$120/yr for Gold (Update: No Longer True)

Games Halo Infinite
1

Halo Infinite MP is looking less and less free with each passing day for us Xbox users. We thought they would recoup costs with microtransactions yet that is just the sweetener, while the main cup of coffee is them doubling the price for a year subscription (or rather, forcing shorter 6-month subscriptions which were already elevated in price).

Kind of makes me want to buy a PC to forgo these scummy practices. Thoughts?

EDIT: Xbox support clarified that existing subscribers will be able to renew at their current rate, not the XBL current rate. This was unclear in the initial announcement. Still, bad for new Xbox users.

2

Definitely makes me glad I have both a Xbox and a PC that can game.

That said, it is worth mentioning that 343 has no power over this price change.

3

> 2535431933064458;1:
> Halo Infinite MP is looking less and less free with each passing day for us Xbox users. We thought they would recoup costs with microtransactions yet that is just the sweetener, while the main cup of coffee is them doubling the price for a year subscription (or rather, forcing shorter 6-month subscriptions which were already elevated in price).
>
> Kind of makes me want to buy a PC to forgo these scummy practices. Thoughts?

I’m personally in a position where I’m financially comfortable enough not to worry about it really. But as for the increased price of Xbox Live gold, I don’t really see how that has anything to do with Halo Infinite multiplayer. Even if they were somehow connected, if paying a bit more for a year-long subscription means I get more games with no microtransactions and free-to-play, that’s fine by me. Count your blessing, man. It’s one or the other. In the end we’re gonna have to pay for something at some point.

4

> 2533274882898126;3:
> > 2535431933064458;1:
> > Halo Infinite MP is looking less and less free with each passing day for us Xbox users. We thought they would recoup costs with microtransactions yet that is just the sweetener, while the main cup of coffee is them doubling the price for a year subscription (or rather, forcing shorter 6-month subscriptions which were already elevated in price).
> >
> > Kind of makes me want to buy a PC to forgo these scummy practices. Thoughts?
>
> I’m personally in a position where I’m financially comfortable enough not to worry about it really. But as for the increased price of Xbox Live gold, I don’t really see how that has anything to do with Halo Infinite multiplayer. Even if they were somehow connected, if paying a bit more for a year-long subscription means I get more games with no microtransactions and free-to-play, that’s fine by me. Count your blessing, man. It’s one or the other. In the end we’re gonna have to pay for something at some point.

Xbox players can’t play free-to-play games online without a Gold subscription, that shouldn’t be a thing.

5

> 2533274882898126;3:
> > 2535431933064458;1:
> > Halo Infinite MP is looking less and less free with each passing day for us Xbox users. We thought they would recoup costs with microtransactions yet that is just the sweetener, while the main cup of coffee is them doubling the price for a year subscription (or rather, forcing shorter 6-month subscriptions which were already elevated in price).
> >
> > Kind of makes me want to buy a PC to forgo these scummy practices. Thoughts?
>
> I’m personally in a position where I’m financially comfortable enough not to worry about it really. But as for the increased price of Xbox Live gold, I don’t really see how that has anything to do with Halo Infinite multiplayer. Even if they were somehow connected, if paying a bit more for a year-long subscription means I get more games with no microtransactions and free-to-play, that’s fine by me. Count your blessing, man. It’s one or the other. In the end we’re gonna have to pay for something at some point.

Well they (MS) revealed HI MP as free to play like it was righteous, but at the same time it feels like they repackaged a $60 live subscription + $60 Halo MP into a $120 live subscription and saying you’re getting a deal with a complementary Halo MP experience.

When I only play two games, GPU isn’t worth it. I know this is solely on Microsoft, but I imagine they are pretty heavy handed when it comes to exerting their influence on 343. Also, the change of $60 per year isn’t the issue…it is ethics of doubling the price of a service that you can get for free on a different platform.

