[QUOTE="h4yabusa"][QUOTE="whoisryanmack"][QUOTE="h4yabusa"][QUOTE="whoisryanmack"]i dont spend any more than the 50, except on things that i definitely know i'm buying, such as arcade games. i'll gladly pay that if it keeps the service up to current standard. this could be wii or ps3 online, and it would be free sure, but not as good.mclazyj
so why isn't the Wii or PS3 as good as the X360 online ? it isn't anything to do with XBL that's for sure 40 player Resistance anyone ? classic argument. how about number of users for one. how bout no lag? how bout there are tons of demos and arcade games to choose from. how bout being able to play games while downloading? how bout no friend codes? etc.. Your argument is flawed, XBL only provides a username & unified gaming, all of this should cost nothing, silver users should be able to use these at no cost because of the advertisment within XBL, then if you so wish to have the availability of demo's and downloadable games then you pay for that service. lag ? what are you on about, resistance runs on dedicated servers & XBL games have to have a gamer "host" a match, which limits the ammount of gamers & lag free gaming that can be enjoyed know what your on about before spouting you mouth offThe reason it costs money is because Microsoft runs the backend equipment. With the PSNetwork, the developers are required to provide the backend equipment. A side effect because of this, is that there is no standardization in how online gaming works on the PS3. Why does VirtuaTennis ship without online play for the PS3. Or why VirtuaFighter 5 has no online play for the PS3. Because these companies do not want to fund the online play.
So when you pay for your online play on Xbox Live, you are getting a standardized service that has online support in almost every game that is released and all games that have multiplayer will work in almost the same way.
And the arguement about Microsoft making all this money off of gamer picture packs, etc, remember two things:
1. The developer of the theme pack gets most the money. Microsoft gets a percentage.
2. When Home for the PS3 comes out, you will be paying for all the little additions as well via microtransactions. It is the new wave of the future for console makers and developers.
You state that Resistance has 40 player multiplayer support. That is great. But what about all the games that are released with no online support. Go to the Xbox360 section in any store and count how many of the games have online support vs. how many have the same support on the PS3. The PS3 loses in a landslide. Even when using adjusted averages, it still loses by a landslide.
Now all that being said, the PSNetwork will improve over time, but at some point, they will have to charge an annual fee and Home will rake in doe for them via microtransactions. If they do not do this, they will still be the same free fragmented service that they were under the PS2. And we all know how well the online play was on the PS2 when you finally found a game that supported it.
I understand the concepts of it, but simply the backend of XBL should be funded by the advertisment within XBL & online gaming, just online gaming should be free, all the other services they provide then yes, a premium rate should be applied Just because all the games for X360 are online, doesn't mean they are good, i'd rather have a game like resistance with it's multiplayer features over say GeoW (great game btw), the problem with the way games are hosted on XBL it limits the features that it can offer They both have their pro's and con's, but being spolt by PC gaming for the past few years where i haven't had to pay anything more than my internet connection i feel like im getting ripped off for simply playing a game online 
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