i know the dreamcast had online services =p but they were so limited that almost no one used em...pretty sure they only had a few online games...but might be mistaken..

wii is free online but it's not very good.

but you do have a real reason as to why you should be paying for xbox live...
because if microsoft didnt make people pay for xbox live, they would not update it as frequently, they would not have the quality of updates and services they have today...and they would lose a ton of money on it.

This post was edited by clowncrook on Sep 27 2010 12:15pm

The updates aren't even that worth it. Netflix and Facebook on the dashboard. OMG guess what, I can do both of those on the PC. Oh, and it's more convenient on the PC as well. PC games (besides MMOs) have been free online since the dawn of PC gaming. PS3 is free, Dream cast was free, Wii is free. Bill Gates is among the richest people in the world, do you honestly think he /needs/ the extra money from XBL?

most of the money that comes in from xboxlive is probably not even touched by him...chances are most of that money goes into the research/work/employment seeing as it's really not that much $..

you are comparing 100% completely different services against the xbox...netflix being more convenient on a pc is something that people are going to think...but also shitloads of people feel that streaming from 360/ps3/wii is far more convenient...

should internet be free as well? i mean the companies are already making a ton off cable/satellite/phone

This post was edited by clowncrook on Sep 27 2010 12:21pm

What ISPs do you know that provide free internet? Shit, sign me up any day.

How exactly are the services completely different, though? I'm failing to understand your argument. It's evident I'm an xbox guy, my primary played game has always been Halo and I've had my XBL account since 05. What I'm paying for is to play games with my friends online, which PS3 and Wii both have for free. One can argue the quality of the games is better one one system over the other, but that's all he says she says. Besides, knowing that the next game Bungie plans on releasing is going to be for the PS3, I'll enjoy playing that online for free too.

You get a few bonuses with the xbox, but anything that those are you can do on the PC just as easily. Shit, even the Microsoft point system is garbage. Knowing everything on the market place is basically in variables of 400, why should I buy a 1400 card knowing that the map pack I want is 1200 points? Everything they do is to try and pinch another penny out of us, the consumer. Yes, I know thats how the corporate world works, but you don't hear any plans of PS3 of Wii becoming P2P services.

wether he needs it or not, you're paying for it, so i guess he's doing something right.

ya ps3 is looking into doing some premium services for like $50 a year, or so i heard

If this is true, good for them. A fair number of their games actually use dedicated servers.

you can buy your map packs as downloadable codes for the exact price of the item in most cases...
but also the ps3 does not have the same services as the 360...as you cannot play halo online w/ psn...so really yea it's a matter of personal preference...and i, not caring about the evidentally increased value of exlusives, probably should have gotten a ps3 seeing as i dont really care for the exlusives that the 360 has...and the free network access would be good...

i do wish that live was free, would save me a small chunk of $...but it shouldnt be free..however i would not disallow it given the chance =p.

but yea also from what i've heard ps3's dlc system is even worse...you buy a 20 dollar card for 20 dollars, no tax...whatever you buy on the psn is taxed so you end up with odd amounts of leftover ballance in your wallet =p

lol 1400 msps?

1600 here in the U.S.A.

i dunno if they are going dedicated servers =/....i think it's mostly like discounts and storage space for save files over the internet =/..

but another downside to there plan is that anything you buy with the discounted price cant be used after you are not subscribed to psn plus =/.

wont be getting that myself when i get a ps3 =D