous. Guess I "should" buy another 12 month card for $30 or so before Amazon jacks their prices up as well.

I was going to let mine expire until I came across the $30 deal. I can barely stomach the $30, no way i'll pay more.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,344
6,169
126
I have to buy a new membership since mine expires in a couple weeks. I was going to buy the Amazon $40 card, but it said ship date was Sep 7 I'm guessing because everyone is snatching them up. I saw this link on Engadget:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/pricelock/default.htm

So I bought it directly from MS for the same price.

the only prob with getting it directly from MS is that they store your cc number, and it auto-renews when the year is up, and from what i've heard, it is a HUGE fucking hassle to get your cc number unlinked with your live account.
 

Kabob

Lifer
Sep 5, 2004
15,248
0
76
the only prob with getting it directly from MS is that they store your cc number, and it auto-renews when the year is up, and from what i've heard, it is a HUGE fucking hassle to get your cc number unlinked with your live account.

My thoughts exactly.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
Lame. I mostly use Live Gold for Netflix streaming, now I might just not renew and switch to using my PS3 (with free PSN) instead.

Their server and bandwidth costs have probably gone down not up, our hosting companies at work keep raising our storage and bandwidth allowances for the same cost. So this is pure gouging of their captive audience.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
Hasn't Sony indicated they are going to start charging for PSN?
No, basic PSN which includes online play and Netflix streaming is free forever.

They now also offer PSN+ for suckers but it adds marginally useful things like background downloading of patches and updates, "free" games, and discounted DLC, You currently do need PSN+ if you want to pay for the Hulu+ beta.
 

digiram

Diamond Member
Apr 17, 2004
3,991
172
106
this might be the tipping point in getting on to the ps3 bandwagon, I have tons of friends that game on ps3 waiting for me to join. Damn, I sure will miss all my xbl friends though... sux.
 

bucwylde23

Diamond Member
Apr 21, 2005
4,180
0
71
the only prob with getting it directly from MS is that they store your cc number, and it auto-renews when the year is up, and from what i've heard, it is a HUGE fucking hassle to get your cc number unlinked with your live account.

It's easy to turn off auto-renew. They've had my CC stored. I turned off auto-renew and usually buy the cards from amazon. When I signed up for the 39.99 through MS, it turned auto-renew back on. Once it renews at this price I'll turn it back off.
 

QuikWgn

Senior member
Mar 10, 2004
647
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forums.nasioc.com
Really i'm not complaining too much about it as there will still be deals out there. It also depends on what you use XBL for. The fact that they added FaceBook, Twitter, Last.fm, ZuneHD, Netflix, and now this fall ESPN360 seems like a lot of content/access they have added since the last time prices went up.
 

Queasy

Moderator<br>Console Gaming
Aug 24, 2001
31,796
2
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This makes the Family Plan that is also coming out in November more attractive that's for sure. $99.99 for four XBL Gold accounts.

They are adding ESPN3 for no additional charge this Fall plus I'm sure there are other announcements planned. But a price increase never goes over well.

I'll laugh when you start seeing XBL Gold cards going for $55 on eBay.
 

Queasy

Moderator<br>Console Gaming
Aug 24, 2001
31,796
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RedRooster

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2000
6,596
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I can't read that page at work. Does it say its going up for Canada too? Cuz we don't get any of those fancy add-on features you get in the US, so if we gotta pay more too I'm gunna be a mad SOB. But I'll still pay, don't tell them.
 

Queasy

Moderator<br>Console Gaming
Aug 24, 2001
31,796
2
0
I can't read that page at work. Does it say its going up for Canada too? Cuz we don't get any of those fancy add-on features you get in the US, so if we gotta pay more too I'm gunna be a mad SOB. But I'll still pay, don't tell them.

USA, Canada, Mexico and the UK all getting price increases.
 

American Gunner

Platinum Member
Aug 26, 2010
2,399
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I am kinda on the fence about this. Part of me is upset that they are jacking up the price because of additions that I could care less about. I don't use Facebook because it sucks compared to the pc version, I don't use twitter, or last fm. I am not getting Kinect, so I don't care about that stuff. I have been wanting to get a PS3 for a while and now I might just do that and start playing mulitplatform games on it and look to get rid of a service I would hardly use.
 

digiram

Diamond Member
Apr 17, 2004
3,991
172
106
This makes the Family Plan that is also coming out in November more attractive that's for sure. $99.99 for four XBL Gold accounts.

They are adding ESPN3 for no additional charge this Fall plus I'm sure there are other announcements planned. But a price increase never goes over well.

I'll laugh when you start seeing XBL Gold cards going for $55 on eBay.

whoa!!! Is that the plan?? That would be awesome!! Please disregard my previous post then.