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Tag: xbox live gold

  • You Can Get a Refund If You Cancel Xbox Live Gold

    On Tuesday, Microsoft did something that Xbox users have wanted them to do for years–the company finally tore down the part of the Golden Paywall that encompassed entertainment apps. What this means is that starting June 9th, Xbox users will be able to stream Netflix, YouTube, Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime Instant Video, HBO Go, and more without having to purchase an Xbox Live Gold subscription.

    Generally good news all around, right? Well, if you happened to have already purchased a full year’s worth of Xbox Live Gold (as many are wont to do, as it is cheaper that way), then this announcement could’ve left you a bit miffed.

    Don’t worry, however. Microsoft is handing out pro-rata refunds for Gold subscribers who cancel their accounts by August 31st of this year.

    “Once the Xbox One and Xbox 360 system updates become available in June, Xbox Live Gold members who purchased a paid membership before that day can cancel and receive a pro-rata refund of any unused remaining days between the date of cancellation and the date their paid Gold membership ends. Cancellation and pro-rata refund requests must be made by August 31, 2014 and require six to eight weeks for processing. Free or trial Gold memberships are not eligible for a refund. To request your pro-rata refund, please click http://support.xbox.com/contact-us after the system updates become available in June,” says Microsoft in an Xbox FAQ.

    For people who ponied up for Xbox Live Gold just so they could stream videos from various services, this is really good news. If you’re an online multiplayer enthusiast, don’t go canceling you subscription. The tearing down of the Golden Paywall doesn’t affect you. You still need Xbox Live Gold to play online.

    Image via Xbox.com

  • Netflix on Xbox without Gold Now a Reality

    Netflix on Xbox without Gold Now a Reality

    It appears the rumors are true. Xbox head Phil Spencer has just announced that they are tearing down the Golden Paywall–at least for entertainment apps.

    In under a month, you’ll be able to stream Netflix (and all other entertainment apps) without a subscription to Xbox Live Gold.

    “Xbox 360 has been a leader in delivering entertainment experiences for years, with over 170 global entertainment apps and experiences available today. We’re constantly adding new partners and experiences to the growing catalog on Xbox One. Coming in June, anyone with an Xbox will be able to access popular entertainment experiences – whether or not you have an Xbox Live Gold membership. This includes great gaming apps like Machinima, Twitch and Upload, popular video services like Netflix, Univision Deportes, GoPro, Red Bull TV and HBO GO, sports experiences like the NFL app for Xbox One, MLB.TV, NBA Game Time, NHL Game Center and more. Microsoft experiences including Internet Explorer, Skype, OneDrive and OneGuide will also be available to all Xbox customers,” says Spencer.

    The one caveat is that some services will only be available to non-Gold members on the Xbox One–this includes Skype, OneGuide, and Twitch Broadcast.

    But for both Xbox One and Xbox 360 owners–you can now stream Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO GO, Amazon Prime Instant Video, WatchESPN, YouTube and all of your favorite streaming video apps without Xbox Live Gold (as long as you have the requisite subscription to the particular service, obviously).

    And with the addition of Internet Explorer to the non-Gold lineup, you can now do all the internetting you want on your Xbox without that pesky Gold subscription–well, everything except online multiplayer. This will all go into effect on June 9th.

    In other Xbox news, Microsoft also announced that they will be selling a Kinect-less version of the Xbox One for $399.

    Image via Xbox.com

  • Netflix May Be Leaving Xbox’s Golden Paywall

    Netflix May Be Leaving Xbox’s Golden Paywall

    UPDATE: Microsoft made it official.

    Original Article: Unlike many of its competitors, Microsoft forces Xbox users to pay for the company’s console subscription service, Xbox Live Gold, if they want to stream content from media apps like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Instant Video. Although nobody (on the consumer end) has ever really liked this, it’s been that way for so long that it’s just accepted as a reality. Wanna watch House of Cards via your Xbox 360–well, you’re going to have to pony up the $60 per year for Xbox Live Gold alongside Netflix’s monthly fee. It’s always been a bummer, especially when you consider the fact that other popular streaming video devices like the Roku and PlayStation do not have any subscription requirements to access streaming apps.

    Apparently, this could be changing. Finally.

    Ars Technica cites multiple Microsoft sources who claim that the company is planning to tear down the Golden paywall. “According to our sources, Xbox 360 and Xbox One users will soon no longer need a paid subscription to Xbox Live Gold to access Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming media apps,” says Ars.