6

> 2533274947044147;4:
> > 2533274882898126;3:
> > > 2535431933064458;1:
> > > Halo Infinite MP is looking less and less free with each passing day for us Xbox users. We thought they would recoup costs with microtransactions yet that is just the sweetener, while the main cup of coffee is them doubling the price for a year subscription (or rather, forcing shorter 6-month subscriptions which were already elevated in price).
> > >
> > > Kind of makes me want to buy a PC to forgo these scummy practices. Thoughts?
> >
> > I’m personally in a position where I’m financially comfortable enough not to worry about it really. But as for the increased price of Xbox Live gold, I don’t really see how that has anything to do with Halo Infinite multiplayer. Even if they were somehow connected, if paying a bit more for a year-long subscription means I get more games with no microtransactions and free-to-play, that’s fine by me. Count your blessing, man. It’s one or the other. In the end we’re gonna have to pay for something at some point.
>
> Xbox players can’t play free-to-play games online without a Gold subscription, that shouldn’t be a thing.

You’re not paying for the game, you’re paying for Xbox Live services on halo and any other online game on Xbox. If the game is free-to-play, you’re paying less than you would with any other game on the console. Xbox Live Gold has been a thing for a very long time and free games only just recently took spotlight if i’m not mistaken. I understand why you feel the way you do, but you have two choices. You can either pay for every game you play as well as xbox live, or you can pay for xbox live and play hundreds of games with no extra charge.

7

> 2535431933064458;5:
> > 2533274882898126;3:
> > > 2535431933064458;1:
> > > Halo Infinite MP is looking less and less free with each passing day for us Xbox users. We thought they would recoup costs with microtransactions yet that is just the sweetener, while the main cup of coffee is them doubling the price for a year subscription (or rather, forcing shorter 6-month subscriptions which were already elevated in price).
> > >
> > > Kind of makes me want to buy a PC to forgo these scummy practices. Thoughts?
> >
> > I’m personally in a position where I’m financially comfortable enough not to worry about it really. But as for the increased price of Xbox Live gold, I don’t really see how that has anything to do with Halo Infinite multiplayer. Even if they were somehow connected, if paying a bit more for a year-long subscription means I get more games with no microtransactions and free-to-play, that’s fine by me. Count your blessing, man. It’s one or the other. In the end we’re gonna have to pay for something at some point.
>
> Well they (MS) revealed HI MP as free to play like it was righteous, but at the same time it feels like they repackaged a $60 live subscription + $60 Halo MP into a $120 live subscription and saying you’re getting a deal with a complementary Halo MP experience.
>
> When I only play two games, GPU isn’t worth it. I know this is solely on Microsoft, but I imagine they are pretty heavy handed when it comes to exerting their influence on 343. Also, the change of $60 per year isn’t the issue…it is ethics of doubling the price of a service that you can get for free on a different platform.

343 Industries and Microsoft are two different companies. 343 Has NO ability to decide how much Xbox Live costs. Halo is now free. Xbox Live costing more has nothing, nothing to do with that. Halo isn’t the only game on Xbox too. You’re paying for the ability to play online with anyone in the world, as well as free access to hundreds of free games new and old.

8

> 2533274882898126;6:
> > 2533274947044147;4:
> > > 2533274882898126;3:
> > > > 2535431933064458;1:
> > > > Halo Infinite MP is looking less and less free with each passing day for us Xbox users. We thought they would recoup costs with microtransactions yet that is just the sweetener, while the main cup of coffee is them doubling the price for a year subscription (or rather, forcing shorter 6-month subscriptions which were already elevated in price).
> > > >
> > > > Kind of makes me want to buy a PC to forgo these scummy practices. Thoughts?
> > >
> > > I’m personally in a position where I’m financially comfortable enough not to worry about it really. But as for the increased price of Xbox Live gold, I don’t really see how that has anything to do with Halo Infinite multiplayer. Even if they were somehow connected, if paying a bit more for a year-long subscription means I get more games with no microtransactions and free-to-play, that’s fine by me. Count your blessing, man. It’s one or the other. In the end we’re gonna have to pay for something at some point.
> >
> > Xbox players can’t play free-to-play games online without a Gold subscription, that shouldn’t be a thing.
>
> You’re not paying for the game, you’re paying for Xbox Live services on halo and any other online game on Xbox. If the game is free-to-play, you’re paying less than you would with any other game on the console. Xbox Live Gold has been a thing for a very long time and free games only just recently took spotlight if i’m not mistaken. I understand why you feel the way you do, but you have two choices. You can either pay for every game you play as well as xbox live, or you can pay for xbox live and play hundreds of games with no extra charge.

