Twitter and Facebook for Xbox Live will be free for Gold members, 'free trial' for Silver
By Ross Miller 
posted Aug 28th 2009 12:52AM
posted Aug 28th 2009 12:52AM
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Or it's always free on a...computer...
Or if microsoft decides to get there act together they could implement a browser into the xbox. I mean, c'mon, the wii has a browser and so does the ps3 yet the 360 doesn't have one. Don't get me wrong, I love my 360, it is by far my favorite of the 3 consoles but this would just make it an even better living room companion.
Wow Facebook, you scary.
and gold will be free too right microsoft? right.
i don't care which system you prefer, but if you prefer the 360, you really need to be bitching to MS about what they provide free with their system compared to the other guys. Cause that shit is the worst kind of shit of all: bullshit.
It's always free on a PS3 too. Both work fine with the PS3's built in web browser.
Would you really want to sit in your living room browsing the internet on your xbox when i assume you have a computer somewhere in the house that will do it 1000x better
Why anybody would want to use Facebook or Twitter is beyond me let alone pay MS to access it. They just seem like public broadcast messaging services for vain people.
Depends a lot on what they're going to do with this integration. Automatic status updates, tweets on "join me in this game," that's the sort of crap I'd at the very least expect out of this. If they don't do that, I have no idea why they even bothered.
To be honest, XBox Live is not too bad to pay for. When those deals come around, $30 a year isn't too much to stomach.
Well considering playing games online is free for PC, PS3, and Wii (for what little capabilities Wii has). It's a joke. Probably why I only game online with PC and PS3, and that covers everything anyway.
While I agree with you, it's $50/year unless you get a deal.
@phinnvr6
Your analogy is flawed. PCs don't have a unified framework for online gaming. XBL is a constantly evolving service, and the programmers working on it cost money. Rather than charging everyone with a 360 more money to offset the costs of these developers, they only charge those who use the service.
@o29:
Steam is a PC analog to XBL. It's free. >_>
@Amun:
Yes, but Steam is used to sell games as well. Which means the cost for maintaining servers likely comes out of the revenue made from selling games. XBL decided to go a different route.
But the best reason why Micrsoft charges for service is the same reason why TiVo charges for its service. People who like the product (in this case, games) will not mind paying a little extra to play online.
Are you going to buy XBL Gold to use Netflix? Probably not. The same goes for Facebook. Are you going to use it if you're already wasting your buddies in Halo 3? Sure, why not.
"Yes, but Steam is used to sell games as well."
What, you can't buy games over Xbox Live?
In addition to Steam, there's also GFWL, which is free. No revenue from selling games, either (and I rather doubt that DLC profits cover their costs).
GFWL didn't used to be free. They made it free because PC gamers didn't want to pay for it. After all, online gaming for PCs has always been free (aside from some MMO games, but that is another discussion altogether).
Simply put, the only reason Microsoft charges for Xbox Live is because they can. People are more than willing to pay for it. That's not evil or wrong, it's just reality. I'd do the same thing if I was in charge of Microsoft. When people come up to you and want to give you money, you don't turn them away.
Does it help subsidize the cost of development and maintenance of XBL? Sure, I bet it helps a lot. But I'm willing to bet that XBL would do just fine on its own, even if it didn't have any subscriber fees associated with it.
Yes, Richard, you can buy arcade games and a limited number of actual Xbox 360 titles. Steam gives you access to a majority of the new PC games coming out soon, while many places that sell computer games aren't getting as wide a variety of games as you can get through Steam, and not only that, but it's cheaper. The reason online play on PC is "free" is because someone else is footing the bill. Every single server you see in 99% of PC games is hosted by a small online community or clan and costs a good 100-150 bucks a month for that server, depending on the size. For example, a community I'm a part of for CS:S has 9 servers for CS:S- we own a dedicated box which costs us around 900 dollars a month for 9 40 slot servers and all the bandwidth. Sony pays for all the bandwidth and the servers out of their own pocket, and it's quite a hefty chunk of change- Microsoft has had to spend a bunch correcting their own mistake, and they can't really afford to not charge for Xbox Live, unless you would rather they just stop making the Xbox, because if they don't charge for Live, they can't really make enough profit to justify the 360.
is this a necessity for xbox fan? don't see people paying just to do this if they already don't pay normally.
