Microsoft will charge for key XBone features

[colonel_mortis]

After digging themselves nearly out of their very deep hole with the xbox one, Microsoft have now announced that they will charge an annual fee for key features

The requirement covers recording and sharing of gameplay videos, making Skype video calls and using a service that finds gaming opponents.

This is just a standard XBox live gold membership ($60/£40 per year), but some of their most advertised features will require the membership to use. Why they would charge to use skype on the console s beyond me.

 

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23613754 and from another post http://www.theverge.com/2013/8/7/4599906/microsoft-will-charge-60-a-year-for-many-xbox-one-features with this chart of what you get:

[Theo]

Im pretty sure this was posted yesterday, also stop making a big deal of "annual fee for key features" Its called Gold, if you have an xbox you ll most probably have xbox live gold. If they were charging extra money for the dvr features or whatever i'd have a problem with it, but its just Gold, nothing new

[yuh25]

Why would you use Skype on a console. Though it should be free to use since it is an all in one entertainment system.

"Using a service that finds gaming opponents." I thought you had to have gold to play online anyway.

[squirrl]

Online play is one thing, but messaging is another. Even the 360 didn't stop you talking to your friends.

[Samdb]

Microsoft need to sort their company out.

[colonel_mortis]

Why would you use Skype on a console. Though it should be free to use since it is an all in one entertainment system.

"Using a service that finds gaming opponents." I thought you had to have gold to play online anyway.

Which makes you wonder whether they're changing anything else as well. And with skype, do you not use skype/razer coms etc. to communicate with friends while placing games? Also, my family has connected a laptop up to the TV to skpye relatives from time to time (on special occasions), so I can see it having a market. It also just helps microsoft get more people to use skype.

 

Im pretty sure this was posted yesterday, also stop making a big deal of "annual fee for key features" Its called Gold, if you have an xbox you ll most probably have xbox live gold. If they were charging extra money for the dvr features or whatever i'd have a problem with it, but its just Gold, nothing new

The main issue I can see is that microsoft has been pushing the XBox one as a platform not just for gaming, so you'll get people who weren't going to use the online gaming features and therefore not buy gold who were taken in by the advertisement of one of the other features and are now forced to pay $60/£40 a year to use their new device.

[Vitalius]

Online play is one thing, but messaging is another. Even the 360 didn't stop you talking to your friends.

Microsoft need to sort their company out.

This.

 

The main issue I can see is that microsoft has been pushing the XBox one as a platform not just for gaming, so you'll get people who weren't going to use the online gaming features and therefore not buy gold who were taken in by the advertisement of one of the other features and are now forced to pay $60/£40 a year to use their new device.

Makes sense, but still very "douchebag" imo. Skype is free everywhere else, that I know of, so why does it cost money on the XB1? ... Oh right. Because it's M$ and the XB1. 

:| I don't like them. They are just giving me more reasons not to.

[yuh25]

Which makes you wonder whether they're changing anything else as well. And with skype, do you not use skype/razer coms etc. to communicate with friends while placing games? Also, my family has connected a laptop up to the TV to skpye relatives from time to time (on special occasions), so I can see it having a market. It also just helps microsoft get more people to use skype.

 

Sorry I'm not up to date with consoles, does Skype replace voice chat/messager?

[squirrl]

Sorry I'm not up to date with consoles, does Skype replace voice chat/messager?

That's what I thought was the case.

[Assassin]

Already posted like a centillion times.

[ComputerNoob]

Well ps4 requires playstation plus which is 5 dollars a month aswell in order to play online.

Fuck consoles, I'll stick with my gaming pc.

[TheBLOODYTOXIC]

In the Xbox 360 you need gold membership to use you Netflix account... that is BS

[Warcony]

For people who say this isn't a big deal, it is.  They are preventing you from accessing services where that access is free on other platforms.  Imagine if Microsoft started charging Windows users $60 a year to use an internet browser?  They are already charging annual fees for Office, now Xbox services, who knows what else in the near future.

[BurpleMan]

Well ps4 requires playstation plus which is 5 dollars a month aswell in order to play online.

Fuck consoles, I'll stick with my gaming pc.

 

Yea but the main differences being that the PS4 doesnt require plus for any other feature other than online multiplayer gaming. 

[Vitalius]

Well ps4 requires playstation plus which is 5 dollars a month aswell in order to play online.

Fuck consoles, I'll stick with my gaming pc.

You get 2 free games a month with PSN. 

I've effectively bought Deus Ex Human Revolution and Uncharted 3's single player campaign for $5. Hell of a deal in all honesty. Everything else is gravy. 

Yea but the main differences being that the PS4 doesnt require plus for any other feature other than online multiplayer gaming. 

This.

[BurpleMan]

Xbox ones list of features are disingenuous, they are more accurately features of xbox live gold. This should actually be a larger legal debate over misselling as opposed to tit for tat fanboys  

[qwertywarrior]

i wonder

 

look sony arnt angels ive seen the stuff they pulled its really horrible

but it seems they are smart with what people love

and greedy with other products that dont have a lot of demand or a huge following

 

 

microsoft doesn't have many products

but with the two most known for they are doing the most horrible mistakes

 

my question is

do they actually know what they are doing

i mean do they understand the crap they  are pulling or are they just 100% ignorant about it ?

[EChondo]

So they expect people to buy a Xbox One for an online entertainment experience, but then charge them more just so they can use those key "features"?

 

Huh, I guess the Xbox One is a gaming console, since if you don't pay for Gold the only thing you'll be able to do is play video games.

 

I've been paying for Xbox Live since 2005/6, I stopped paying back in December. There is no reason to pay for Gold, now they are just moving features over to Gold so you have to pay for it, otherwise it wouldn't be worth it.

 

Would much rather build a HTPC that can do all of these "features" for free and I can do more with it.

[Langdon]

Xbox One just keeps digging their own grave. Making people pay extra for the main features they advertised? No thanks. 

If I had to get a console I'd get the PS4 but honestly both of them don't impress me at all.

[NinjaStyle013]

No idea on whether or not the video calling is to multiple people in a group as even on PC that requires credits.

[Kuzma]

*sigh* without windows Microsoft would be so broken ...

[BurpleMan]

Its like charging you £20k for your car then telling you have to pay separate fees to use the radio, wipers, indicators, lights etc

[criso8]

I wonder what the asterisk next to "unrivaled multilayer experience" is. It's probably like "yeah that a load of crap".

[criso8]

*sigh* without windows Microsoft would be so broken ...

Except they are doing everything to break windows.

[Giddyguy]

The main issue I can see is that microsoft has been pushing the XBox one as a platform not just for gaming, so you'll get people who weren't going to use the online gaming features and therefore not buy gold who were taken in by the advertisement of one of the other features and are now forced to pay $60/£40 a year to use their new device.

 

I think the thing is that the $500 you pay for the Xbox One barely covers the cost that went into R&D of the device + actual cost of production. I believe the cost of XBL Gold covers maintenance and the cost to keep the other services running. As an outsider its pretty easy to say of they should make it free but it might not work financially for them.

For Sony, I have no idea how they manage PSN for free...it's awesome that they do it.

 

What I believe is wrong however, is that you need to then have another subscription for Hulu+ or Netflix or wte. I think MS should make deals with the other companies to create packages where the other services are free. For example if they make XBL Gold $100/year but had Netflix, Hulu+,  NFL Network, and some other services for free I would definitely buy the Xbox One as an entertainment device.