FFFUUUUUUUUUU--

http://games.on.net/article/10057/Microsoft_Hike_Xbox_LIVE_Subscriptions
That's right, kiddies. Thanks to the bloatware Microsoft have decided to cram into Xbox Live the last year or two, you're going to be paying the price. An extra $10 per year to be exact. OK, that's an extra 83 cents per month, why, might you ask, am I so butthurt over an extra 83 cents per month for the goodness that is Xbox Live?

Well, curious reader, my answer is simply that I don't like the idea of paying more for the same exact service. When this price hike kicks in in November, you dumb saps who decide to continue ponying up to Dear Leader Microsoft will be paying an extra ten dollars for absolutely no extra services. Existing services will continue to be offered, but nothing extra will be added. You're paying that money because the twelve-year-olds whose parents won't let them use the computer want to acccess facebook on a video game console. You're paying it because the 35-year old loner who still lives with his parents is just waaaay too interesting to twitter JUST from his computer, he has to tweet from his Xbox, too.

The only additional service that's even remotely worth considering a price hike would be the ESPN app they're bringing to Live, but since I'm not a sports fan, I'm going to pass and get what little sports info I want from espn.com.

Hell, even if they offered to bring back 1 vs 100 Live this Fall, I'd seriously consider the price hike (since Sprint no longer sponsors the show) if it meant participants still could win decent prizes. I hate to say it, but I don't see Xbox Live maintaining it's popularity for much longer. Why pay $60 per year when you can play for free with a PS3? Because it has Facebook? Twitter? Last.fm? ESPN? Hey, guess what, Microsoft. I HAVE A COMPUTER THAT CAN DO ALL OF THAT HURRRRDURRRR. I bought an Xbox to play video games and watch an occasional movie. Not to tweet, not to update my facebook status, not to find out what bands I might like.

But, on the plus side for Microsoft: COMING THIS FALL... HALO CLXXXVIIII (189, you plebes). I'm beginning to agree with my friends: If it weren't for Halo, the Xbox would have been dragged out to the field and shot years ago. Maybe now's the time.

VIVA LA PS3!