You are mistaken.

The barrier for free-to-play games have always been an issue, and Games with Gold has been a thing since before the launch of the Xbox One.

You have no ground to stand on with the excuse of service charges when PC free-to-play games don’t contain such a barrier, not even PlayStation has this imposition, it’s a silly barrier that shouldn’t exist, period, defending it confuses me as you’re moving the goal post for a multi-billion dollar company and with being this compliant you open the floodgate for further inconveniences, the increase in price for gold is questionable enough but the existence of the free-to-play barrier behind gold is a decadent limitation for the Xbox ecosystem.

9

> 2533274927740213;2:
> Definitely makes me glad I have both a Xbox and a PC that can game.
>
> That said, it is worth mentioning that 343 has no power over this price change.

I’m a PC and console gamer too but I feel like Microsoft crossed a line and I’m pretty sure it will hurt Xbox sales for Infinite. I feel sorry for 343i that they have to deal with Microsoft’s hurtful decisions.

10

ya, they are strong arming people into GP ulti which is the wrong thing to do. 343 doesnt have a say in this so im not sure if this is the best forum for it. Oh well

11

> 2533274947044147;8:
> > 2533274882898126;6:
> > > 2533274947044147;4:
> > > > 2533274882898126;3:
> > > > > 2535431933064458;1:
> > > > > Halo Infinite MP is looking less and less free with each passing day for us Xbox users. We thought they would recoup costs with microtransactions yet that is just the sweetener, while the main cup of coffee is them doubling the price for a year subscription (or rather, forcing shorter 6-month subscriptions which were already elevated in price).
> > > > >
> > > > > Kind of makes me want to buy a PC to forgo these scummy practices. Thoughts?
> > > >
> > > > I’m personally in a position where I’m financially comfortable enough not to worry about it really. But as for the increased price of Xbox Live gold, I don’t really see how that has anything to do with Halo Infinite multiplayer. Even if they were somehow connected, if paying a bit more for a year-long subscription means I get more games with no microtransactions and free-to-play, that’s fine by me. Count your blessing, man. It’s one or the other. In the end we’re gonna have to pay for something at some point.
> > >
> > > Xbox players can’t play free-to-play games online without a Gold subscription, that shouldn’t be a thing.
> >
> > You’re not paying for the game, you’re paying for Xbox Live services on halo and any other online game on Xbox. If the game is free-to-play, you’re paying less than you would with any other game on the console. Xbox Live Gold has been a thing for a very long time and free games only just recently took spotlight if i’m not mistaken. I understand why you feel the way you do, but you have two choices. You can either pay for every game you play as well as xbox live, or you can pay for xbox live and play hundreds of games with no extra charge.
>
> You are mistaken.
>
> The barrier for free-to-play games have always been an issue, and Games with Gold has been a thing since before the launch of the Xbox One.
>
> You have no ground to stand on with the excuse of service charges when PC free-to-play games don’t contain such a barrier, not even PlayStation has this imposition, it’s a silly barrier that shouldn’t exist, period, defending it confuses me as you’re moving the goal post for a multi-billion dollar company and with being this compliant you open the floodgate for further inconveniences, the increase in price for gold is questionable enough but the existence of the free-to-play barrier behind gold is a decadent limitation for the Xbox ecosystem.

I misunderstood the argument here, my apologies. I still don’t have any real issues with paying for gold, personally. But I see what you’re trying to say now. Yeah, it’d make much more sense for free-to-play games to be available to people who don’t have Xbox Live Gold. Paying to be able to play online is just business in my eyes, but paying to play a free game is another deal.

12

Despite what I just said in the posts above me, I do agree that having to pay to play a free game is pretty bad. My original point still stands though, 343Industries has no control over the cost of Xbox Live Gold.

