I was not talking at all about cross-play even though you mentioned it. I was taking issue with your opinion that Microsoft couldn't get away with not charging a subscription for PC multiplayer. They have in fact said they will NOT charge for it. That's what my links were for. Unfortunately you keep talking about cross-play. Until you come to terms with my first argument, there is no way I'm moving on to talk about what my opinion is on cross-play.
I'm still not sure if I wasn't clear or you misinterpreted what I was saying. I was saying that MS couldn't get away with charging for PC multiplayer, PC players would have a fit. This was my first statement about MS possibly charging for PC multiplayer:
As far as not requiring a subscription to Live for PC multiplayer, no.. they couldn't possibly get away with that yet. But I'm willing to bet that if you want to use crossplay, you're going to need a Live subscription. I'm also willing to bet (a little bit less) that those Xbox exclusives that will be made available on the PC will also require a Live subscription for multiplayer, even on the PC.
Here, I stated that MS couldn't possibly get away with requiring a subscription to play PC multiplayer games but that I believe that crossplay will require a subscription and that games that were formerly Xbox exclusives might also require a subscription. Your link doesn't address crossplay, it also doesn't address exclusives that might require Gold subscriptions on PC regardless of any multiplayer aspect. What about Sunset Overdrive? An Xb1 exclusive that still might require a Gold subscription to play on the PC and has no multiplayer component.
I'd also like to add that I'm not the one confusing crossplay with multiplayer, you mentioned that yourself.
No way, no how, they charge for multiplayer on PC after what they've said now. That's including crossplay. And that's including every title, including first party exclusives like Halo 5.
You stated that you believe they won't require a subscription for crossplay or for any formerly Xb1 exclusive, "After what they've said now."
None of your links demonstrate statements from MS that can be logically followed to the conclusion you are reaching. All they've said is that they won't charge PC users for playing multiplayer. Nothing about crossplay, nothing about exclusives.
You keep acting as if I've said that MS is going to charge for multiplayer gaming on the PC and the very message you responded to has me saying this:
Seriously? Let's define the parameters that we are debating. I have no doubt that MS will continue to sell games that don't require a subscription to play multiplayer.
Whether or not that includes games that currently would be considered "Xbox Exclusives" and whether or not that includes games that have "crossplay" enabled is something else. Nothing in any of your links says anything remotely close to the idea that Xb1 users that buy Haloz will have to pay for a Live subscription while those who buy Haloz on the PC will get to play with those same people for free.
It seems to me that you are not only confused about what I'm saying, but you also seem to be basing your opinions on things that MS hasn't actually said. I see it the same way dobawl see's it:
It's relatively easy to devise a plan where u offer Live as a paid service and still provide a "free option". You simply tie Live as a free access feature to a purchase from the Microsoft online marketplace. You buy off steam or other alternative source than access to Live servers require you purchase a live membership.
So, right. I don't think anybody is saying that MS is going to require a Gold subscription to play multiplayer PC games on Windows 10. Perhaps that's why I don't understand your confusion. It's a strawman argument that never existed. But if you want crossplay, etc.. I'm betting that you'll need a Gold subscription.