    That’s the good news. Of course, no final decisions have been made, but this announcement could come as early as Microsoft’s June 9th E3 keynote.

    The bad, or at least tempering news is that Microsoft is considering putting other things behind the Golden paywall to compensate. It’s unknown at the time whether or not this would include apps that are currently free to use, or just new content that Microsoft is about to debut via the recently announced Xbox original entertainment studio.

    But for Xbox (360 and One) owners who don’t really play their games online and like to use the console to stream all of their video–this is pretty great news.

    Ars’ sources say that this long-time-coming move has a lot to do with the leadership shuffle at Microsoft’s Xbox division. Last July, Don Mattrick left to be the new CEO of Zynga, either due to the botched Xbox One unveiling and subsequent DRM blowback, internal strife over his position in the company, or both–depending on whom you ask.

    Image via Xbox.com

  • Xbox Fitness Coming To Xbox One This Holiday Season

    On November 1, Nintendo will jump back into the fitness gaming category it helped create with Wii Fit U. Later this year, Microsoft will be throwing its hat into the ring with a similar app for Xbox One.

    On Friday, Microsoft announced a new Xbox One app called Xbox Fitness that will be launching this holiday season. Unlike Nintendo’s game that utilizes a virtual trainer and the Wii balance board, Xbox Fitness will use real trainers alongside Kinect to help people get into shape.

    Check it out:

    “What makes Xbox Fitness so innovative is the feedback it gives you,” says Insanity’s Shaun T. “The Kinect sensor can evaluate your form, tell how high you’re jumping, how hard you’re punching and even read your heart rate. It’s that little missing piece of validation that hasn’t been possible for home fitness products before. Xbox Fitness completes the puzzle.”

    Alongside its exercise programs, Xbox Fitness acts as a personal trainer. It will create personalized workout programs for each user based on their history and past performance. It will also accommodate any schedule with workouts that last anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes.

    Xbox Fitness will also include Xbox Live integration in the form of online challenges, leaderboards and other methods for you to compare your performance with that of your friends.

    Speaking of Xbox Live, Xbox Fitness will be free to all Xbox Live Gold members until December 2014. Microsoft doesn’t explicitly say it will start charging separately for the service at that point, but it’s heavily implied. That means you’ll want to take full advantage of Xbox Fitness when it launches this holiday season.

    [Image: xbox/YouTube]

  • These Xbox One Features Require Xbox Live Gold

    Since the launch of Xbox Live, players have had to pay to play online. Microsoft began adding more perks with Xbox Live Gold on the Xbox 360, such as using Netflix or Internet Explorer. Now it’s adding a whole host of new features that are exclusive to Xbox Live Gold members on the Xbox One.

    In an update to its Xbox Live page, Microsoft has provided a list of what features will require an Xbox Live Gold subscription going forward. Unsurprisingly, many of the Xbox One’s most unique features will require a subscription:

    These Xbox One Features Require Xbox Live Gold

    So, what are these features that Microsoft thinks you should pay for? OneGuide is the software that will provide a customized cable TV viewing experience while also adding a social layer for friends to talk about their favorite TV shows. Game DVR allows players to record footage of their gameplay to share with friends, or even broadcast it live on Twitch. Skype is pretty self explanatory and SmartMatch complements Xbox Live online play by matching players up with the best possible players based upon their skill level and preference.

    Besides online play, some people began to question whether or not Microsoft was actually offering a value with Xbox Live compared to what Sony offers with PlayStation Plus. With the Xbox One, Microsoft is answering that criticism by offering more value with an Xbox Live Gold subscription.

    Microsoft has also started to offer free games on the Xbox 360 to Xbox Live Gold subscribers, but the offering thus far has paled in comparison to what Sony offers via Plus. We can only hope that it gets better with the Xbox One.

    In short, you’re going to be paying to play online on both next-gen consoles. Microsoft and Sony now just have to convince consumers that their value added perks are better than the competition’s.

    [h/t: Engadget]

  • Assassin’s Creed II Free For Xbox Live Gold Members on July 16

    Xbox Live’s “Ultimate Game Sale” began on Tuesday, offering games such as Assassin’s Creed 3 and Borderlands 2 for as much as 67% off. Though the second day of the sale isn’t quite as exciting, Xbox Live Gold gamers will be pleased to know that Microsoft has announced the next game in its “Games with Gold” program.

