I have used Xbox live since the Mechassualt days, I have always loved what it has to offer, so I have continued to support it for over 8 years. However, as of late am becoming increasingly angered by what Microsoft has turned Xbox live into, the adds are a joke, I pay for gold, you, and I should not have to deal with this mess of bullshit adds plastered all over this poorly designed shit slow dashboard. Sony PlayStation premium seems to be getting more and more desirable while the Xbox 360's gold is seeming like a rip off the more I look at it, price has got up, value has dropped below the floor. The thing that really makes my angry is this BS "Rewards program", I mean fucking 2% of some of my purchases back is supposed to be a reward? What a Goddamn joke, I have been on this stupid program for a year, and I am still owed 90ms points. I mean what do I get with gold? I get the privilege to play the games that I played for online, while every other comparable service to that is free.

I am venting this now because I have finally gotten the new update I had hoped for some improvement but instead got this piece of shit "update". I thought pins would be great, but hey look, you get one pin on your home screen, and the rest is taken up by obnoxious adds that I don't want cluttering my UI. Microsoft, you are wearing thin my good faith on your products, I have gotten both a Zune and a Windows phone, but I am strongly considering saying FU to Microsoft with the next console cycle if things don't shape up.

Who is with me here?

I pay for it to play online (and occasionally buy DLC). That's what I get. I could care less about the rest.

@zombiebigfoot said:

I pay for it to play online (and occasionally buy DLC). That's what I get. I could care less about the rest.

And yet you could get those free on all the other services, hmmm.

Buying DLC is not why you should paying for gold either, are you telling me that you're okay with paying for the privilege to buy DLC?

If you are so frustrated about it, why do you keep paying for it?

I don't like paying just to play online multiplayer, so I ditched the 360. Then I decided to subscribe to PS+ because what they offer are things that I actually want such as free games, as opposed to XBL Gold which offers me nothing I want except for playing online, something that is free everywhere else. I don't see the point in complaining about it but continuing to pay for it. If you're still paying for Gold, then that means the platform offers more of value to you than what you could get from other services.

@big_jon said:

@zombiebigfoot said:

I pay for it to play online (and occasionally buy DLC). That's what I get. I could care less about the rest.

And yet you could get those free on all the other services, hmmm.

Buying DLC is not why you should paying for gold either, are you telling me that you're okay with paying for the privilege to buy DLC?

I'm saying I don't give a fuck. Seriously, I'm getting what I'm paying for, and I am not going out of my way to buy a PS3 just to use PSN.

I feel like sometimes I pay an annual fee just to play Halo

I had Gold for a little over a year and it ended up saving me more money with the deals of the week than it cost for the subscription so I was planning on resubbing, but I just got a PS3 and Playstation Plus is a much better deal so I'll probably go that way instead.

It kills me to lose all my Mass Effect 3 multiplayer progress, though.

I'm jumping over to the PC ship next gen, anyways.

@FluxWaveZ: Because I have games I like to play online, all my friends are on this system, I like achievements, and Halo is something I can't get anywhere else. I play a lot of online.

I am in a tough spot, I don't want to have to switch, I just want Microsoft's marketing to get the fuck off my screen, and to have more value for what I am paying.

@big_jon said:

@FluxWaveZ: Because I have games I like to play online, all my friends are on this system, I like achievements, and Halo is something I can't get anywhere else. I play a lot of online.

I am in a tough spot, I don't want to have to switch, I just want Microsoft's marketing to get the fuck off my screen, and to have more value for what I am paying.

And those are the reasons many like you feel forced to pay for the service, and it is why Microsoft doesn't really need to do anything even though it'd make for a better experience for you and others because they know they'll get your money over and over again.

I've always preferred my ps3 to my xbox simply because of all that was stated above. I completely agree.

@big_jon said:

@FluxWaveZ: Because I have games I like to play online, all my friends are on this system, I like achievements, and Halo is something I can't get anywhere else. I play a lot of online.

