Report: Microsoft Planning Support for Free to Play on Xbox 360

June 24, 2011

According to a report from Develop Microsoft is now offering support for free-to-play titles on Xbox 360. Several sources close to the situation tell Develop that Microsoft is asking developers to discuss future free-to-play game deals. This is being done "behind the scenes" for the time being, according to Develop. Microsoft is looking at games that can be monetized by in-game item purchases or premium upgrades.

Microsoft’s 360 will incorporate a new micro transactions service that supports the free-to-play model, says Develop. The main thing this new system would support are micro-transactions - the bread and butter of most free-to-play game titles. While Microsoft is not commenting on this story, given the large number of high profile MMO's going free-to-play and Valve's decision last week to support free- to play titles on Steam and to make Team Fortress 2 its first game to support the model, it makes sense that Microsoft would stick its toe into the water.

Sony Online entertainment's free-to-play MMO, Free Realms, is available on PS3 and was the company's first (and currently only) game to offer free-to-play on a console.

Hopefully the first game Microsoft supports on Xbox Live is the new free-to-play version of Team Fortress 2...

Source: Develop

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Comments

Re: Report: Microsoft Planning Support for Free to Play on ...

Submitted by Conejo on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 11:52.

What would be nice if F2P games were available to silver members.

All complaints about needing to pay for XBL are unnecessary in this discussion.

Here are we -- and yonder yawns the universe.

Re: Report: Microsoft Planning Support for Free to Play on ...

Submitted by E. Zachary Knight on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 18:48.

Why are the unnecessary? You said it yourself, even these games won't be available to free silver members. So I think that is a valid concern.

You can play these games for free, but only after you pay us. That is what Microsoft is saying.

E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming

E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower

Re: Report: Microsoft Planning Support for Free to Play on ...

Submitted by Falcon4196 on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 20:12.

Actually Microsoft hasn't said a thing. All of this is still nothing but rumors. All of us, myself included, are assuming that they're true. Besides I prefer look at it as gold members getting more value for their money. I sincerly doubt that this is going to convince anybody who has a an XBox to get gold if they haven't already at this point.

Re: Report: Microsoft Planning Support for Free to Play on ...

Submitted by MonkeyPeaches on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 17:00.

But you will still be required to pay 60 dollars a year to play online.

Re: Report: Microsoft Planning Support for Free to Play on ...

Submitted by Zerodash on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 14:13.

Why not first start with free online play for Silver members?

Re: Report: Microsoft Planning Support for Free to Play on ...

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 14:31.

Agreed, and the main reason I prefer PSN.

Re: Report: Microsoft Planning Support for Free to Play on ...

Submitted by Mariner on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 16:05.

Completely agree with both of you 100%. I'd love to play online, but it's not possible with only a free membership. I think the PSN got it right when they went with their multiplayer for all.

Re: Report: Microsoft Planning Support for Free to Play on ...

Submitted by Grif on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 17:14.

Generally, I agree. But you also get what you pay for. Xbox LIVE has long been considered the best in online matchmaking and general online service.

But, on the other hand, I'm seeing a lot more preorders for NCAA Football 2012 and Madden 2012 on the PS3 than I did last year, it's just about 50-50 between PS3 and Xbox now. Perhaps Xbox is slowly losing the one edge it had over the PS3.

And it's not just sports games that are evening out, either. Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3, and even Mass Effect 3 for the PS3 are seeing pre-orders on equal terms with their Xbox counterparts than the previous iterations.

Of course, this is just in my area, so I can't speak for the entire community. But I still think it's interesting, nonetheless.

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Cecil475: @PHX Corp - The dude's a moron who wouldn't know crap if it came up and kicked him.05/19/2013 - 6:36am

PHX Corp: http://kotaku.com/ea-sports-developer-calls-wii-u-crap-and-nintendo-wa-508481261 EA Sports Canada Moron calls Wii U 'Crap' and Nintendo 'Walking Dead'05/18/2013 - 11:42am

E. Zachary Knight: If the videos are of sufficient quality that people subscribe and watch regularly, then those let's players are providing a service that people want. That is the heart of capitalism. That is not something that should be shamed.05/17/2013 - 8:06am

E. Zachary Knight: I have no idea who either of those people are. However, I still don't see why making a business out of creating let's play videos is somehow evil or wrong.05/17/2013 - 8:04am

MaskedPixelante: It sure is if you're just doing it for the money. See Tobuscus and/or Pewdiepie for what happens when people get into it just for the money.05/17/2013 - 7:30am

E. Zachary Knight: Why is it wrong to make money doing LPs? Why should that be something that should be shamed?05/17/2013 - 6:20am

MaskedPixelante: https://twitter.com/PsychedelicSA/status/335183893214924801 Now here's an interesting, glass half full thought about the Nintendo LP thing. It outs the people who are just doing LPs to make money.05/17/2013 - 5:56am

E. Zachary Knight: I responded in writing to all this "let's play" stuff Nintendo Started. No need for my permission, I won't give it. It's not mine to give. http://divineknightgaming.com/?p=29205/16/2013 - 2:21pm

E. Zachary Knight: Lars Doucet of Levelup Labs has a Reddit going on game companies that allow monetization of Let's Play videos. http://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/1egayn/lets_build_a_list_of_game_studios_that_allow/05/16/2013 - 1:04pm

Sleaker: @Imautobot - yah I wouldn't use an emulator as a good first run test of how stable the console is, haha.05/16/2013 - 11:47am

E. Zachary Knight: The 50th person to jump off a bridge is just as dumb if not dumber than the 1st.05/16/2013 - 10:03am

MaskedPixelante: Yeah, let's all jump on Nintendo for doing this, even though they're hardly the first company to do this...05/16/2013 - 9:47am

E. Zachary Knight: Wow Nintendo, this is wrong. http://kotaku.com/nintendo-forcing-ads-on-some-youtube-lets-play-video-50709238305/16/2013 - 8:44am

Imautobot: @Sleaker, further gameplay has revealed that the controller button do stick under the faceplate. Also, The NES emulator (Emuya)keeps crashing on me, though I think a bad ROM is causing it.05/16/2013 - 7:10am

Papa Midnight: AE: I wonder if any other publishers will follow suit.05/15/2013 - 8:12pm

Andrew Eisen: EA is ditching Online Pass. http://venturebeat.com/2013/05/15/ea-kills-its-controversial-online-pass-program/05/15/2013 - 7:20pm

Avalongod: @Zach and quicnkold...I've read the bill and the intent of it is to fear-monger. It's not a balanced message. I don't recall the ESRB being mentioned at all. It's more "keeps your kids away from these movies/games or they'll become violent"05/15/2013 - 4:35pm

E. Zachary Knight: quiknkold, The big problem with that legislation is the amount of misinformation out there. Who is going to ensure that the information in the pamphlet is accurate?05/15/2013 - 3:25pm

quiknkold: REBeardogg : I'm on the fence about this. on one side, I want parents to be aware of the ESRB, and even Movie Ratings. On the other hand, I feel this will be used for nothing but Propaganda. The ESRB does a good job.05/15/2013 - 3:07pm

IanC: Frostbite is coming out on iOS devices. Yet the Wii U cant handle it? *coughbullshitcough*05/15/2013 - 2:31pm

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