    Assassin’s Creed II will be the second game given away during the program, which was announced during Microsoft’s big E3 presentation. The game will be free for Xbox Live Gold members starting July 16. It will remain free until August 1, when a new title will become the rotated in. The program lasts through December, to encourage loyalty to Xbox Live going into the next console generation.

    This announcement comes to reassure Gold members just two days after Microsoft announced its first free “Games with Gold” title, Defense Grid: The Awakening, on Monday. That announcement caused yet another PR nightmare for Microsoft, since Halo 3 and Assassin’s Creed II were mentioned during E3 as the games that would “kick off” the “Games with Gold” program. Gamers expecting those titles vented their anger online, a familiar theme during the past few months for Microsoft.

  • Microsoft Gives Away its First “Games with Gold” Game

    Though Microsoft’s big E3 presentation was mostly about games, the company did manage to slip in a bit of good information for gamers who are sticking with the Xbox throughout this year. Xbox Live Gold members who don’t unsubscribe will be getting two free games each month, from July until December. This “Games with Gold” program is Microsoft’s way of encouraging a bit of loyalty going into the next console generation, and is also an acknowledgement of the value gamers are finding in Sony’s PlayStation Plus subscription.

    Since Halo 3 and Assassin’s Creed II were name-dropped as two of the titles gamers will be getting for free, the first free game coming to gold subscribers might be a disappointment. Microsoft today announced that Defense Grid: The Awakening is the first title in the “Games for Gold” lineup. The game will be free until the 16th, when a new free game will take its place. Though the game was well-received when it was released, that was all the way back in 2008. Considering that Halo 3 and Assassin’s Creed II were released in 2007 and 2009 respectively, Microsoft is setting precedent, suggesting that its upcoming free games might all be four or five years old (though Fable III was handed out last month, before the program started).

    In other Xbox news, Microsoft has announced the release of a special edition gold Xbox 360 controller, sold only at GameStop and Microsoft Stores starting in August:

    Gold Xbox 360 controller

  • Microsoft Confirms $99 Xbox 360 Rumors

    Last week their were some rumors going around that Microsoft was going to be offering a way for you to get an XBox 360 for $99 out the door. The only catch was/is, is that the deal somes with a 2 year contract at $15 dollars a month.

    Microsoft has just today, released a coupon at the Microsoft Store good for a 4GB console, with kinect for $99 with a two year subscription to XBox Live Gold at $15 a month.

    In last weeks rumors it was speculated that there may be some bonus content subscriptions added onto the XBox Live Gold Membership. The current membership price is around $5 a month, but with this deal it is bumped to $15. So far it looks like deal is just a way to walk out the door with an XBox, and the pricier XBox Live Gold membership as sort of a payment plan for the hardware. We reached out to Microsoft for comment on this, and as of this articles publication we have not heard back from them. We will update as more information becomes available.

    Overall the deal comes to about $460 if you include the money paid over the course of the contract. That’s about $40 more than the console and membership, if paid for separately. But the plus side is you walk away with only paying a fraction of that up front.

    I think this is good deal for Microsoft and consumers, particularly consumers that don’t have the money for a console up front. When you consider the difference in the price is only $40 after 2 years, that could be very appealing to some people. Microsoft has done well to entice a new audience while keeping the overall price manageable.

    My only concern is this becoming a trend, with the hardware manufacturers switching to a payment plan method for getting more money in the long run. As long as this is simply another option, and people can still by the next generation of consoles up front for a smaller price, I am all for it.

    UPDATE: When reached for comment, Microsoft had this to say via a spokesperson:
    “On May 7, we launched a pilot program at Microsoft Stores in the United States to test a new pricing model for the Xbox 360. Specifically, the 17 Microsoft Stores in the U.S. will sell the Xbox 360 4GB console with Kinect for $99 with a two-year Xbox LIVE Gold commitment of $14.99 per month. The $99 Xbox 360 4GB console with Kinect allows customers to explore the full entertainment offerings available through the Xbox platform. The Xbox LIVE Gold subscription is a great way to enjoy the best multiplayer gaming network, as well as hit movies, TV shows, sports, music, and more. This pilot program aligns with our ongoing commitment to test new products and offers to understand how to best serve our customers.”

    I’ll take that as a “no” to additional content from Xbox Live Gold.