13

> 2533274840624875;10:
> ya, they are strong arming people into GP ulti which is the wrong thing to do. 343 doesnt have a say in this so im not sure if this is the best forum for it. Oh well

I know what you mean. That’s exactly what it feels like there trying to do. I know 343i can’t do much about it but keeping prices at a reasonable cost for everyone is very important for the future of Halo Infinite and the Halo IP overall. Sometimes people have to complain enough to make Microsoft more aware that it’s not ok what there doing. I’ve accepted small price increases in the past sometimes but there has to be a point where we as gamers have to say “enough is enough”.

14

> 2533274840624875;10:
> ya, they are strong arming people into GP ulti which is the wrong thing to do. 343 doesnt have a say in this so im not sure if this is the best forum for it. Oh well

Same, I wasn’t sure if I should have posted, but I wish 343 didn’t make it seem like F2P would make it “for everyone” when they probably knew that this was coming, simultaneously making it that much more exclusive.

15

> 2535431933064458;14:
> > 2533274840624875;10:
> > ya, they are strong arming people into GP ulti which is the wrong thing to do. 343 doesnt have a say in this so im not sure if this is the best forum for it. Oh well
>
> Same, I wasn’t sure if I should have posted, but I wish 343 didn’t make it seem like F2P would make it “for everyone” when they probably knew that this was coming, simultaneously making it that much more exclusive.

Yep pretty much. It’s essentially means that Halo Infinite is only free to play on PC.

16

> 2533274882898126;6:
> > 2533274947044147;4:
> > > 2533274882898126;3:
> > > > 2535431933064458;1:
> > > > Halo Infinite MP is looking less and less free with each passing day for us Xbox users. We thought they would recoup costs with microtransactions yet that is just the sweetener, while the main cup of coffee is them doubling the price for a year subscription (or rather, forcing shorter 6-month subscriptions which were already elevated in price).
> > > >
> > > > Kind of makes me want to buy a PC to forgo these scummy practices. Thoughts?
> > >
> > > I’m personally in a position where I’m financially comfortable enough not to worry about it really. But as for the increased price of Xbox Live gold, I don’t really see how that has anything to do with Halo Infinite multiplayer. Even if they were somehow connected, if paying a bit more for a year-long subscription means I get more games with no microtransactions and free-to-play, that’s fine by me. Count your blessing, man. It’s one or the other. In the end we’re gonna have to pay for something at some point.
> >
> > Xbox players can’t play free-to-play games online without a Gold subscription, that shouldn’t be a thing.
>
> You’re not paying for the game, you’re paying for Xbox Live services on halo and any other online game on Xbox. If the game is free-to-play, you’re paying less than you would with any other game on the console. Xbox Live Gold has been a thing for a very long time and free games only just recently took spotlight if i’m not mistaken. I understand why you feel the way you do, but you have two choices. You can either pay for every game you play as well as xbox live, or you can pay for xbox live and play hundreds of games with no extra charge.

This right here.
I agree 100%

End of the day I think Game Pass is a way better deal than XBL Gold is.

> 2533274882898126;6:
> > 2533274947044147;4:
> > > 2533274882898126;3:
> > > > 2535431933064458;1:
> > > > Halo Infinite MP is looking less and less free with each passing day for us Xbox users. We thought they would recoup costs with microtransactions yet that is just the sweetener, while the main cup of coffee is them doubling the price for a year subscription (or rather, forcing shorter 6-month subscriptions which were already elevated in price).
> > > >
> > > > Kind of makes me want to buy a PC to forgo these scummy practices. Thoughts?
> > >
> > > I’m personally in a position where I’m financially comfortable enough not to worry about it really. But as for the increased price of Xbox Live gold, I don’t really see how that has anything to do with Halo Infinite multiplayer. Even if they were somehow connected, if paying a bit more for a year-long subscription means I get more games with no microtransactions and free-to-play, that’s fine by me. Count your blessing, man. It’s one or the other. In the end we’re gonna have to pay for something at some point.
> >
> > Xbox players can’t play free-to-play games online without a Gold subscription, that shouldn’t be a thing.
>
> You’re not paying for the game, you’re paying for Xbox Live services on halo and any other online game on Xbox. If the game is free-to-play, you’re paying less than you would with any other game on the console. Xbox Live Gold has been a thing for a very long time and free games only just recently took spotlight if i’m not mistaken. I understand why you feel the way you do, but you have two choices. You can either pay for every game you play as well as xbox live, or you can pay for xbox live and play hundreds of games with no extra charge.

