An interesting article from Gamezine.co.uk popped up that states that according to the numbers released by both Sony and Microsoft about the number of active accounts on their online platforms, the PS3 actually has a higher percentage of users online than the Xbox 360 and it got me thinking about Microsoft’s decision to keep charging for gold memberships.
The percentages come in at 85% for the PS3 and only 60% for the Xbox 360. The reason is obvious, it’s because Microsoft charge for their online service while Sony does not. I am not going to go into which one is better because that argument has been going on all over the internet for quite a while now and has no answer.
The major question is that if Microsoft claim that they are making most of their money from micro-transactions over Xbox Live Marketplace, then wouldn’t it make more business sense to make the service free and thus entice a whole lot more Xbox 360 users to go online?
Yes, an Xbox Live Silver membership does give people the ability to still access marketplace but honestly, not many people are going to really hang around online with the inability to play multiplayer games or ever join a party in the NXE ( A lot of people don’t actually know that last part but it’s true).
With Microsoft trying to target the more casual market, it only makes sense that a lot of newcomers would be put off by the idea of having to pay to try and play multiplayer games, especially when they are only testing the waters for the most part. Why not just make it free? It will only assist in creating higher sales over marketplace anyways.
A jump from 60% to the region of 85% would mean an incredible jump in marketplace sales and well all know that above anything else, Microsoft is a business and is in it for the money, so it really makes no sense that they are still being so stubborn about charging for a gold membership.
Source: Gamezine
Image: Ripten.com
Last Updated: January 12, 2009
DarthPenguin
January 12, 2009 at 13:27
Agree with you.. with everything but one thing:
I don’t think that the reason why MS only has 60% go online is becuase they charge for online, I think it has to do with the 360 being the cheaper console, and the choice of those who can’t afford to go online. Its also the choice of console for those casual gamers, who don’t care about online. They the same gamers who don’t go online with the PS3.
I do think it should be free though!!! 🙂
Roland Browning
January 12, 2009 at 13:42
Isn’t the Wii the choice of ‘casual’ gamers who don’t care about online?
PaasHaas
January 12, 2009 at 14:28
Dunno how they calculate “active” members and if Live users also do this but I and allot/most other PS3 user I know have multiple accounts for the different regions.
I play online etc with my SA acc but I access the Store on my US, EU and Japanese account at least once a month.
Depending on how they calculate I could be adding 4 active accounts to mix
evilgrinningmonkey
January 12, 2009 at 14:28
The Wii is the choice of idiots who like to waste money.
Lydon
January 12, 2009 at 19:50
I don’t think that dropping the fee would increase their revenue, as it’s very dependant on how much people are willing to spend. I personally have no intention of buying anything from Xbox Live at the moment – free or not. I’m sure quite a few others share the same sentiment, meaning that MS will have to convince those people to spend on a regular basis in order to not only acquire the revenue they would otherwise have acquired via subscriptions, but to make more money.
abe
January 13, 2009 at 03:12
I went online with my PS3 the day I got it.
My xbox360 still hasnt been online.
Why? A $99 wireless adapter, thats why 🙁
Wolfy
January 13, 2009 at 09:36
dude are you a newby??? you dont need a wireless adapted to go online i connect directly through my iburst wham bam thank you vodacom.
Wolfy
January 13, 2009 at 09:39
Nick sorry to say dude but i seriously dissagree with you on the online gamming and joining party side. A couple of friends and myself always get together at night to play GeoW 2 and have a couple of laughs
Nick
January 13, 2009 at 11:44
I don’t understand? I said that you couldn’t do it on a silver account?
Wolfy
January 14, 2009 at 09:19
my bad i must of read the sentance incorrectly i thought it was a new sentance. I got myself a Gold membership i dont really know the perks of the silver membership seeing almost no one has one anyways.