[Confirmed] Microsoft to remove Xbox Live Gold paywall for Netflix, Hulu

[Gahars]

One of the biggest complaints about the Xbox Live service is that users are required to pay for the full service in order to access things like Netflix. Despite the criticisms and ballyhooing, Microsoft has stuck with the policy. Will they ever change?

The answer may surprise you... unless you read the title.

We can report that multiple sources within Microsoft have been briefed on plans to make a long-awaited change to the Xbox Live Gold paywall for streaming media services. 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.

Arstechnica

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About 7 year too late, more or less, but, hey, better late than even later, I suppose.

Now, there's talk that some other features might be put behind the pay wall to compensate, because apparently Microsoft is a stickler for equivalent exchange. Who knew?

I will now end this post in the most sufficiently patriotic way possible.

 

[FAST6191]

There are other features to be put behind the paywall?

 

[cdoty]

I'm curious to see if this affects the internet browser on the 360. I thought that was the dumbest idea ever... But, I think I've opened the browser twice, and once was to see how well it worked for HTML5 stuff.

 

[leon315]

Is YouTube a subject of change too?

 

[Vipera]

There are Xbox owners without a Gold subscription?

 

[Arras]

I still love how some Xbox fanboys are all "What do you mean paywall, all I see is insane value for money, just look at all these features, just for 60$ a year".

 

[Isaac]

Awesome. As someone who doesn't use my xbox to play multiplayer much, this is good.

 

[Mario92]

There are Xbox owners without a Gold subscription?

There are PC gamers who don't use Steam and Playstation owners without plus. PC there's GOG and some just play Minecraft, LoL or Blizzard games and are completely happy, some playstation owners just own it for COD and FIFA and don't need Plus (or even know that console can be connected to internet), with PS4 maybe but even there you can browse internet and play warframe without subscription.

Putting everything behind gold was just test to see if people really pay if you make them and seemed to work, Xbox one they tested would people be ready to be always online which didn't work. Maybe users are realising that playstation just offers so much more even without giving money and are changing to it instead of newer xbox. I mean if there wasn't playstation why should they remove that wall? They are getting money from people who just want to watch netflix!

I still love how some Xbox fanboys are all "What do you mean paywall, all I see is insane value for money, just look at all these features, just for 60$ a year".

I remember there was arguments when Games with Gold came and couple guys said "It's only 1.5€ a month if you buy the time from here and even if games are old you can't buy them any cheaper anywhere and you can keep them!" Site was key reselling site. After that Natural Selection mess I have been avoiding key resellers at all cost.
Of course because they chose Xbox, there can't be paywall on product they just invested and all their friends use!

 

[Bladexdsl]

100% fake if it makes m$ lose $ it's fake

 

[Guild McCommunist]

100% fake if it makes m$ lose $ it's fake

Currently they could be losing money because people want a Xbox One as a media device but don't want to pay the fee for online. This would make more people want a Xbox One for Netflix and Hulu and its other media features without being forced into paying for online.

Just a thought.

 

[chavosaur]

I still love how some Xbox fanboys are all "What do you mean paywall, all I see is insane value for money, just look at all these features, just for 60$ a year".

As probably the biggest Xbox Fanboy on this forum even I can say that their paywall is a crock of shit.

This is nice news for people that, like guild said, take advantage of the Xbox One as their media playing device. I'm curious to see what other apps they'll remove the paywall for, and what apps they'll keep the paywall for.

The Xbox brand is sponsored by the NFL and they already have huge focus on offering things like the NFL draft to follow up with, and HUGE focus on offering the NFL streaming when the season starts. I wonder if this will still be included in paywall or not.

I would assume the ony things remaining in their paywall would be Xbox Originals and other silly exclusivity things.

 

[T-hug]

MS have just confirmed this to be true:

 

[Arras]

Fuck yes Xbox Fitness for free, it's on PS+, step it up. Seriously though, this brings Gold a bit closer to PS+, which is nice for owners, I guess. Now they need to add some actually decent games to it and it'll be about equal.

 

[chavosaur]

INteresting! Games with gold is finally making its way onto Xbox One next month.
Granted itll probably begin with titles like Crimson Dragon and Lococycle but still good nonetheless. Im much more excited that digital sales are finally making their way over. Ive been wanting to sell some discs for sometime now.

 

[FAST6191]

There are Xbox owners without a Gold subscription?

Antisocial bastard (or online antisocial, I am always up for local) brigade representing. Even when I did not have hacked consoles, or hacked consoles that could go online I did not so much as have silver. Similarly I am one of the ones without Steam or and equivalent on the PC, it is surprisingly doable still. Hopefully Steam will allow resale of games before long and I can look at some things I might have missed there.

 

[Brian117]

There are Xbox owners without a Gold subscription?

Yes, I am one of them. The 360 does not interest me anymore, nor does any other kind of video game system. I refuse to pay $30-60 for a 12 month sub when I will most likely only play 10 days out of the whole year. So it's good to see that I won't need Gold anymore to use Netflix which I already pay money for.

 

[LightyKD]

Looks like Microsoft finally gave into dat Amazon pressure!

 

[WiiCube_2013]

To use YouTube it still costs a Gold membership for some reason. :-/

Come on Microsoft, get rid of these stupid paywalls.

 

[Armadillo]

Never mind.

 

[chavosaur]

Games With Gold Xbox One will be offering Max: Curse of Brotherhood and Halo Spartan Assault for the first month.
http://www.polygon.com/2014/5/13/5713490/games-with-gold-xbox-one-launch-microsoft
Both solid little games, theyll also be offering discounts on Ryse Son Of Rome and Forza 5