Microsoft said at E3 that Xbox Live users would need to be Gold members (requiring an annual fee) to access Last.fm without paying for a Last.fm-specific subscription; Silver users would just have extremely limited access. What Microsoft didn't mention, however, was that these limitations would extend to both Facebook and Twitter, as well.
This news was buried in Microsoft's late night press release about the new Xbox 360 price adjustments. Here's what the press release says:
"Xbox LIVE Gold Membership will be required for Twitter and Facebook when they are available, and is required for Netflix. Games, media content and Netflix membership are sold separately; a hard drive is required for storage."
When Facebook and Twitter's Xbox Live extensions launch later this year, you'll need to be a paying subscriber to access the applications. The press release doesn't get anymore specific than saying the social networking add-ons will arrive sometime "this fall," as Microsoft has said in the past.
What do you think about limiting Facebook and Twitter to Gold members?
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achillez77
As a Gold member, I think it is as it should be, lol
shafnitz
I can't complain. They keep adding value for my $50/year. I do wish, however that these features could be tied to the console so that I don't need a Gold account for every profile (specifically my wife's) that wants to use them. She'll never play games online, so it seems silly to pay for Gold just for Facebook, Twitter and Netflix.
slvchris ShowHide(9 Replies)
slvchris's comment is abusive and has been removed.
scoobythebeast
I think its fine. I mean it costs money so they need money coming in. I mean are there really that many silver members? and as for the PS3 passing it, maybe when the PS3 gets a game list like the 360 and its online can offer the amount of features 360, than it just might pull ahead.
Sigil
I understand the move, but I don't think this is the best call. Yes, making Netflix a "Gold" exclusive makes sense. However, Twitter and Facebook are social communities. If you are communicating on Facebook or Twitter via your Live account (assuming that set it up so that your status states this), a Gold member may ask a Silver member to play a game, which involves he or she upgrading . (Peer Pressure) Also, your friends and family will see that you are using Facebook or Twitter via Live and that's advertising for Xbox Live....A lot of advertising..... I learned about all the Twitter clients that I have used, because I read someone's tweet that included how their "tweet" was facilitated, e.g, ...."tweeted via Tweetie"
However, this way could work too..
DreamingDarklyRobin
How is this news? They already made most new content gold exclusive and why not add more of a reason to become a gold member.
Socko76
I have all of the systems but I have never purchased Xbox Live Gold as I did not see the benefits vs. the free online with PS3. Then again, I don't make online friends. I just join in random matches and pre-arrange sessions with friends. If I wanted to pay onging fees for gaming and meet people online who take things way too seriously, I'll play World of Warcraft.
I think Xbox needs to pull back from making stuff exclusive to Gold members. Gold members getting extras or stuff first is fine (I mean they DID pay) but stuff like this is just ridiculous. Anything that is available online or on other systems (iPhone, and PS3 via the web browser) should be to all Xbox users. It could be a feature of the Xbox in general and not just of Live.
I'm not a basher or an Xbox hater, I love my Xbox, I just don't like the idea of exclusive Xbox Live content.
RRODisBack ShowHide(12 Replies)
$50 a year for Facebook and Twitter? No thanks. Seriously, did anyone think that M$ would give it to you for free?
bluejadog
I guess I'm not sure. I've been a gold member since the previous generation of Xbox, the bigger than the VCR one, and I have no complaints. It's relatively cheap and I think I only have like 4 or 5 friends in my list. I guess if I was a silver member I would complain about it but I'm not.
Shuborno
This is a terrible idea.
They finally come up with a feature that can get the whole family using their console (which is what they've been trying to do for ages) and when they finally release the feature, only one person in the house will be able to use it. Stupid decision.
OldBoyGamer
OldBoyGamer's comment is abusive and has been removed.
HaroldPalahniuk
I'm not shocked and I'm ok with it thought it would be nice if silver users could use it in some limitd capacity
UnJaked
I think it's fine as a glod member I SHOULD get more than a silver member however if they charge you another fee as with netfilx I'll just use the pc for facebook for FREEEEEEE
JessicaStar
Yes, they should have some access for silver members...as a gold member I download things my fiance' can use and watch as a silver member and I think it's a bit lame when we can't do things together. They should make these features gold member enabled, so as long as there's one resident gold on the console a silver member can use the features too.
That being said, I'm like a lifetime gold member (console lifetime) and I don't even really do online matches and vs stuff like people on here seem too much at all. I just have it for access to diff content like netflix, special dowloads, or 1 vs 100 and things like this. And that's fine. Gold membership is super cheap to have at least one in the house and I don't see how people complain about it.
darkwasp
As Sigil said, i can understand the move, but i dont necessarily agree with it.
RRODisBack ShowHide
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KevinJames23
It's not a big deal. Don't you need a gold account to play games online anyway? So either you use live, or you don't, basically.
Cheapy
Silver members can't always have the good stuff.
Staria ShowHide(2 Replies)
Bastards! We already paid for their console and now they keep adding stuff so we have to give them more money. It must be nice to go to sleep at night rolling in a pile of money...
DreamingDarklyRobin
I guess if they did it in limited availablitiy like you can only create so many tweets using silver a day and its unlimited for gold, or for Last.FM. you can only listen for so many hours/minutes a day, although I can't think of how they would limit Facebook since I've never used it.
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