I am in a tough spot, I don't want to have to switch, I just want Microsoft's marketing to get the fuck off my screen, and to have more value for what I am paying.

Here's the thing though - they won't. It'll be WORSE next console generation (if this ever happens, I remain unconvinced), because they KNOW they can get away with it. Fuck, I wouldn't be surprised if every time you turned on the system you had to sit through a minute of commercials to get to the main menu.

It sounds like there has been a real swing of opinion on Live. As a PS3 guy I have no idea what it's like but people have gone from praising it as amazing 3 years ago, to calling it terrible now.

I do agree that it's dumb to pay for online when you already bought the damn game AND an internet connection!

If I didn't love Gears so much I would just stop paying for Gold. I've been paying for 6 years now and I'm willing to wait and see how the next console turns out before deciding if I should stop or not. I don't care what they do with the service right now on the current console because the thing is so old that it doesn't matter what new UI it will have, it will still be slow and clumsy and look more like antiquated shit compared to what I can do with my PC.

@FluxWaveZ said:

@big_jon said:

@FluxWaveZ: Because I have games I like to play online, all my friends are on this system, I like achievements, and Halo is something I can't get anywhere else. I play a lot of online.

I am in a tough spot, I don't want to have to switch, I just want Microsoft's marketing to get the fuck off my screen, and to have more value for what I am paying.

And those are the reasons many like you feel forced to pay for the service, and it is why Microsoft doesn't really need to do anything even though it'd make for a better experience for you and others because they know they'll get your money over and over again.

With the next console cycle all bets are off, and really, it is not good to have your most loyal customers pissed at you, eventually that will bite you in the ass.

PS2 was the thing last gen, look how that changed it could happen again and Microsoft is squandering away people's good faith here, they are not giving people any reason to trust them next generation, so who is to say that those people don't switch to another console that offers for of a deal to them in 2013?

I pretty much pay for live so I can keep playing SSF4 online. The 360 version is easily the best version of the game both offline and online.

@big_jon said:

@FluxWaveZ said:

@big_jon said:

@FluxWaveZ: Because I have games I like to play online, all my friends are on this system, I like achievements, and Halo is something I can't get anywhere else. I play a lot of online.

I am in a tough spot, I don't want to have to switch, I just want Microsoft's marketing to get the fuck off my screen, and to have more value for what I am paying.

And those are the reasons many like you feel forced to pay for the service, and it is why Microsoft doesn't really need to do anything even though it'd make for a better experience for you and others because they know they'll get your money over and over again.

With the next console cycle all bets are off, and really, it is not good to have your most loyal customers pissed at you, eventually that will bite you in the ass.

PS2 was the thing last gen, and Microsoft is squandering away people's good faith here, they are not giving people any reason to trust them next generation, so who is to say that those people don't switch to another console that offers for of a deal to them in 2013?

The 720 is shaping up to be something I wouldn't pay several hundred dollars for. Neither does the PS4.

@Terramagi said:

@big_jon said:

@FluxWaveZ: Because I have games I like to play online, all my friends are on this system, I like achievements, and Halo is something I can't get anywhere else. I play a lot of online.

I am in a tough spot, I don't want to have to switch, I just want Microsoft's marketing to get the fuck off my screen, and to have more value for what I am paying.

Here's the thing though - they won't. It'll be WORSE next console generation (if this ever happens, I remain unconvinced), because they KNOW they can get away with it. Fuck, I wouldn't be surprised if every time you turned on the system you had to sit through a minute of commercials to get to the main menu.

PS2 to PS3 says differently.

@big_jon said:

@Terramagi said:

@big_jon said:

@FluxWaveZ: Because I have games I like to play online, all my friends are on this system, I like achievements, and Halo is something I can't get anywhere else. I play a lot of online.

I am in a tough spot, I don't want to have to switch, I just want Microsoft's marketing to get the fuck off my screen, and to have more value for what I am paying.

