Wargaming CEO unhappy with Xbox Live Gold requirement for World of Tanks

When World of Tanks launches for Xbox 360 this summer, players must carry an Xbox Live Gold subscription to play the game. This means the tank-combat game it is not a fully free-to-play experience like the PC version, which boasts 60 million members.

This point bothers Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi, though he explained to GamesIndustry International that he understands Microsoft cannot make an exception in their case.

"With Microsoft, unfortunately it's not 100 percent free-to-play because it requires the Gold subscription to Xbox Live membership," Kislyi said. "But that's a Microsoft requirement which is valid for us and for Activision and for EA and all other partners."

"They cannot drop it for us because they would have to drop it for everyone and it would be a total mess for them. This we have to tolerate, which I am not happy about," he added. "I would rather add another 30-40 million non-golden members and they will monetise occasionally."

Xbox Live currently boasts 48 million Gold subscribers. Interested gamers can sign up for the World of Tanks Xbox 360 beta today.

Free-to-play Xbox Live game Happy Wars also requires an Xbox Live Gold subscription. The game launched last October and had 2 million players in March.