Aaron's Random Thoughts: Price Hikes, D-Pads, and PAX

I always have a bunch of game-related thoughts running through my head. Sometimes one of those thoughts is enough for an entire article, and sometimes it’s not. I feel like I’ve had a lot of little things on my mind lately, so I sat down and typed them out stream-of-consciousness-style.

This week I ponder price hikes, new D-pads, and the game convention that's by the people, for the people.

Xbox Live is getting more expensive. Clearly this is the worst news in history! OK, not really -- only if you read the comments on Major Nelson's blog (Hint: don't).

I don't know if I buy the argument that the addition of stuff like Netflix, LastFM, and other non-gaming features are a good reason for a price hike. I buy the “but the price has been the same since 2002,” rationale even less. I pay for Xbox Live to play games online; this was a feature of the original Xbox Live and it's really the only feature I use. Why should I pay more for bells and whistles I have little interest in? I shouldn't.

There's an easy solution to all of this: Make it so the gold subscription will only let you play games and download demos, and give folks like me a price cut. Then create a “diamond” tier of service that includes Netflix, Facebook, and lame avatars, and charge more for it. Problem solved. You're welcome!

Oh, look! Microsoft is coming out with a new controller -- one without a crappy D-pad. I would be thrilled about this news... in 2007. I already own four controllers with busted-ass D-pads, I'm certainly not going to shell out cash for a new controller this late in the console's life cycle.

I don't know... perhaps I'm being too hard on Microsoft. Maybe, if the controller's cheap, I'll buy one. What's that? It's $64.99? Clearly you misread the press release good sir, for that price would be utter insanity!

I've done a lot of whining thus far; let's see if I can use my powers for good for a change. Ahh, here's something: PAX (Penny Arcade Expo) starts later this week, in Seattle, Washington. I guess the best way to describe the event is E3 for gamers. Actually, E3 pretty much lets everyone on the planet in as well, so that's not really a fair way to describe PAX. Let's just say that it's gaming nirvana for people who love games.

Believe it or not, I've never been to PAX. Each year I tell myself that I'll go the following year, but then that time comes and I seem to have a new reason not to attend. Fortunately for me (and any other Bitmobbers not making the trip), we'll have tons of community members in attendance to tell us about all the cool stuff we're missing. Last year our readers posted several excellent picture galleries, as well as a number of interesting stories on everything from the show: games, musical acts, get-togethers, and of course, cosplay.

I'll live vicariously through the community this year, but I'm telling you, next year I'm totally there!

Tags: PAX

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John Michael

August 31, 2010

I'm canadian... so why am I being asked to pay more for features I can't even use?

I guess I can only blame myself for paying 1200 ms points for 5 new maps in MW2... ... ... twice.

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Jon X. Porter

September 01, 2010

Yeah it sucks that you have to pay more for the same service, but then I'm paying more for a bar of chocolate than I was eight years ago. Last time I checked they weren't adding extra features to that.

Just goes to show nothing's immune to inflation. Granted, if XBL's price had been rising in line with inflation it would cost around $58 now, but from Microsoft's point of view it's probably worthwhile to have a nice round number.

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Bryan Harper

No comment on XBL price, but DAYUM. Nice as that pad is, I don't see myself picking it up for $65.

Good point on the "this late in the console's life cycle". It IS sorta late to be coming up with basic controller updates.

Rob Savillo

Jon, I'd buy your argument if wages had kept up with inflation, but instead they've stagnated.

As for Aaron's suggestion -- Microsoft would never offer tiered pricing for Live because they know the number one reason people pay for a gold membership is for online multiplayer. Even if they offered a tiered solution, I'll bet online multiplayer would always be in the most expensive tier anyway. These extra unwanted features are just easy justification for them to state in a press release.

Like I said before, Microsoft has a captive audience here based on gold members' investments in online multiplayer. And especially with this hike coming on the heels of Halo: Reach's release, they know it's a safe move.

Juan Letona

Not upset on the price hike, since I hug my ps3 and PC every night before bedtime.

Sam Dominguez

So, time to stock up on 12 month cards from Amazon? $39 aint bad, unless Micro$oft figures out a way to disable them. But really, only MS could have the stones to pull something like this. Something so entirely anti-customer satisfaction. I guess we all hoped that the MS SOP of "back the customer into a corner then mug him for his lunch money" wouldn't carry over into Xbox, but that's what we get for dreaming.

Actually, in case you weren't reading the articles closely enough, you can buy a year from Microsoft direct for $40 until November.

Just sayin'. I know Micro$oft hates their customers and lives off their tears (you're feeding them right now) but they get money from Amazon sales, too. This way you could save shipping costs.

September 02, 2010

Wages may not be keeping up with inflation, but operating costs are going to be increasing for Microsoft regardless. Server maintenance, office overheads, hell, even stationary will have seen cost increases in the past eight years.

They have to cover this increase somehow, though clearly it's hard to make a valid judgement without seeing any hard numbers.

Jon, my point is that raising the price of goods with inflation only makes sense if wages keep up. But they haven't, so I don't think inflation is a valid justification for the price hike.

Bryan Glynn

I still don't understand what everyones' beef with the 360 D-pad is. While the Wii's simplistic approach is best, I'd take the 360's D-pad over the the DualShock's abomination of a D-pad. I absolutely hate that the directions aren't connected in the middle. It just feels so wrong.