Here's the thing though - they won't. It'll be WORSE next console generation (if this ever happens, I remain unconvinced), because they KNOW they can get away with it. Fuck, I wouldn't be surprised if every time you turned on the system you had to sit through a minute of commercials to get to the main menu.

PS2 to PS3 says differently.

Pretty sure he meant Xbox. The chances of Microsoft improving their shitty marketing are abysmally low.

@big_jon: I feel you man, a few years back I would strongly argue the 360 was destined to become the greatest console ever. Nowadays I can't find a good reason to turn on my Xbox, I really wish MS get their shit together, I want to like the xbox again.

@Etnos said:

@big_jon: I feel you man, a few years back I would strongly argue the 360 was destined to become the greatest console ever. Nowadays I can't find a good reason to turn on my Xbox, I really wish MS get their shit together, I want to like the xbox again.

That is how I feel.

@big_jon: Wouldn't it be cool if every year was a different color... I'm only a 6-r

@zombiebigfoot: I'm on the same boat.. still a little undecided.

@GiantBomber: I'm already decided. Besides cost, there's nothing the Xbox has over a PC.

@Etnos said:

@big_jon: I feel you man, a few years back I would strongly argue the 360 was destined to become the greatest console ever. Nowadays I can't find a good reason to turn on my Xbox, I really wish MS get their shit together, I want to like the xbox again.

That's because the current consoles have past their expiration date. MS is comfortable with where 360 is so they don't feel any need to put in any more effort beyond coasting to the end of next year. If we had a normal console cycle we would already be using new consoles and 360 wouldn't be feeling as old and dried up.

@zombiebigfoot: Depends on how you feel about the exclusive franchises.

I was on the same boat as you until I finally stopped paying for it. The thing that broke me was a guy on Xbox support for gold demanding why I would quit gold. I just don't want to pay for a service that isn't worth it. The problem is now that halo 4 is coming. I'll probably buy a month just for halo 4.

@Colourful_Hippie: Not nearly strongly enough to buy the 720.

The only reason I would pay for Gold once more is to play some of Halo 4's multiplayer, and that's one hell of a stretch. If I had unlimited funds then yeah, I wouldn't care, but I have a PC and my brother has a PS3 and both are free. Hell, not only are both free, but both offer free games!

I used to defend Gold as well but now the Xbox's user experience is just bad.

@zombiebigfoot: The hard part is trying to convince everyone on XBL to follow suit.

@Phatmac: Yeah, just stick with pay as you play which I think I might just do here soon. I've mostly kept the credit card tied to my account out of laziness, playing online when a big game comes out and that's it sounds like a better alternative.

@zombiebigfoot said:

@Colourful_Hippie: Not nearly strongly enough to buy the 720.

Of course not, I'm only talking about the 360. The only guarantee we have for next gen is more Halo.

@Colourful_Hippie said:

@Phatmac: Yeah, just stick with pay as you play which I think I might just do here soon. I've mostly kept the credit card tied to my account out of laziness, playing online when a big game comes out and that's it sounds like a better alternative.

@zombiebigfoot said:

@Colourful_Hippie: Not nearly strongly enough to buy the 720.

Of course not, I'm only talking about the 360. The only guarantee we have for next gen is more Halo.

I'm talking about next gen. I'm not buying a PC until then, gonna ride out the 360 until the 720 comes out.

Xbox Live doesn't excel at anything to warrant its price. The only decent thing about it is party chat, and that shouldn't cost money anyway, it's just group voip...that has been free on PC for over a decade.

I know I'm not subscribing and if they continue with the pay for MP model I won't buy their next console, to be honest I probably won't anyway because Microsoft have the worst online stores and now the worst console interface. (well I'm only comparing it against the PS3 here)

I don't see Metro going anywhere soon so the next Xbox will probably be like that. I'm sick of the Metro/Windows Phone/Windows 8 style already, it looks pretty nice on phones though.

