Why bother with XBox Live?

I can understand upkeep costs, keeping and maintaining a server network isn't cheap. So why not allow the games to run on their own networks? XBox games shouldn't need to run on XBox Live servers, much like windows games don't need to be played through some
arbitrary windows network, so why force them? Historically speaking, games that didn't require a dedicated network actually ran with less lag, because there wasn't a dedicated server to cause latency. So why take on the load in the first place? Ofcourse I
do assume that all the XBox games run exclusively on XBox servers, otherwise locking away gameplay for certain games behind a paywall would earn its fair share of hate, and deservedly so. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong though.

Once upon a time, before XBox, games and consoles weren't dependent on people paying for a subscription service, but rather the popularity of the games and consoles themselves was what spurned the market forward. If they are dependent on subscription services,
they should make the not-inexpensive XBox, free or inexpensive. Atleast then, it would actually warrant the service fee, the incessant commercials and ads on the home screen, the inept hardware, and the attitude some people have about XBox in general.

Lets swing this in another direction, I would assume you have a smart phone of some sort, would you pay a service fee just to play your various app games? or just not play the games? Or assume that you'd be better off with a different phone service? Probably
the latter, yeah, I bet it's the latter.

These are the questions I'm asking myself concerning XBox in general, but at the same time trying to find a reason not to throw an investment into the trash, thus, is there anything that makes XBox Live worth it? And I can't find any good answer.

All because I just want to do some online gaming.

Historicly you would have a host that would be the the server for that lobby and you have always paid to play on xbox

Latency is more internet related issue I dont think people with fiber optic or very high internet speeds are having latency problems at all, I am one of them that dont suffer from that 🤷��‍♂️

I can understand upkeep costs, keeping and maintaining a server network isn't cheap. So why not allow the games to run on their own networks? XBox games shouldn't need to run on XBox Live servers, much like windows games don't need to be played through some
arbitrary windows network, so why force them? Historically speaking, games that didn't require a dedicated network actually ran with less lag, because there wasn't a dedicated server to cause latency. So why take on the load in the first place? Ofcourse I
do assume that all the XBox games run exclusively on XBox servers, otherwise locking away gameplay for certain games behind a paywall would earn its fair share of hate, and deservedly so. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong though.

Once upon a time, before XBox, games and consoles weren't dependent on people paying for a subscription service, but rather the popularity of the games and consoles themselves was what spurned the market forward. If they are dependent on subscription services,
they should make the not-inexpensive XBox, free or inexpensive. Atleast then, it would actually warrant the service fee, the incessant commercials and ads on the home screen, the inept hardware, and the attitude some people have about XBox in general.

Lets swing this in another direction, I would assume you have a smart phone of some sort, would you pay a service fee just to play your various app games? or just not play the games? Or assume that you'd be better off with a different phone service? Probably
the latter, yeah, I bet it's the latter.

These are the questions I'm asking myself concerning XBox in general, but at the same time trying to find a reason not to throw an investment into the trash, thus, is there anything that makes XBox Live worth it? And I can't find any good answer.

All because I just want to do some online gaming.

most third party games run on their own servers, only first party titles and a smattering of third party run on azure. none of the xbox gold money goes to the devs running the servers it is just for microsofts end.

Im sticking with PC now as i don't need to pay for playing online as that is provided by the games devs/publishers anyway and have never had issues with security, support is readily available for each game and pc games are cheaper than console games that
are on sale or discounted.

Lets swing this in another direction, I would assume you have a smart phone of some sort, would you pay a service fee just to play your various app games? or just not play the games? Or assume that you'd be better off with a different phone service? Probably
the latter, yeah, I bet it's the latter.

the smart phone isn't cheap to buy and you still have to pay a fee to use it, whether you play games on it or not.

as for making the console cheaper or free with the subscription, Xbox All Access comes close (a One S digital clocks in at $20 per month and that includes Ultimate Gamepass, and after 18 months it can be upgraded to the Series X)

I can understand upkeep costs, keeping and maintaining a server network isn't cheap. So why not allow the games to run on their own networks? XBox games shouldn't need to run on XBox Live servers, much like windows games don't need to be played through some
arbitrary windows network, so why force them? Historically speaking, games that didn't require a dedicated network actually ran with less lag, because there wasn't a dedicated server to cause latency. So why take on the load in the first place? Ofcourse I
do assume that all the XBox games run exclusively on XBox servers, otherwise locking away gameplay for certain games behind a paywall would earn its fair share of hate, and deservedly so. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong though.

Once upon a time, before XBox, games and consoles weren't dependent on people paying for a subscription service, but rather the popularity of the games and consoles themselves was what spurned the market forward. If they are dependent on subscription services,
they should make the not-inexpensive XBox, free or inexpensive. Atleast then, it would actually warrant the service fee, the incessant commercials and ads on the home screen, the inept hardware, and the attitude some people have about XBox in general.

Lets swing this in another direction, I would assume you have a smart phone of some sort, would you pay a service fee just to play your various app games? or just not play the games? Or assume that you'd be better off with a different phone service? Probably
the latter, yeah, I bet it's the latter.

These are the questions I'm asking myself concerning XBox in general, but at the same time trying to find a reason not to throw an investment into the trash, thus, is there anything that makes XBox Live worth it? And I can't find any good answer.

All because I just want to do some online gaming.