I think that Xbox live should at least be cheaper. We already buying their games why can't they lower it a bit?

Just move onto the PC its better there.

I think that Xbox live should at least be cheaper. We already buying their games why can't they lower it a bit?

I feel much the same way but for all consoles. Currently saving for a good gaming rig and can't wait to leave consoles behind.

First off never pay $60. You can find all sorts of deals and renew for much cheaper. I renewed for $35 for a year. Secondly,personally I still feel it's worth it to me. I'll be playing DOA 5 a ton this fall along with Halo 4.

@scarace360 said:

Just move onto the PC its better there.

I have recently done as this wise sage has suggested. On top of insanely cheap Steam sales, you can access multiplayer features for free! Free multiplayer and not getting a page full of car and deodorant ads was a little jarring at first, but I think I'm starting to manage just fine without them.

I've never paid full price for the year sub :P

Ads have never bothered me. I barely notice they are there. I guess I have fancy eyes.

Yeah it's starting to bug me too. Most of the ads are for stuff I don't even care about and it's impossible to find anything I do care about. It's ridiculous, I tried to buy Deadlight but couldn't find anything on the main dashboard and discovered that the game selling section has just gone to shit. I never thought I'd be happy about games having their own in menu stores to but their dlc because man will I be using that from now on. Why is everything slow as hell as well? It's been 5 years! 5 years and you have done the opposite of optimization, good job Microsoft, don't let my mostly PC purchases now get to you too much.

With the amount of streaming boxes that can do everything the Xbox does, besides playing games, Microsoft is going to have to make some drastic changes to Live next generation to warrant the price tag. Sixty bucks a year to play online isn't going to cut it. They should make access to online gaming and all the media apps free to all users, and adopt the Playstation Plus model where theres actual incentives to sign up. If they keep Live the way it is, I'll seriously consider switching to either the Playstation or the PC. Live just isn't worth the price.

Yeah, my Gold expired this year, and I can't bring myself to renew it. Having to pay for something like that just feels sleazy now that I own a PS3 and a somewhat competent PC.

I think Microsoft feels they have carte blanche to do whatever they please right now because they're the industry leader and have a whole lot of cache to burn if they so choose. Sony and Nintendo have besmirched their own names enough this generation that Xbox dashboard problems aren't going to be enough to turn most users off. BUT, I agree with your irritated sentiments wholeheartedly and am seeing Microsoft's current moves as serious indicators of a very wrong direction for a future console. I will be thinking very hard about whether to back Sony or Microsoft a year from now.

I'm always amazed at how numbers for live subscribers keep on going up year after year. The dashboard is a fucking embarassment and it gets worse and worse. I'm starting to think Microsoft is doing it on purpose so that the new Xbox looks light years ahead of the 360 because it will be missing these annoyances that can easily be changed today. I hope next generation people fucking wake up and realize they can have the same, or better experience in my opinion, on the Playstation for free and have the option to pay for Playstation Plus, a fantastic service, for some neat discounts, extras and games. Or better yet use that money you would subscribe to Gold and put it towards some PC upgrades.

i am letting my sub expire and picked up a ps plus account with has paid for itself

I let my XBL Gold account lapse over three years ago, back when they still had the phone rep try to hassle you into staying. I have rarely regretted the decision.

Meh, I let my subscription go, but I still have a year's sub card if I wanna go back. Haven't used it yet.

I always feel that people who use ads as a con to the Xbox dashboard are really stretching to find something bad.

Yes, they're advertisements and yes, you're paying money, but nowhere does it say that you would get an ad free dashboard for having Gold. Also, this isn't Youtube where you're forced to watch the ad before the video even loads. The ads are in a medium to small square box, with a few words and a fancy picture by it. That's it.

And really, how long do you spend on your dashboard for advertisements to even matter? An average of 15 seconds every 3 days? Maybe longer if you decide to play game X instead of Y after you've turned the system on? Yet you go on to tell me and have me believe that "Gaah! My gaming time has been hindered by these pictures and words that want me to spend money! Curse you Microsoft!" is a valid, albeit exaggerated, thing that you could say?

I say this with all due respect: Regarding ads, get over it.

@jyluth said:

@scarace360 said:

Just move onto the PC its better there.

I have recently done as this wise sage has suggested. On top of insanely cheap Steam sales, you can access multiplayer features for free! Free multiplayer and not getting a page full of car and deodorant ads was a little jarring at first, but I think I'm starting to manage just fine without them.

Fuck ya im a sage now! I need to grow a long beard now.

@scarace360 said:

@jyluth said:

@scarace360 said:

Just move onto the PC its better there.

I have recently done as this wise sage has suggested. On top of insanely cheap Steam sales, you can access multiplayer features for free! Free multiplayer and not getting a page full of car and deodorant ads was a little jarring at first, but I think I'm starting to manage just fine without them.

Fuck ya im a sage now! I need to grow a long beard now.

I like consoles, but PC owns all.

At least Microsoft doesn't put those dashboard ads in the games, too.

I gave the dashboard changes a couple of weeks to grow on me, but that never happened. I didn't like it when it was released and I don't like it now.  Everything about my experience with it rubbed me the wrong way. I don't like the layout, everything feels slow and clunky, and it is really cumbersome to casually brows through looking for things to buy. The price tag attached to Gold has always been a turn off, but I didn't have any other options so I paid it. I've pretty much completely moved on to my PS3 and PC now and I have never regretted it. 
 
I can't even think of the last time I turned my 360 on...

I doubt anyone likes paying the gold price tag but over the years I had always felt the content you get out of the deal made it easier to shallow, But as the overall quality of games seem to have dropped, (take this years summer of arcade) it's hard to justify the price. I never did buy a ps3 because the 1st party stuff didn't appeal, and not the biggest fan of the controllers. Just my opinion.