Originally posted by: blurredvision
Originally posted by: Queasy
If you want to play against others on Xbox Live - $50/year
If you want to just download demos, Xbox Live Arcade Games, and check leaderboards - free
The $50 is really worth it though.
To add, remember that even though you have access to the Live Arcade titles even without a paid Live account, the Arcade titles themselves still cost money to buy. They range from $5 to $10, with one (pool) being $15. They sell them by assigning a price in Microsoft Points, which you purchase from Microsoft. Just the Xbox currency. About 400 points equals $5.
The way Queasy posted it, it could have been translated that the arcade titles were free, so I just wanted to make sure you had your facts straight.