Do You Know Why Microsoft Charges For Xbox Live?

Ask Microsoft to make good subscription free and see what happens! The quality will be trash. Did you not take economics in school?

:)

 

Do you know why?

[quote user="Th3 Tater"]

Japans' internets are superior to the US internets. And from what I've read, so are SEVERAL european countries. IDK about you, but the main overseas I see is Japan, Germany & England, all of which are reported to have faster internet access due to better
networks. Sounds like YOU need to upgrade.

[/quote]I really do hope that people understand that those countries can have better networks because it costs less to replace them.

The U.S. is a large piece of land, it's not easy to just tear things down and replace them or to even just add another thing.

 

Do you know why?

Congrats, OP, you win the 'Dumbest Post of the Week' Award!

To answer you questions in order:

First, presuming the 'J' word is what I think it is, anyone with an IQ higher than their shoe size would understand why it's not allowed on XBL.

Second, Microsoft is a commercial enterprise. Therefore it exists to make money. Therefore it opens XBL to as many markets as possible. If players' connections are so lousy you could always try playing with friends. What, you don't have any?

Third, Europe is not a free weekend oasis.

Fourth (yes, there's a 'u' there), I doubt anyone here cares enough about you to stalk/threaten you.

 

Are you on the minimum wage or are you 12? don't see the fuss over them charging a tiny fee for Gold. Microsoft operational costs are very high. They make profit because they're an intelligent company. If you don't like it go somewhere else. No one is forcing
you to be with Xbox. By using Xbox YOU ACCEPT THE TERMS OF SERVICE. You did click ACCEPT, right? Is your internet 100% reliable. Is your power company 100% reliable. No. They do run into hiccups sometimes. We pay fees which help improve the quality. THIS(=======

 

Imagine for a moment that I agree with you and Microsoft need the Gold fee to provide the level of service they do.

How do you explain all the other internet related services they provide for free. How do you explain Xbox Live for PC being free. How do you explain Valve offering the same level of service and features at no cost to a larger userbase?

I apologise if I come across as antagonistic but "they need it or the service would be bad" is not a good argument in the face of Valve and Steam, and let's face it the latter company has a lot more hardware and software configurations to make sure their service
works well on.

Xbox Live is a great service but to be honest the only reason they are charging is because people have proven they are willing to pay. I sure as hell wouldn't give up money in those circumstances either.

 

With Xbox Live for PC, and Steam, they aren't building and selling hardware at a loss or marginal profit, in fact they aren't selling any hardware at all. When you look at the cost of a console, the parts themselves pretty much eat up all the price of the
console, let alone all the R&D, marketing and distribution of all those consoles. Typically you will pay 3-5 times the price for any hardware than the sum of all it's parts, whereas with console's it's around 1 times. Plus with any PC that is out there they
have already made some money from the Windows licence that came with that PC.

Then there's the fact that with a Gold subscription you get exclusive sales and free games every month. I can guarantee that out of the 48 free games a year and savings from the sales, you'd really have to try very hard to not get your Gold fee back, even
if you only played 2 of the free games.

Then we come to the policing and enforcement of Xbox Live. Having played across all the platforms, Xbox Live is the most friendly place to play. PlayStation has got a little better since they started charging I must say, but you play any multiplayer game
on the PC or the PS3 and the aggression and swearing and bullying is just sickening. Guess I could compare it to paying for the law enforcement as part of my council tax. Even that comes to more per year than an Xbox Live sub but I'd rather have police in
the city than not pay it.

It all comes down to weather you see the value in it really. Personally I do and I actually think that £40 a year is a steal. If you think otherwise then at least you have the option to not buy it, the same of which cannot be said for the police and fire
department as part of my council tax. I've never needed either of them yet I still have to pay for them.

 

Yes you don't get why people moan, can't argue there.

 

Yes, I said XBL live has been down numerous times over the past 3 years. A few times even for D D O S and i've never had a paid PSN.. ;-)

 

I remember the DDOS. It was like 2 years ago over the December period. However Microsoft can NOT control the internet infrastructure. However the longer the attackers do a D.O.S attack, the more easier legal authorities can track it. So attackers dare not
do such an attack for a very prolonged period of time. These criminals have proven they can attack big companies like Microsoft and Sony.

However during December and January, it's the long summer holidays and school holidays for Australia and New Zealand, so we're usually out enjoying the sun and amusement park, zoo, beaches, rather than being cooped up inside having the internet as your only
friend.

I don't get why people moan about a small annual fee. WE PAY FEES TO HELP IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF XBL SERVICE. Servers used for Xbox Live cost A LOT of money for Microsoft to operate! They have to pay Xbox Support staff. They have
to pay Xbox Engineers. They have to pay Xbox Enforcement staff. And they may sell consoles at a loss and use the money from XBL to recuperate. Companies do not have to copy what other companies do. Why don't people go complain about the cost of retirement!
That's over $100,000+ per person. When you look at the cost of retirement. When you look at the price you spend on groceries, electricity, internet, parties, transport..... Xbox Live Gold membership is cheaper than all of them. Everything can't be just free.
And I can't see governments passing legislation to make everything free.

Honestly, my generation SPENDS MORE MONEY partying on weekends or treating themselves to takeaways..... than we do for Xbox Live Gold subscription. Complaining about the (questionably expensive) free of a Gold membership, is like complaining about paying
$1-$2 for a chocolate bar. People who complain about that stuff are either still a kid, on the minimum wage, or who don't have a good [more better paid] job. People on the minimum wage or low wages, complain about the cost of everything...

Talking about Steam, I love their Refund Policy. If you don't like a game or have complications with it, and have brought it less than what 14 days or played less than 2 hours, you can get a refund. I wish this was the same with EA, PS, and Xbox. Sure some
people may abuse it. But it's a great customer service idea for those who don't make a habit to deliberately abuse it.

 

Probably the truest thing you've ever said and I totally agree However, peeps are throwing out #truefax and you're just sat there, mired in your own self-complacency. Please explain.

 

Props to you on a *very* insightful post, but please enlighten me as to what is the difference between virtual and literal? Because you can't spin up virtual servers if you don't have access to physical storage?

 

On PC,XBL is free,it got more features and as far as i know,it's not trash.

 

If it's the case,start questioning yourself.

 

PC gets viruses. Xbox doesn't and has never had (on genuine Xbox 360 Xbox one consoles). Stop being cry babies. The fee for Gold subscription is very low. Xbox live on Xbox is not trash. It just has some under appreciative minimum
or low wage adults. You spend far more on partying groceries internet and power.

 

Aren't you still in school? I spend money on holidays and games. I think your thoughts on this are missing the point of the thread, Low wage adults? mmmmk, that's clearly the reason. Are you trying to show off? hmmm, and you used to be so polite.