Hey Microsoft, what the hell? Why do I have to be a Gold subscriber to download demos on the day of their release? Who decided that was a good idea? Were there a lot of Silver subscribers out there saying, “Well, I don’t play games online but gee, I really want to play demos the day they are released, I guess I’ll have to subscribe to Gold,”? I didn’t think so. So why you gotta be a punk Microsoft?

I really don’t get it. Maybe it’s an attempt to make Gold members feel special, or less suckered  for paying for what PS3 owners get for free. However, this seems more ridiculous to me now that Netflix functionality has been added to the 360. Before the New Xbox Experience, I didn’t think much about the demo blackout for Silver members, but now that there is an actual reason, other than online gaming, to have a Gold account, it is even more pointless. The Netflix functionality may actually be worth the cost of a Gold membership to some people. Heck, it’ll cost you about $100 to stream Netflix with the Roku set-top box, which is at least two years of Live membership. Not a terrible deal, especially if you game online.

So how about it Microsoft, why not ease up a little? You’ve been boning your customer base since day one, if Sony had their heads even 50% out of their asses you’d be on your way out of the gaming business. Is it not enough that, three 360’s in, I am gripped by the fear that the next time I turn the damned thing on will be its last?  Here’s a suggestion: stop this BS with the demos and give everyone ever afflicted with the RROD a free year of Live. Sound fair? Yeah, I thought so too, thanks.

-Matt Frank

Tags: Live, Microsoft, RROD

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