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Microsoft officially unlocked multiplayer on free-to-play games for all users today, after announcing its intention to do so back in January. Before today, Microsoft was the only one of the major platform holders to still charge for online multiplayer in otherwise free games. There is a full list of titles available at the official Xbox blog, and more titles will be supported as they launch.

Additionally, Microsoft is offering a one-time offer for Xbox Live Gold members to cancel their subscription and receive a partial refund based on the number of days left, as long as they submit their request before June 1, 2021. More details are on their FAQ here.

Source

 

[CloudStrife190100]

I've been playing free to play games online without the need for a sub for a few years now? I always thought it was free anyway

 

[Deleted member 194275]

Microsoft: less they sell, nicer they get!

I'll keep supporting them to be nice by not buying their console.

 

[Jaxom]

Did I just witnessed a consumer-friendly move?

 

[Julie_Pilgrim]

READ I SONY HAHAHA BAD HAHAHA !!!!!!!!! CAN'T AND

What?

 

[ZeroFX]

lol

 

[Crazynoob458]

thats... nice
thogh i only play forza horizon 4 on my xbox

 

[jeffyTheHomebrewer]

Does this apply to us 360 users?

 

[Louse]

I sure miss the PS3/Wii days back when the shit was 100% free no subs none of that (minus the games of course )

Don't we all.

Microsoft: less they sell, nicer they get!

I'll keep supporting them to be nice by not buying their console.

I'm gonna do what's called a pro-gamer move.

imho they should just let us run our own servers
the problem literally solves itself

 

[Valwinz]

HAHAHA SONY BAD AND I CAN'T READ HAHAHA!!!!!!!!!

imagine playing Sony games

 

[x65943]

What?

He originally said something like "just watch now sony will follow suit" but edited it to be a parody of p1ngpong's post after he realized Sony already did this

 

[Julie_Pilgrim]

Sony already do this. F2P titles don't need PS+.

Literally says in the topic as well "Microsoft was the only one of the major platform holders to still charge for online multiplayer in otherwise free games", but I guess people can't be bothered to read in their quest to be first to take a shot at whatever console.

Gbatemp users read articles challenge(ultra impossible)

 

[PatrickD85]

X gon give it to ya!
But really Xbox is being very good lately when it comes to how pro consumer they approaching things.
(Upcoming updates are also going to be cool with quick resume groups and so on)

 

[MochaMilk]

Finally! I can play Roblox for free now!

 

[banjo2]

Finally! I can play Roblox for free now!

I think what you meant to say was

 

[Jayro]

Those should have been day 1 features, but okay.

 

[Hells Malice]

That's nice of them
Microsoft has always had a significantly better online experience over Sony because of Xbox Live. People can cry all they want about needing to pay to play online but in the end it meant they had money to invest into improving and strengthening the experience. Which is probably why they still dominate online play despite Sony and Nintendo finally realizing it was the best option all along. Free online is quaint but you get what you pay for 100%. Well, Nintendo's online is still questionable at best... but at least Sony improved a little.

The F2P market must be pretty immense given it has Fortnite and Apex Legends. Their online services must've reached a point where they could viably let these millions of people freeload in the hopes they get sucked in anyway for game pass.

Microsoft has really taken broad strides this past decade whereas Sony is still angrily sitting in a basement alone watching Microsoft and Nintendo frolic together, pretending it doesn't need friends to be happy.

 

[menadwen]

So, would I need live to play Ark?

 

[the_randomizer]

MS makes better decisions than Sony, for the most part. Topped with backwards compat and all that, and Game Pass, very smart on their part

 

[RichardTheKing]

That's amazing, but I'm still sticking with my Wii. But good on Microsoft for doing that!

shit motion controls
wii u better

both sony and nintendo allow you to play f2p games online since day one, microsoft took 3 generations to do this lol

Nintendo always allowed for free online - until Switch Year 2, when post-Iwata management went avaricious.

 

[Viri]

I love how I can just go into my closet, dig out my Wii-U, fire up Mario Kart 8, and play it online just like that. All while costing me nothing.