Exactly... people moan "omfg you have to pay to get Facebook" - well, no; you pay for a gold membership, which just happens to include Facebook.
of course it's necessary! haven't you ever fired up cod:waw only to realize that you should have checked facebook first? two birds with one stone... unless that bird happens to be an african swallow that is.
I think this is more of a bonus to people who already have gold, Last.fm makes sense if your xbox is your media hub, facebook is a bit more meh, but the game integration is interesting
It's probably gold only because some focus group somewhere raised their perceived value of the Xbox Live service by a couple of dollars upon hearing that there was Twitter and Facebook support.
If you are already a gold user then yay you've now got Twiter and Facebook support. If you aren't...you should be. Online gaming is so much more fun than playing with yourself. I mean by yourself.
The big issue for me with Xbox live is that they need a freaking family plan.
I signed my daughter and wife up for trial gold accounts so we could all play 1vs100. Was a lot of fun. Would like to play it more as a family. But, not for $59.99x3 per year.
Same with this. They'd probably love Xbox twitter/facebook, but still not worth the cost.
Does this mean I'll be spamming the news feed on my Facebook page with updates about my latest achievements and other wonders of the world of the Xbox 360? Also this might motivate me to use my twitter account now.
Also free on PS3.
@ phinnvr6: If I could vote you up a bazillion times, I most certainly would. Your post is all TRUTH. And as much as it stings, you are right, people still buy it which in turn certainly shows some ignorance on their part. I'm admittedly one of those people... and know that the 360 is a complete and utter RIP-OFF. You failed to mention the overpriced proprietary HDD units as well. $120 for what now comes standard on the $299 PS3 slim, which can also be replaced by any hard drive of your choice, NOT proprietary!
I really hate Micro$oft when it comes to the Xbox 360. For some reason they can do all these things to the consumer and yet, they still move like hot cakes. Who's to blame? I would say my friends... why? Because they only play 360. Not one of my friends has a PS3. Not one. So as much as I love my PS3... It sits and collects dust while my 360 gets all the action. It's a sad, sad state of affairs and I can only hope that next gen... Micro$oft get shit on for treating their customers like blind drooling fools who will buy anything marked "Xbox."
I find it humorous that people are starting to call Xbox people dumb, ignorant and would buy anything with an Xbox logo when this is the same criticism people who buy Apple products get.
@SkoGoody
Your mom goes to college.
Man I hope Micro$oft doesn't but up the exclusivity to that too. Because Wii all know it would be better and free on PS3. I hope Sony has the Social Network up on the PSN for both the PS3 and PSP before years end.
I warned you people.Don't say I didn't. Every time someone uses a $ instead of an "s" in Microsoft, I kick a puppy in the face.
Putting the $ instead of the "s" in Micro$oft is more worthwhile than any other company there is. Why does it bother you? Just look at the Xbox 360, its the biggest nickle and dimming racket in electronics business and ignorant people (that don't know any better) still buy it.
The $ makes plenty of sense when you consider the 360 makes you PAY ($40) yearly to play games online (when PC, PS3, and Wii games don't), it's the only console that doesn't include Wi-Fi ($80), it doesn't have rechargeable controllers ($20), a Blu-ray player ($100), it doesn't even come with an HDMI cable anymore ($10). Not to mention they have over a 50% failure rate. PS3 is better in almost ever way now that the price of the Slim is $299.
It annoys me because it's not funny or clever anymore. I think that people put the dollar sign in Microsoft to suggest that Microsoft is all about making money. Well I should hope so and I'm sure their shareholders do to. Also, $40 a year is $0.11 a day for an online experience that is way more polished than anything you'll get with $ony or PC gaming. And as for the failure rate, if you believe that nonsense about a 50% failure rate then your dumber than you look. I'm sure Sony fanboys, MS haters and other communists have something to do with those figures. I have yet to meet a person whose 360 has died on them.
