MS announces $99 Xbox bundle for a limited time...

[Black Diamond Vol]

...the catch is, you have to commit to 2 years of Xbox Live Gold at $14.99 a month- sort of like a cellphone agreement.  I see this a sort of a trial balloon.  If it succeeds, this may be the way all consoles are sold in the future, beginning with the next generation next year (probably).

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/07/microsoft-announces-99-xbox-360-with-subscription?utm_campaign=ign+main+twitter&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

[BigOrange Maniac]

I'm too lazy to go read, but does this mean that all Xbox Live Gold memberships will eventually go to $14.99/mo.? If so, my next-generation console will definitely be a PS.

[Black Diamond Vol]

I'm too lazy to go read, but does this mean that all Xbox Live Gold memberships will eventually go to $14.99/mo.? If so, my next-generation console will definitely be a PS.

As of now, no.  But like I said, this appears to be something of an experiment here near the end of the 360's life cycle.  If it does well, I would expect MS and Sony to adopt the same strategy for their next consoles from day one.  

[BigOrange Maniac]

Well, you're probably right in at least one regard...it's probably only a matter of time before Sony users start to pay for online play like the rest of us.

But I'll never pay $15/mo. for online gaming.

[Black Diamond Vol]

Well, you're probably right in at least one regard...it's probably only a matter of time before Sony users start to pay for online play like the rest of us.

But I'll never pay $15/mo. for online gaming.

I don't even play online.  But the ESPN3 and HBO Go apps make XBL worthwhile for me.  I'm not even an HBO subscriber, but my Mom is.  I just use her password, and it works.  It's like having a free HBO subscription.

[BigOrange Maniac]

I don't even play online.  But the ESPN3 and HBO Go apps make XBL worthwhile for me.  I'm not even an HBO subscriber, but my Mom is.  I just use her password, and it works.  It's like having a free HBO subscription.

I do very little online gaming most of the year. In the winter, I'll do quite a bit of COD but when the weather is warm I hardly even touch my Xbox. Netflix is what makes it worth it to me, but with Netflix now available through so many other avenues, it isn't really a necessity anymore. Unfortunately, ESPN3 isn't an option for me.

[Black Diamond Vol]

I do very little online gaming most of the year. In the winter, I'll do quite a bit of COD but when the weather is warm I hardly even touch my Xbox. Netflix is what makes it worth it to me, but with Netflix now available through so many other avenues, it isn't really a necessity anymore. Unfortunately, ESPN3 isn't an option for me.

Yeah, I can get Netflix and Amazon Prime through my Blu-Ray player.  If LG would get the ESPN and HBO Apps for their Blu-Rays, I could get rid of XBL.  In fact, I could probably cut the cable entirely.  I can get the networks OTA, and I can get all ESPN programming through the Xbox.  That covers about 75% of my viewing.  All I would be missing are the AMC shows (Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Walking Dead, and Hell on Wheels), which I can download through Frostwire the next day.  And Braves games, which I'd probably have to get a MLB.com season pass to watch.