This is could be the hardest way and unexpected moment for Xbox lover, Microsoft's Major Nelson just announced that Xbox Live Gold will be getting more expensive in the US, UK, Canada, and Mexico starting November 1. A single month will go from $7.99 to $9.99, three months will go from $19.99 to $24.99, and the yearly sub will now be $59.99, up from $49.99.
By the way, the UK gamers who pay annually for the service will not be affected by the price increase, and users are being offered the chance to extend their subscriptions at the current price level. Although access to the basic Xbox Live service is free, the Gold service is required to play online multiplayer games. Currently, rival services offered on the PlayStation 2 and Wii consoles are free, although Sony has just introduced PlayStation Plus, a premium version of its online offering, which provides early access to demos, free downloadable games, and automatic firmware updates. The price is £39.99 for a 12 month subscription
Across the board, console manufacturers and games publishers are adding more functionality to their online services, with downloadable content, social networking support and seamless chat functionality becoming the norm. The extra costs of implementing and maintaining these services has led many industry giants to consider subscription charges. Electronic Arts has already implemented Online Pass, which charges purchasers of pre-owned EA Sports games for downloadable content packs. Activision, meanwhile, is thought to be considering subscription fees for online multiplayer gaming on titles like Call of Duty – although the company has denied this. Microsoft will also have the extra burden of Kinect, its forthcoming motion controller system, which offers a range of connectivity features.
So, what do you think about it??
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