Why it's important to keep Xbox Live closed, for pay

[PirateThom]

Originally Posted by chedabob

I think this whole "profit" thing zoomed over your head...

I really don't care about a company and their profits when I've alreay spent £x amount already to just get the game.

[chedabob]

It costs money to run servers. It costs money to employ people to maintain those servers. It costs money to upgrade those servers. Do you see? That's why Xbox Live is orders of magnitude better than Nintendo Wi-Fi and PSN.

[PirateThom]

Originally Posted by chedabob

It costs money to run servers. It costs money to employ people to maintain those servers. It costs money to upgrade those servers. Do you see? That's why Xbox Live is orders of magnitude better than Nintendo Wi-Fi and PSN.

XBox Live is only better than PSN due to software on the console its self, not the actual online play. PSN uses servers and P2P, exactly like Xbox Live... but its free and offers the same (if not a better) online experience as XBox Live.

When Sony brings ingame messaging, points score, Home and trophies and its still free, how are Microsoft going to justify Xbox Live's cost?

[chedabob]

Originally Posted by PirateThom

XBox Live is only better than PSN due to software on the console its self, not the actual online play. PSN uses servers and P2P, exactly like Xbox Live... but its free and offers the same (if not a better) online experience as XBox Live.

When Sony brings ingame messaging, points score, Home and trophies and its still free, how are Microsoft going to justify Xbox Live's cost?

They'll add bigger and better features to remain one step ahead of Sony and Nintendo.

Besides, everything you just listed is implemented for free on Silver, along with dozens of other features.

[PirateThom]

Originally Posted by chedabob

They'll add bigger and better features to remain one step ahead of Sony and Nintendo.

Besides, everything you just listed is implemented for free on Silver, along with dozens of other features.

No doubt, they'll have no choice, but it still won't justify a price tag. The only reason they do it is because they know people will pay it. It's a closed console, they don't give you a choice.

Except the one key feature, online play, which makes Silver basically useless when discussing online play.

[chedabob]

Originally Posted by PirateThom

No doubt, they'll have no choice, but it still won't justify a price tag. The only reason they do it is because they know people will pay it. It's a closed console, they don't give you a choice.

Except the one key feature, online play, which makes Silver basically useless when discussing online play.

If Sony had a decent service, don't you think they'd charge?

Getting off Live though, what about MMOs?

[PirateThom]

Originally Posted by chedabob

If Sony had a decent service, don't you think they'd charge?

Getting off Live though, what about MMOs?

They already said they would, if they could offer something no one else could, but that doesn't mean I'd pay it.

The problem with MMOs is that they genuinely do need the servers, but I think Runescape (as much as it sucks to Holy Hell) has a good model. Free servers that anyone can play that are severely limited and then optional paid servers that open up more of the world in addition to paying for DLC and other things. It means you can still play, but should you choose to take it further, you can pay to get a better experience.

[Darth Daver]

I've never used PSN so I can't compare. But I don't mind paying for Xbox Live because I rate it a good service. If PSN really is as good as Xbox Live then they should charge.

[Leonidas]

MS aren't still losing money on the console, are they?

[Darth Daver]

No they're making money now, they've been making money for a while now so I reckon they'll bring in a pretty penny this quarter