I'm getting rid of my 360 when I finish The Walking Dead episode 5. Aside from TWD my 360 is only used to play Marvel vs. Capcom 3, I'll re-buy that on PS3 by trading in the 360 ver.

@zombiebigfoot: Just do what I did and pick up a PC now, it's a great time to get one. You can get one on the cheap with enough room for a decent upgrade path once the next gen arrive. I'll be getting a better GPU instead of a new console so that I can sit longer on the sidelines watching how the new consoles mature over time and see if they become something worth owning. Going PC now has also saved me a good amount of money thanks to Steam's insane deals and the random deals you can find on Amazon like Sleeping Dogs for $18.

@Colourful_Hippie: My financial situation is, for lack of a better phrase, complete shit. Holding off until I at least get a job. Considering how much my course load is gonna increase next semester, it might be awhile.

@Sooty: Honestly thoughm the interface would be a lot better if things just loaded faster, waiting several seconds for your game library to load or the marketplace to display stuff has been getting increasingly ridiculous over time. I would be satisfied if the interface was just instantaneous when navigating it, but I do agree about paying for MP.

If MS is arrogant enough to do that next gen and I'll bet money that they will make the mistake Sony did with the PS3 and be arrogant right out of the gate then I think I'll pass on the next Xbox till MS wises up. It's their game to lose and I'm looking forward to seeing how Sony will handle the next console now that they realize they aren't the top dog anymore.

@big_jon:

These days I only use my 360 for Netflix in my living room and the UI is hella frustrating for what should be such a simple task.

It makes me wonder if Microsoft is crapping it up on purpose so people will love the UI on the next-gen Xbox or if they're just repeatedly shooting themselves in their foot and driving users away with each progressively worse iteration.

I dumped it a couple of years ago. PS3 and PC offer enough online interaction to satisfy whatever I need. I think it's silly to keep charging for online multiplayer. Charging for all the other crap on XBL is fine, but online play should be free.

I seriously doubt Microsoft will change their policy though because people will pay for it for 8 years and more.

@tallTuck94 said:

It sounds like there has been a real swing of opinion on Live. As a PS3 guy I have no idea what it's like but people have gone from praising it as amazing 3 years ago, to calling it terrible now.

I do agree that it's dumb to pay for online when you already bought the damn game AND an internet connection!

The reason this is happening is because Sony introduced a service that is the same or around same price as xbox live but they actually included something. It does suck when you pay for something that should be free and look over and see people receiving free games and whatnot through PS+. I would switch over I just cant stand the controller. Luckily next gen I will be PC only anyways so I wont have to deal with any of this.

All of my friends own 360's. We play all of our games on 360. It's fucking pocket change if you're not a kid or a dropout.

I'm quite appreciative that I have friends that were sensible enough to not buy into XBL at the beginning of its service. Not that I would've succumbed to that type of peer pressure if they did, but that seems like a major reason for ppl being stuck to the service. You and your friends need to have a conversation about collectively saying no and putting your foot down, unless you're really that into Halo.

I bought a PS3 back in December and signed up for PS+. I stopped renewing my XBL Gold membership a few months later, as there is next to no value in it. Since that time I have practically stopped using my 360 for anything except exclusives. Microsoft's aggressively ad-centric dashboard not only cost them my yearly subscription, but also royalties for all the games that I now buy on PS3. Someone at Microsoft is making bad decisions.

@Peanut said:

All of my friends own 360's. We play all of our games on 360. It's fucking pocket change if you're not a kid or a dropout.

Comment from an arrogant prick I'd assume.

I wish they gave you the option to switch back to the third dashboard. That one kicked ass.
 
Honestly I think party chat alone is worth my yearly subscription. Online and everything else is just a bonus.

I've been paying for Gold for 7 years now and I agree with what you're saying. It is frustrating as hell what Microsoft is doing but, like you, all my friends are on Xbox and the main FPS I play is Halo which is exclusive to the console so... yeah, I'm with you man.

