Netflix - Gold

Yep its been irritating me for several years now. Also its not about the money I would pay for gold anyway, its about the precedent and how they are taking advantage of the tech ignorant. Microsoft Live provides no value in a transaction between you and
netflix, they add nothing, so what exactly is it that they are charging you for? The answer is simple, nothing.

 

My question to the OP:

Do you play games online, Titanfall, PvZ, or the MP features of any games you own?

My answer to the OP:

If so your question is moot.

 

@CamhawXxXXXXxx - You'll feel differently once you grow up and pay your own bills. Most people actually value their money once they reach that point.

The last time I subscribed to LIVE was around Sept 2013 when GTA5 was out. Since then, I've had no reason to play a multiplayer game and have been plenty busy with the single player games I have. Somehow though you think I should be happy to pay for LIVE
just because I'd like to access Netflix on my console? Yea, I don't think so.

No, it's not a huge deal when I can still switch to my PS3 or PS4 to watch it for free, but it's still annoying that I have to switch consoles and sign off from the only one that doesn't charge to access a service that they do absolutely nothing for.

 

I don't understand the "it's only $60, the price of another game" argument. For some, it can be hard to justify the expense. "Just another $60" is a lot when you have a family to provide for, are early career, or in general on a budget. Or, you can month-to-month
it for twice the price, which then seems like a bigger waste of money. Regardless, dropping $60 on something may not be economically viable for everyone.

There have been many periods in which my use of Gold was exclusively Netflix. Like Lestat said, when you get older and have responsibilities/expenses that don't afford you the ability to blow $60 to occasionally play a game online and watch Netflix on a
device that charges for that where others do not, it seems like a waste. I have been gifted 1 year gold subs the last 2 holiday seasons, otherwise I'd probably be silver. I didn't think much of the nickel-and-diming in my gaming expenses and how much they
ultimately added up to until a couple years ago and since then, it's hard to justify dropping $60 on a game let alone a subscription to something without really knowing you will make very good use of it. I haven't paid full price for a game since and buying
games has been a rare occasion.

Whether or not the person making the complaint games online or not is irrelevant in attempting to invalidate one's opinion as this does not apply to everyone using Xbox. It is perfectly normal for people to argue points not on just their own behalf but
on that of others.

No matter how you attempt to rationalize it, the only explanation I can think of for this trend persisting with XBL is to make people who do not game online subscribe to Gold, that's it. Otherwise, Nintendo, Sony, Roku, etc. would charge to use Netflix,
etc. on their devices if it were so "necessary."

 

@LayStatttttt I have been paying my own bills for over 2 decades now thank you very much. And I stand by my previous statement. I currently have 3 blu ray players in my house not to mention 2 PCs where I could watch Netflix for "free" but since I have my
Xbox One I don't need one of the blu rays connected. But since I like to play online games, Gold is no big deal.

 

@Malnificent -- If your family is struggling to afford a $40-60/year payment for Live, then perhaps owning a video game console & paying for Netflix isn't making the best use of your financial situation.

I can totally understand and I agree with people budgeting within their constraints, but at the same time.... they probably shouldn't be dropping 200+ dollars on an entertainment device like a video game console.

edit -- My comment wasn't directed specifically at you, but rather in a general sense like your own comment was. (Clarity)

 

Just because you can afford something doesn't mean you need to buy it, and scrutinizing the expense doesn't mean one is struggling financially. For many, budgeting is merely cutting 'unnecessary expenses.' There is a difference. Again, it comes down to
justifying the expense. If budgeting expenses for gaming is important to someone, then it isn't a big deal to that other person. If instead that priority is saving for a house/car/etc. and limiting expenses on hobbies, it doesn't mean you are so broke you
can't afford it. There are times when you aren't struggling but decide "maybe I should downgrade my phone plan because I don't use that extra 4GB of data ever" or get more store brand foods at the grocery because to you they taste the same but cost less,
or not pay for a subscription that you only use for Netflix, when you can plug in a $50 Roku and use that, so you can have a little extra left over. Frugal spending and poverty are two different things.

I say nothing is wrong with scrutinizing what exactly it is you are getting for your money. But at the same time that doesn't mean you shouldn't ever own luxuries like a gaming console if it is something you put to good use.

 

You're using Microsoft servers to stream Netflix....so it makes sense they would charge to use their services to provide Netflix to you.

 

It would if they were not the only one charging for it.

 

PS4 doesn't charge. PS3 doesn't charge. Xbox should not charge. I'm not aware of any other device that charges and I've owned a lot (Roku, Boxee Box, several smart Blu-ray players, a smart tv, an Android box, etc). I knew about gold being required for Netflix
before buying the Xbox One but had already planned on getting gold for multi-player and eventually the free games or I would have just gone with the PS4. Whether people can afford it or not doesn't really matter it's still unusual for Microsoft to charge when
no one else does. I don't blame people for not wanting to pay it.

All of Netflix content is hosted on Amazon servers, that's where it's streamed from, and gold is required for other apps as well, not just Netflix. This has nothing to do with an added expense incurred by Microsoft for Netflix that they need people to pay
for, this is charging for the benefit of using those apps, which is unusual.