LIVE now free for Games for Windows

[The Feed Monkey]

In addition to the XNA announcements this morning, it was also announced that LIVE will now be free for Games for Windows titles. Games for Windows dude Kevin Unangst made a post about it earlier today and linked off to the details here.

http://209.11.233.26/aggbug.aspx?PostID=294861 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~a/MajorNelson?i=zilMpa
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/MajorNelson?i=yuyqjJ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/MajorNelson?i=6qRnJJ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/MajorNelson?i=gQzXUJ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/MajorNelson?i=sre6yj


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[Lord Geoff]

So what does this mean for those of us paying for Live on the 360. Since these memberships are cross-platform, couldn't someone start a new free account through a GfW title and then play on the 360 for free? How would they be able to block that membership from playing on the 360?

Hey Supa, you have the GfW Shadowrun. Can you make a new trial account with that and let us know if you can use it on the 360?

[Spzombie]

Yeah that would be interesting, But I have a hunch that there's some block to it. I just think it's a ploy to get the PC players sucked into Live and then get a 360. But if it does work...well damn that sounds good to me.

[lovekeiiy]

Well, from my understanding, there were a lot of PC gaming services for online play that were free. So it may have been a move needed to get people just to use it. The funny part, the online gaming part of XBL for PC was free anyway. The gamescore score stuff is what the PC people had to pay for. So, it sounds like the just got rid of the silver membership for the PC gamers.

[Crippler]

Could see this coming a mile away. PC gaming has always been about free online gaming, map packs, etc. Services, other than MMOs, have never gone anywhere on a PC. Maybe this will carry over to the 360....finally. Locking out online multiplayer gaming is just stupid. Create some other value added features for that $$. I know a few peeps, bro-in-law included, that bought PS3s JUST because you have to pay a subscription fee for online multiplayer gaming on 360. It was basically the ONLY reason too. That's a pretty dumb reason not to buy a 360, but it's one none the less. It's obviously playing a role in consumers decision making when buying a console. (Maybe being a UPS driver and seeing a ton of wht boxes played a role too.)

[Lord Geoff]

I actually don't mind paying for Live, but free would also be good. That is, unless we lost any of the nice features we have now. Besides, a full year of all-access for less than the cost of a game is bueno!

[Spzombie]

Although it also might be a new set up where live is free to cater to the casual gamers. Then have that Micro transaction stuff they've all been talking about for years. I just don't like the fact of spending money on a digital item that should be part of the game.