Massive $ in MS\'s Eyes (online play)

MS aparently will be charging to play 3rd party games.. at least thats what the article says.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/news/news_story.php?id=26683

In case you can\'t access it:

It\'s like this, see. This French company, Infogrames, sends out a press release yesterday saying that online play for Xbox shooter Unreal Championship is going to be "subject to subscription fees", but refused to clarify the comment when contacted. Then, right, this geezer in America, Epic head honcho Mark Rein, tells the world, "To make it perfectly clear neither Epic, nor Digital Extremes, nor Infogrames is going to be collecting any money from people playing Unreal Championship online". So, assuming that "subject to subscription fees" means, "You\'ll have to pay money to play this game online", which it does, all the money goes to Microsoft. Right?
Now, the funny thing is that Microsoft has never talked specifically about its online plans for Xbox. Ever. In his statement yesterday Rein pointed American readers to an article in the LA Times in November, which is quoted as saying, "Microsoft is expected to charge players a monthly subscription fee for the service. Although a price has not been settled on, Microsoft\'s internal market research has shown that many consumers are willing to pay as much as $10 a month, on top of any fees to get high-speed Internet access."

So, theoretically, what you have is Infogrames sending out a press release, when the entire subject of paying for console gaming on the Web is extremely sensitive, saying its lead online Xbox game is going to pay-per-play. Then the guy that makes the games insinuates that all the cash likely to fall into Microsoft\'s pockets. All this before Microsoft has a chance to announce its plans. Whoops.

Infogrames was quick to shield itself today. "It\'s a Microsoft issue, not an Infogrames or an Epic issue," said Simon Callaghan, Xbox and PC PR manager for Infogrames UK. "We\'re not collecting any money, and neither are Digital Extremes or Epic. It\'s a Microsoft thing that still needs to be clarified in the US. They haven\'t decided 100 percent what they\'re going to be doing. This is not something that we\'re instigating. It\'s a Microsoft issue. So you need to speak to Microsoft about it...

"As far as Europe," he added, "Well, it hasn\'t even been decided in the US, so you know that Europe\'s a bit further down the line than the US. It\'s not even a question of following the US\'s lead, because the situation regarding broadband and online subscription fees is totally different over here. Microsoft hasn\'t spoken about whether or not there\'ll be dedicated European servers yet, so until that gets clarified there\'s not much we can do."

So, just to be clear, not Epic, nor Infogrames nor Digital Extremes is going to be receiving any cash from pay-per-play for Unreal Championship?

"According to Mark Rein - and we go along with him 100 percent because, at the end of the day it\'s his title, it\'s Epic\'s title, we publish it – if that\'s what Mark Rein\'s saying then no, we\'re not going to be receiving any money from it... As far as I\'m aware, when it comes to Unreal Championship, that is the case."

Now listen close, sweet things. What seems to be happening here is this. Microsoft is going to charge players some kind of subscription fee to play online games through Xbox. Think about that for a second. Microsoft estimates say that between 4.5 million and 6 million Xbox consoles will be in worldwide circulation by the end of its financial year, the end of June. By the end of 2002, you can raise that to between 8 million and 10 million. Even with a 5 percent take-up for online play, that\'s still $5 million a month. Every month. And if the take-up\'s higher? And the charge in Europe is higher? Do the math.

Wonderfull huh?
At least I can play online for free with my ps2 and probably NGC(unless 3rd parties want to charge)

I\'m not suprised. I mean, EA was able to pull it off with their Motorcity Online (which many NFS fans didn\'t recruit to). Sure, if you worked, the $9.99 is pretty cheap per month. But give me a break, we pay fifty bucks for the damn game and still pay royalities to EA.

Anyway, it\'s just another way of another competitive company wanting to recieve more profit, and they will recieve it. I wouldn\'t be suprised if others follow what Microsoft and Electronic Arts are doing.

Anyway, it\'s just another way of another competitive company wanting to recieve more profit, and they will recieve it. I wouldn\'t be suprised if others follow what Microsoft and Electronic Arts are doing.

well, Infogrames won\'t..
instead MS gets the money

M$ can KMA.  If I wanted to play X-box games online, and I don\'t cause I\'ll just get the same game for PC, I\'d plug my X-box into my RedHat box, get an account on Gamespy,  and give the finger to Bilbo.

These endless XBox rants are getting old. But don\'t stop cause I love it!

Ace

love paying extra money to play online games?

okey-dokey

I don\'t expect anything for free. Maybe I am becoming jaded with age.

Ace

hell, after paying 299$ and delflated hype, you should expect something

You guys are overreacting.  Wait until Microsoft announces its official plan before you start whining about something most of you will never even play anyways.

I hate to say it but I am being worn down. You guys are relentless.
 
Hmmm, maybe I would have better luck changing people\'s minds about abortion or the death penalty.

Ace

nah , abortion = bad
and death penalty = good

what more is there?

Well, well, well, we agree on two things.  That\'s a start.

Ace

Pfft....go post this over at those forums with that idiot dude x-killer was it? He\'ll get mad and deny it.

The reason the model is different is because MS is going to be supplying and maintaining the servers.  They want to create an entire online community with a messanger service and world rankings etc.  It wouldn\'t be the same nor would it work if everyone played on their own private servers.

Plus it\'s been stated that MS will charge ONE fee to play all games ($10/month is the rumour).  That\'s $120 bucks a year--big deal.  With the extra playtime of an online game you won\'t have to buy as many, it\'ll almost be a wash.

I for one would rather pay a nominal fee to play on reliable, cheat free servers with a fat pipe than some unknown server down the street.

mm all the bickering you do about quality and the such I would think you\'d have the same opinion. 1-2 hundred dollars is nothing (a couple nights out drinking) if the experience is seemless and lagfree.  Very few games for the PC are quality because of the archetecture of PCs and ****ty personal servers.  

But, why are none of you complaining about buying addons to play online with your PS2?  And furthermore, do you really expect most games to be free once the PS2 goes online full scale?  Oh, I forgot, you all have a different set of rules for the xbox.  Carry on.

Watchdog, your xbox fanboy, but I must reply to one part of your horrible and biased argument.. just for fun

Plus it\'s been stated that MS will charge ONE fee to play all games ($10/month is the rumour). That\'s $120 bucks a year--big deal. With the extra playtime of an online game you won\'t have to buy as many, it\'ll almost be a wash.

Yeah, i\'m certain that 3rd parties like Square will LOVE that idea.. MS controlls everything, exactly what 3rd parties want. Why you want that is beyond me.
You say you want more consoles in the industy to create compeition.. when this is halting compeition between 3rd parties.. hmm