GameInformer

As services join the xbox live experience, such as Facebook, will Microsoft up their current XBL rate? Well, there has already been rumors about this price increase. I for one foresee Microsoft pulling a move like this. On top of that, It is so difficult to disconnect your credit card. And when your cc finally ends it's term of use, they bug the crap out of you because apparently you owe a month you used xbox live. When a company fines out a cc doesn't work, you don't charge, and you cancel the service. Anyways, I for one am fed up with M$'s greed, and I believe we as gamers should stand up to this nonsense. 100 bucks per year for a service that's free on the PS3 is just insane. Give me your opinions on what microsoft is doing and maybe one day we will see a worldwide fast from XBL. I know some of the more well off people could care less, but if we could just put a dent in their yearly earnings, it may show them two think twice about messing with the gamers of the world!!

I firmly agre with your stance and only have to say that Most of my next big purchases are all for my PS3. Its not enough to just stop XBL, you have to boycott the system itself and while I support your standpoint I firmly believe that it doesn't stand a chance

it wouldnt suprise me but they might not. who knows. you have to pay for using zune. you need to buy microsoft points to buy them so they might just leave it alone. fabebook is free on the computer so it should stay that way.

I'm a little torn here.  On one hand, if the price doubles, which is what I've heard rumors of, $100 a year is just over $8 a month, which doesn't sound so bad.  On the other hand, I know that a lot of people aren't in the position that they could pay $8 a month for XBL.

Once upon a time, the 360 was so clearly dominant over the PS3 that Microsoft could charge $50 for XBL and everyone with half a brain would pay it.  These days, with the PS3 closing the gap and with the PSN being free, I think Microsoft may actually need to consider lowering the price of XBL (to $0) or risk gamers flocking to the PS3 for games they want to play online.

If I were Microsoft, I would make up these rumours so that people would start buying XBL at the price it is now.  Its like gas, if you hear its going up, you better go fill your tank.

That would blow, but then again, it IS yearly. Have a whole year to save. Still, what greedy a%@$#^oles.

microsoft is one of those very greedy companys that would deffenitly pull this off and possibly get away with it, if they thought it would be successful.  the question is, is the risk worth it?  from a purely profit perspective, maybe.  as long as more then half the people currently using xbl continue to pay for it, then they will see profits in that sector.  the downside is that all the people who dont, will now start buying multiplats on ps3 so they can play online.  this has its own negative effect on microsoft.  so in the end, im not really sure its worth the hassle.  i dont think they will do it.  at least not this console gen.  maybe when the next one comes out it will have a higher price tag, who knows.  or maybe they will come out with a new premium service, a third tier, which will cost more, but have more benefits then gold, like dedicated servers perhaps?  maybe come with a free download rental service.  who knows, its certainly possible.

Let's not attack Microsoft on this matter yet, they haven't raised prices thus far.  So far they have provided a lot of stuff on Xbox Live.  Also, with the price of the PS3 lowered and PSN being completely free, I kind of doubt that they will jack the price up with fear of Xbox customers deciding to go to PS3.

Now i don't know much about business, but isn't something about supply and demand filter in to this? if we poll who would still stay with the 100$ a year, which most would. I'm sure it would out rank the who wouldn't. So they could do it to make more money, even with the loss of people who would opt out.

I'm all with everyone who doesn't want it to. Because 60 bucks for game to play online is pretty much the limit for me added on to 60 a year. I'm all against M$'s (Nice one btw Starship Kodak) Greed. But rumors so far people. so i repeat calm! heh

Can you please provide any links to these XBox Live price increase rumors?

gameinformer.com/.../news-Xbox-Live-Subscriptions-Could-Rise-To-_2400_100_2C00_-Says-Analyst.aspx

Price should generally be indicative of quality, or value.  This price increase would be a bit more plausible (And in turn, would lend more support to the rumors) if additional features and upgrades were also being planned.

Simultaneously, I forsee a situation where this is simply adding a new subscriber level to Live.  It wouldn't simply be "Everyone has to pay $100 for Live", but rather, a rank above the standard Gold membership.  Perhaps Platinum?  Who knows.  Needless to say, Microsoft aren't stupid when it comes to business.  They won't risk losing a sizable chunk of their subscriber base without some sort of plan.  Let's wait and see how it plays out.

Xbox live is better than every other online gaming system. Theres a reason why it costs 50 bucks a year. If they increased the price for it, people are still going to buy it. Thats dedication. And, even tho i'll be as angry as every, you will still see me playing on live.

Thank you for the link Mytho.

Well, a price increas especially to $100 would suck.  I certainly would not be on XBLive anymore, it's not that important to me.  But sadly I don't think it would harm their subscription sales at all.  I think gamers would complain about it but suck it up and still pay.

I'm a Silver Member right now because the stuff costs money. Refusing to purchase something because of the cost is so difficult to do universally though. Even though a lot of strong-willed gamers would stand up to Microsoft and not fork over the dough, there would still be a lot of people willing to pay $100. But I got your back