I play online with my friends, a lot. I have a full friends list thanks to a smaller but close knit gaming community I've been a part of for the past 6 years. So for me, having an online service that's dependable, and not too much of a hassle to use, is awesome. Being able to come home from a day of work and immediately jump into a game with my buddies is worth my yearly subscription fee.

I've had XBL since the launch on the original Xbox. Overall, I am pretty satisfied with the service.

The abundance of ads that's been added onto the dashboard. The poor overall design of the dashboard. The insane Microsoft certifications and regulations that prevent free content in a lot of situations? Yes, it sucks. A lot. But that doesn't outweigh the positives at this point.

I am a bit concerned about what direction Microsoft will be taking with the new console, seeing where their focus has shifted since much of the original Xbox team has left. It's not the end of the world. I'll switch to the Playstation 4 if I have to. No point in constantly bitching about it.

You are all consumers. You have a choice.

@big_jon: Dude, this is like the fourth thread like this I've seen in the past few months, one of them belonged to me. Totally with you. Especially when you look at all the great stuff PS+ owners are getting, free games, discounts on new games, day of new digital releases, we get hosed. Honestly the only thing keeping me with this system is my love of Master Chief. Next generation though, I dunno, I'm considering switching to Sony too. I've been paying for Live for a long time and it gets less and less worth it.

@big_jon said:

@FluxWaveZ said:

@big_jon said:

@FluxWaveZ: Because I have games I like to play online, all my friends are on this system, I like achievements, and Halo is something I can't get anywhere else. I play a lot of online.

I am in a tough spot, I don't want to have to switch, I just want Microsoft's marketing to get the fuck off my screen, and to have more value for what I am paying.

And those are the reasons many like you feel forced to pay for the service, and it is why Microsoft doesn't really need to do anything even though it'd make for a better experience for you and others because they know they'll get your money over and over again.

With the next console cycle all bets are off, and really, it is not good to have your most loyal customers pissed at you, eventually that will bite you in the ass.

PS2 was the thing last gen, look how that changed it could happen again and Microsoft is squandering away people's good faith here, they are not giving people any reason to trust them next generation, so who is to say that those people don't switch to another console that offers for of a deal to them in 2013?

The only thing that changed is the 360 came out a year before the PS3 and as such they got 5 million extra sale over Sony. At this point that really means nothing.

To play devil's advocate I pay for cable and get way more ads there then on XBL. But cable providers also fucking suck so there's that.

There was a time when xbox live was worth a subscription, however PSN has reinvented itself enough where it has come to the point that you're just paying extra for nothing.

@AlexW00d said:

@big_jon said:

@FluxWaveZ said:

@big_jon said:

@FluxWaveZ: Because I have games I like to play online, all my friends are on this system, I like achievements, and Halo is something I can't get anywhere else. I play a lot of online.

I am in a tough spot, I don't want to have to switch, I just want Microsoft's marketing to get the fuck off my screen, and to have more value for what I am paying.

And those are the reasons many like you feel forced to pay for the service, and it is why Microsoft doesn't really need to do anything even though it'd make for a better experience for you and others because they know they'll get your money over and over again.

With the next console cycle all bets are off, and really, it is not good to have your most loyal customers pissed at you, eventually that will bite you in the ass.

PS2 was the thing last gen, look how that changed it could happen again and Microsoft is squandering away people's good faith here, they are not giving people any reason to trust them next generation, so who is to say that those people don't switch to another console that offers for of a deal to them in 2013?

The only thing that changed is the 360 came out a year before the PS3 and as such they got 5 million extra sale over Sony. At this point that really means nothing.

Really? Because Sony is not doing very well right now, and Microsoft sells a metric shit ton more copies of third party and first party games than Sony does, that is hardly "nothing". If you really think that the success of the next Xbox is set in stone you are crazy, anything can happen with the launch of a new console.

@JasonR86: And that is why I have not had cable for 6 years now.