Which games cost money on X-Box live? (1 Viewer)

[Keith_R]

Hey guys, I'm just wondering if there are any games on X-Box live which require you to pay money each month to play? also are there fees for downloadable content for games like Mech Assault or Splinter Cell? Last, if you are paying $50 for the first year by buying the kit, what is the purpose of MS needing your credit card?especially with no monthly cost for the service. Thanks.

 

[Rob Lutter]

Phantasy Star Online is the only game I know of that has an outside fee (and it isn't even out yet!)

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Last, if you are paying $50 for the first year by buying the kit, what is the purpose of MS needing your credit card?especially with no monthly cost for the service

So if you get billed for ANYTHING using the XBL service, whether it be downloadable content, a game (like PSO), or renewing your XBL subscription, they can just bill the card without you having to go through some other means. It saves them, and you, time.

 

[Scott "E"]

For some, yes

Which ones would those be, Morgan?

 

[Travis Olson]

I think he's talking about future downloads.

Keith, for now all the downloads that have been put up for the service have been free. But Microsoft has stated that there will be charges for downloads in the future.

 

[Andy Anderson]

Bottom line as of right now? After the initial XBL activation, it's all free. All of it.

 

[Damien]

i have a feeling very few if any dl content will ever come with a fee, since really it is a practice that has been free for the most part on PC, unless something totally new is introduced.(i would pay a little for mechassault CTF, but time for that is running out)

 

[BrianB]

Bottom line as of right now? After the initial XBL activation, it's all free. All of it.

Except for PSO!

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Rumor has it the PSO sit may be changing. I'm hearing that the endless delays are that MS wants to pay off Sega and keep it free.

As of right now, PSO and StarWars Galaxies will cost a monthly fee.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Pretty much the only exception to the "get XBL, everything's free" rule is PSO right now.

I heard you get a free month with PSO, though.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

2 free as it stands right now

 

[Travis Kolesar]

It's because it's a revolving subscription and you get renewed until you unscubscribe. It's a very common billing practice with premium online (non-ISP) services.

 

[Joshua Moran]

Star Wars Galaxies is not being ported to the x-box. It is a PC only game.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I thought SW Galaxies was going to be on PS2 and X-Box after the PC version.

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/rpg/star...ies/index.html
http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/rpg/sta...ies/index.html

 

[Brian Kidd]

I've never understood the high cost of online gaming. I could see paying $9.99 a month if the initial software was cheap; say, no more than $20. But to have to pay $49.99 and then whatever MS will end up charging per month for Live and another monthly fee on top of that is just ridiculous. That's the reason I refuse to succumb to the online gaming craze. I'll play pc games online as long as there isn't a fee for doing so. XBOX Live will remain a no-sale for me.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

But to have to pay $49.99 and then whatever MS will end up charging per month for Live and another monthly fee on top of that is just ridiculous

All of you who already know my views towards the X-Box and don't want hell to freeze over, avert your eyes, for I am about to say something in defense of X-Box Live!

XBL is $50 for 1 year of service, not 1 month. No games right now charge additional fees. The only one that will is Phantasy Star Online Episodes I & II, but it gives you 2 months for free to start with. SW Galaxies might charge additional fees, but those fees would be in place on PC, PS2, and XB, not just on the X-Box.

So you pay only $50 a year (or look at it as just over $4 a month) for online service for EVERY X-Box game out there, period.

 

[Joshua Moran]

Yeah the SWG versions that the consoles are getting is more like the EverQuest Online Adventures that PS2 got. So don't expect it to be exactly like the PC version. You guys will find out more about that at this years E3.

 

[Brian Kidd]

Morgan,

It's $50 initially, but isn't MS going to start charging a monthly fee once the initial year expires? Plus, paying $50 for what is essentially a P2P service is a little silly. If the games were hosted on dedicated servers, I could possibly understand it. I guess I've been spoiled by PC games.

 

[Dave F]

I look at it as paying for the ability to have one unified friend list between all games & the ease of setup. If they don't start including the ability to restrict a game to just friends though, it'll be worthless to me.

-Dave

 

[JayV]

There is an article on Xbox.com that discussing pay-for-play issues.

They mention that fees for PSO, for example, go right to Sega and SonicTeam, not to pad out MS's bottom line.

They add: "This makes sense for them because cool new quests and maps do not come from the content fairy."

They also stress that "this is not the tip of the iceberg or the beginning of the end—there are still lots of games that don't charge anything extra for online play, and there are more on the way."

If they don't start including the ability to restrict a game to just friends though, it'll be worthless to me.

Dave, at least MotoGP and Ghost Recon allow you to set up private rooms. I'm sure the others have private games, too.

If, on the other hand, you are suggesting a feature that sets up a "friend game" that doesn't allow anyone to join except friends (thus avoiding the need to invite people into private rooms), that would be a welcome feature.

-j