Robin Hoods Playground

XBL Silver Now Allows Free Online Gaming?
By Tom Ivan

Microsoft’s decision to stop charging for "premium" online features in Games for Windows - Live titles, including cross-platform gameplay, appears to have enabled Xbox Live Silver members to play cross-platform online games for free.

According to the site, it appears that Silver Xbox Live members - who don’t usually have access to free online gaming - can now play cross-platform titles including Shadowrun, Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition and Universe at War: Earth Assault for free over Xbox Live. The report is backed up by numerous user posts on the official Xbox forums.

Some forum users are even claiming that free online gaming isn’t restricted to cross-platform titles – two posts suggest XBL Silver members can now also play unranked matches for free on games including Halo 3.

The news is somewhat muddied by the fact that Microsoft offered free online gaming to all Xbox Live subscribers over the weekend as part of its Live Weekend initiative, but reports that Silver XBL members were playing online for free both before and since the weekend appear to indicate there’s something more to this story – is this perhaps the beginning of a free Xbox Live service, or could it just be some sort of knock-on-effect from the dropping of Games for Windows – Live charges?

We’ve contacted Microsoft for comment.

thats good news wondering how to set this up as i have never been online on a 360.

its not that hard it just takes some time.
you will get a 1 month gold the first time you sign up.then it will turn into a silver acc.

kool ill giv it a go now as soon as i can find ethernet cable. will post back

parminder wrote:thats good news wondering how to set this up as i have never been online on a 360.

wow.. thats crazy man! get that shizzle set up.. send me a pm & i'll add you to my friendslist - I have a slot free

yep got it setup, got a month free gold. by the way ms is still charging for gold and stuff. msk ive sent you a pm.

I speculate here - but I wonder if people are signing up for silver accounts & getting there 1 month free gold trial.

I hope not..
it really is time to end the subscription - surely there is enough in the pot to expand the service to free for all.
Afterall we are all already subjected to immense in game advertising & market place incentives...

From what I understand, silvers are limited in their online gaming capabilities. Not sure what that means exactly, but I guess they still have to have a "reason" to charge for gold membership. I think we are all in agreement here and thats there should be free XBL for everyone.

Xbox Live Gets Free Online for Select Games 'til Fall
by Chris Faylor Jul 28, 2008 5:07pm CST tags: Microsoft
Update: Microsoft has informed Shacknews that Xbox Live Silver members will only have free multiplayer access to select cross-platform titles--Universe at War, Shadowrun and Lost Planet: Colonies Edition--until the next system update arrives this fall.

"For a limited time, we are offering free online multiplayer on Xbox 360/Games for Windows titles that offer LIVE cross platform play," a representative explained. "This promotion won't last, so we encourage everyone to take advantage of it while they can."

The representative concluded that, "When the new Xbox experience launches this fall all multiplayer gaming on Xbox 360 will be for Gold members only."