This right here, I agree 100%.

Halo Infinite isn’t really related to the XBL price increase. I see the point OP is making but it’s not like Halo Infinite is attached to XBL Gold.

End of the day I feel as if people are only shooting themselves in the foot by not jumping onto Game Pass Ultimate instead of plain ol Gold. It’s a way better deal. I think the right to choose is important to but honestly there’s so little reason to not get GamePass Ultimate.
Gold membership, Gamepass for Console & PC, Xcloud, all first party games on day one with pre downloads available aswell as Ultimate benefits like Disney+ , it’s hard to argue against it.

17

> 2535431933064458;1:
> Kind of makes me want to buy a PC to forgo these scummy practices. Thoughts?

PC players getting a free ride subsidized by console owners. It will be interesting to see how long that lasts.

18

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> > 2533274882898126;6:
> > > 2533274947044147;4:
> > > > 2533274882898126;3:
> > > > > 2535431933064458;1:
> > > > > Halo Infinite MP is looking less and less free with each passing day for us Xbox users. We thought they would recoup costs with microtransactions yet that is just the sweetener, while the main cup of coffee is them doubling the price for a year subscription (or rather, forcing shorter 6-month subscriptions which were already elevated in price).
> > > > >
> > > > > Kind of makes me want to buy a PC to forgo these scummy practices. Thoughts?
> > > >
> > > > I’m personally in a position where I’m financially comfortable enough not to worry about it really. But as for the increased price of Xbox Live gold, I don’t really see how that has anything to do with Halo Infinite multiplayer. Even if they were somehow connected, if paying a bit more for a year-long subscription means I get more games with no microtransactions and free-to-play, that’s fine by me. Count your blessing, man. It’s one or the other. In the end we’re gonna have to pay for something at some point.
>
>
>
> > 2533274882898126;6:
> >
>
> This right here, I agree 100%.
>
> Halo Infinite isn’t really related to the XBL price increase. I see the point OP is making but it’s not like Halo Infinite is attached to XBL Gold.
>
> End of the day I feel as if people are only shooting themselves in the foot by not jumping onto Game Pass Ultimate instead of plain ol Gold. It’s a way better deal. I think the right to choose is important to but honestly there’s so little reason to not get GamePass Ultimate.
> Gold membership, Gamepass for Console & PC, Xcloud, all first party games on day one with pre downloads available aswell as Ultimate benefits like Disney+ , it’s hard to argue against it.

Not everyone wants game pass because many gamers prefer to own their games instead of renting them via a service where games can be removed any reason they choose at any random time.

All increasing the price is going to do is force people to pay an increased price for gold or game-pass just to somehow feel less ripped off…even if they didn’t want it in the first place or move to Ps5/PC and the ones that can’t afford it are not stuck with a console that they used to be able to play online till the price hike. I feel like all this is going to do is lead to back-lash and a decline in console sales.

19

> 2535431933064458;14:
> > 2533274840624875;10:
> > ya, they are strong arming people into GP ulti which is the wrong thing to do. 343 doesnt have a say in this so im not sure if this is the best forum for it. Oh well
>
> Same, I wasn’t sure if I should have posted, but I wish 343 didn’t make it seem like F2P would make it “for everyone” when they probably knew that this was coming, simultaneously making it that much more exclusive.

I don’t see how 343 would even know this was coming, let alone make a game F2P because of it. Just because Microsoft owns 343 doesn’t mean 343 is appraised of all their business decisions.

That said, the price hike is almost guaranteeing I won’t play MP games on Xbox ever again. I already primarily play MP games on my PC and only SP ones on my Xbox, now I have no reason to play MP on Xbox at all.

20

I mean does no one else see this for what it is though??? a push to get more people into gamepass?!? Also agree that 343 has nothing to do with this really