Home Gaming Rumour: Xbox to drop gold requirements for media apps

Rumour: Xbox to drop gold requirements for media apps

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If you are a current Xbox 360 or Xbox One gamer you would know that not only do you need Xbox Live Gold to play games online but that you also need it to use any media aservices such as YouTube or any of the other assorted media applications.

Well if the latest rumours are to be believed this requirement will be dropped at E3 which is good news for everyone except Microsoft.

The reason for dropping it is quite clear as Sony does not require you to jump through any of these hoops on the PlayStation 3 or 4 and Sony taking the lead at the moment is forcing Microsoft to play catch up. But if we don’t need Xbox Live Gold for applications and the Games for Gold offerings are still weak compared to Sony then is there really enough reason to be spending over R600 a year just to play Call of Duty online?

I’m sure Microsoft is looking at this huge revenue stream with a wary eye now as they would be hugely disappointed to lose it but at the same time they are going to have to do something quickly to ensure that they are still offering a quality product at a premium price.

In the early stages of the last generation the Xbox 360 online experience was leagues superior to the PlayStation Network and that fact alone made me more than happy to pay my subscriptions but since then Sony has seriously improved and now more and more people are wondering what they are actually paying for.

Last Updated: May 13, 2014

24 Comments

  1. Umar Returns

    May 13, 2014 at 09:25

    Those avatars makes me think of this video. Love Kyle Bosman!! Also watch right at the end and 10:38, he just nails it on the head
    http://youtu.be/_9EkdNhjfr8?t=2m35s

    Reply

    • CAE9872

      May 13, 2014 at 11:21

      Couldn’t agree more – every Wednesday I have a date with the Bosman.

      Reply

  2. Hammersteyn

    May 13, 2014 at 09:29

    Wait what? You can’t even Youtube on the XBOX without paying R600 a year?
    http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/500x/49762732.jpg

    Reply

    • FoxOneZA

      May 13, 2014 at 10:16

      That’s true and that suxxxs 🙁

      Thank goodness for Smart TV’s 😉

      Reply

    • GracieHunter

      May 13, 2014 at 10:53

      That and it’s a more limited youtube. I was at a friends house and we where watching music videos on youtube on his Xbox. I couldn’t find most of the videos I was looking for but on the PC I could. Then it dawned on me. M$oft was selling music videos on XBL not too long ago, don’t know if they still do. They must have removed it from Youtube on the Xbox otherwise people won’t buy the music videos. Disgraceful!

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        May 13, 2014 at 11:01

        Wow, just wow.

        Reply

  3. Admiral Chief in Space

    May 13, 2014 at 09:34

    Paid R1k for my Win8 and my Steam is free, #JustSaying

    Reply

    • FoxOneZA

      May 13, 2014 at 10:17

      Paid R600 for mine.

      Wait, the Admiral is on Win 8? o_O

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief in Space

        May 13, 2014 at 10:22

        Correct sir, and I prefer it

        Reply

  4. RATIONALE

    May 13, 2014 at 09:39

    I understand that we all like everything free, and then we demand the best for free as well, but looking at Sony’s and MS’s financial standings I can’t but wonder if this whole entitlement issue with gamers aren’t someday going to spell the collapse of our beloved industry?

    Reply

  5. RATIONALE

    May 13, 2014 at 09:39

    I understand that we all like everything free, and then we demand the best for free as well, but looking at Sony’s and MS’s financial standings I can’t but wonder if this whole entitlement issue with gamers aren’t someday going to spell the collapse of our beloved industry?

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      May 13, 2014 at 09:42

      I don’t understand the logic when only MS charges you for something that’s free on your PC,mobile or tablet.

      Reply

      • RATIONALE

        May 13, 2014 at 09:46

        Just saying, because of that MS is looking much healthier financially. They need to make money, I would hate for everything to go the micro transactions way one day, thats all!

        Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      May 13, 2014 at 09:46

      I agree. Don’t question whether or not you’re getting value for money as a customer. Just keep paying & don’t rock the boat otherwise they might take the shiny toys away.

      Reply

    • GracieHunter

      May 13, 2014 at 10:48

      The problem isn’t people not paying enough, it’s the whole business model that’s outdated. Triple-A titles charging R700 for short campaigns and the same old recycled mechanics and stories when I can get more enjoyment out of original games for less than half the price. Companies that can’t adjust will fade away.

      Reply

  6. Alien Emperor Trevor

    May 13, 2014 at 09:44

    Maybe now the penny will drop… unless they’re all needed to pay for basic internet access.

    Reply

  7. VampyreSquirrel

    May 13, 2014 at 09:56

    R600 a year? No ways, I paid R350 for my 12 month sub (Thanks Takealot!)

    Reply

    • FoxOneZA

      May 13, 2014 at 10:18

      Cheapskate squirrel 😛

      Reply

  8. Pieter Kruger

    May 13, 2014 at 10:09

    You can get it for much less! But even R600 a year is not that much anyway! Jeez, just eat less McDonalds! Who decided that gaming should be available to all? We all love Ferrari but we’re not all demanding them for R30k a piece? The tendency by developers to lay off staff after every game is released should be a very worrying indicator! Soon Indies will rule the world and we’ll all still be demanding AAA titles from non existent publishers! The joke will be on us, the consumers!

    Reply

    • FoxOneZA

      May 13, 2014 at 10:19

      There’s always room for Indies on that other console. The indies should just launch their own console but not after a fist fight over policies.

      Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      May 13, 2014 at 10:28

      The development cycle of most games is that they start with a few developers and then as the game ramps up they hire up to hundreds of contract developers and then as the game is released they cut down to a minimum again.. not sure that’s related to anything other than pure business logic

      Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      May 13, 2014 at 10:42

      No thanks, You can save the R600 and more buying a PS4 and Youtube for free.

      Reply

  9. oVg Errorist

    May 13, 2014 at 11:25

    Another 180.

    Reply

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