Microsoft's big bet

[ninzel]

I think Nintendos will remain free. For Nintendo it's all about selling that old content. No barriers to that.Keep it simple with some basic in game feaures like friends and matchmaking.
I expect Sony's to follow the free PC model, maybe offer a basic free service that one ups MS by allowing gameplay online for free. And a more feature rich service for a fee.

 

[DopeyFish]

the 50% live subscriptions is for live gold AND silver.

You don't pay for XBL silver.

Wedbush Morgan's comment on what videogames are is also ultimately flawed

Video games in essence are so much more, there's so many possibilitiesr. I would argue that most gamers don't play games to "escape".

 

[wco81]

No they mean 50% of users paying.

Everyone could get Silver for free so that would be way more than 50% wouldn't it?

 

[Dave Baumann]

I think you are assuming too much in the way of broadband use and easy connectivity.

As a side note, personally I don't agree with the notion that online connectivy goes against the idea of "a quick thrill". Over the course of my online connection with th PC the frequency with which I have played online games is close to nill, conversly, most of the time when I fire up PGR3 I will have a quick online game, presicely because of the fact that it gives me a quick blast against "real people". I'm wondering if the analyst in this article is associating "on-line" with the types of massively on-line multiplayer games such as WOW that does warrant many hours of work put into it.