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New Xbox Live Pricing Revealed
NiteStar writes "The new packages and pricing of the Xbox LIVE Gold service have been leaked. The 'Premium Gold' 12 month pack, retailing at 70USD, will include the Gold Xbox LIVE subscription, a communicator headset, "Billiards" Xbox LIVE Arcade game, $20 discount on a games purchase and 200 points in the Xbox LIVE marketplace. The 'Gold' 12months will just include the subscription and an extra free month for 60USD/year. Packages for 3months and 1month will also be available."
One thing to keep in mind is that even though the official price for Xbox Live today is $50/year, you can buy a 12-month subscription on eBay for under $35, which is a 30% discount. I expect that to still be true when the Xbox 360 is released.
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No, the Silver package is free. Everybody with a 360 and a broadband connection can play online for exactly $0 extra.
The only one that seems worth it is the 12 month Premium Gold. You get $20 for another game, a headset, and a quick Billiards game. Once your year's up, just go silver.
e2 | LJ
Actually, all you can do for free is keep a friends list, voice chat, and WATCH the online games. You won't be able to play online without getting the Gold package.
The Silver Package (You're an idiot, btw)
Online Specs
1.gamers can chat with friends online, build and share gamer profiles, send and receive text and voice messages, and access Xbox Live Marketplace for new content such as game demos, trailers and casual games from Xbox Live Arcade.
2. Subscribers to the Gold level of service will also enjoy access to online multiplayer gaming in their favorite games..
Xbox silver = Updates, Demos, patches.
Xbox Gold = Multiplayer gaming.
At least, thats what it says in that link.
From: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox360/onlinespecs.htm
Xbox Live Silver level
Create an online Gamer Profile
Access the Xbox Live Marketplace
Engage in voice and text messaging
Talk to a single friend at a time using voice chat
Receive video messages from Gold level members
Access massively multiplayer online games (additional fees may apply)
Xbox Live Gold level
Paid level of service
All the features of Silver level, and additionally:
o Play multiplayer games online
o Video chat
o Multiplayer online tournaments
o Participate in Xbox Live online programming, such as Game with Fame, Play and Win, and Prime Time activities
Everybody with a 360 and a broadband connection can play online for exactly $0 extra.
Wrong. Everyone with a 360 and broadband can go online with the patently useless Xbox Live Silver. About all that lets you do is have a gamertag and a friends list.
You cannot play online with Silver (the built-in one). You need Gold to play your regular games multiplayer, just as you have to pay for Xbox 1 Live.
From what I understand you'd transfer your existing membership. So fi you have 4 months left, you'd have 4 months left on your Xbox 360.
You register your credit card so you can play on Xbox live. Of course you're also using a prepaid card. The reason they make you register a credit card is so they can charge you for any little thing they feel like charging for. For example, they give you a disk with Xbox live filled with retro games, but each one of those games cost like $15 a pop. I probably wouldn't have put $15 in these games when they were state of the art! But Xbox live lets you purchase a game with a single click of the button. If you don't want to purchase it, but you hit the wrong button to go back, you're out $15 and you're stuck with a crap game. I don't feel comfortable paying for an online service. This is definately an issue for me when buying a console. I'm interested in seeing how the other consoles handle online.
God spoke to me.
I can't find rhgt now where I saw this, but they have said multiple times that you can completely transfer your current Live to new service. In other words, you will keep your gamer tag, profile and however long you paid for.