@phinnvr6
I own all three consoles and a PC. Xbox Live is by far the best multiplayer system of the bunch. PS3 voice quality is substandard (When you can find a game where people actually chat). The various chat and messaging features are functional but in no way compare to XBL.
As for the Wii connectivity, well that is just a nightmare. The number of hoops you have to jump through just to connect to someone that you know in game is hardly worth it, it's easier to go to their house.
"and ignorant people (that don't know any better) still buy it."
Wow, way to insult the entire xbox community.
Meh, most of my mates, as well as I, own both the 360 and ps3. All of them prefer xbl.
To me, the xbox is centered around the online community, whereas the ps3 online just seems like a tack on. Don't get me wrong the ps3 is a powerful machine and has some good exclusives coming, but the 360 is more geared towards online gaming.
As for the add-ons, I don't know anyone that watches blu-rays regularly on their PS3s, excellent blu-ray players can be had for $150 now. I prefer the option of having add-ons, i don't need wifi, we have wired ethernet, wireless controller + play and charge is about the same price as a DS3. I will say that the HDD add-on is terribly overpriced though :O
@ phinnvr6: If I could vote you up a bazillion times, I most certainly would. Your post is all TRUTH. And as much as it stings, you are right, people still buy it which in turn certainly shows some ignorance on their part. I'm admittedly one of those people... and know that the 360 is a complete and utter RIP-OFF. You failed to mention the overpriced proprietary HDD units as well. $120 for what now comes standard on the $299 PS3 slim, which can also be replaced by any hard drive of your choice, NOT proprietary!
I really hate Micro$oft when it comes to the Xbox 360. For some reason they can do all these things to the consumer and yet, they still move like hot cakes. Who's to blame? I would say my friends... why? Because they only play 360. Not one of my friends has a PS3. Not one. So as much as I love my PS3... It sits and collects dust while my 360 gets all the action. It's a sad, sad state of affairs and I can only hope that next gen... Micro$oft get shit on for treating their customers like blind drooling fools who will buy anything marked "Xbox."
I'm assuming "free" with a subscription was a joke, right?
Its also free on the iPhone and iPod Touch...
I believe it's 30 dollars a month on the iPhone.
Yeah, $30 for OTA. Free on WiFi with serviceless iPhone (aka big iPod Touch).
So... iPod touch > Xbox 360? Yeah, that's right! It is better! It really is! Yes!
Your move, there's no possible way to counter THAT argument :P
Oh, so we're comparing the 360 to Apple products now, eh?
I'll happily chime in!
They are two completely separate products serving completely different primary purposes. Extra emphasis on PRIMARY. One's a game console, one's a phone. Sure, both can serve music lovers, movie watchers, social networkers, chatter boxes, and gaming lovers, but, since they are non-competing products (made by two major competing computer companies, ironically), they should never be compared. EVER! EVER EVER EVER!!!!!
@Hait And does microsoft pay for your internet access with your gold membership?
They can be compared because they now allow the same free service (Facebook or Twitter) expect one charges you for it... They both have similarities and dissimilarities, yes. But that's not reason why we cant compare them. A PC and an Xbox360 are just as different and we can still compare those!
And for the record I only own an iPod Touch and im not major fan of Apple. It was just a comparison.
When did they add Facebook to the 360? o.o
you're on the wrong site if you have to ask that question.
About the same time they added 360book to your face.
It's a future update that will be added in the fall update for XBL.
Play nice, fellow engadgeteers
D: THAT got a high rank? That was the stupidest, most sleep deprived comment I EVER made... I find this highly disconcerting. Who on earth... ugg. Rankings officially mean nothing.
I hadn't been on the site or the internet in awhile at the time... jeez guys. Thanks Matt.