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What you REALLY have to pay to get your console online

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What you REALLY have to pay to get your console online

Old 05-28-02, 10:27 AM
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What you REALLY have to pay to get your console online

I found this article interesting.

Editorial: Pricing Online Consoles
Take a look at what you’ll really pay to play your console games online.
Written: 05/27/2002

Now that all three console makers have announced their online plans, you may be wondering how they stack up against each other in terms of features and cost. It turns out that playing online games on your console for a year can be pretty expensive... but that depends heavily on your current situation. Here is a quick estimate of the first year’s cost on each system (and keep in mind that some of these expenses are one-time, so the following years would be much less expensive):

GameCube
System: $150
Modem: $35
ISP Access: $40 per month (average)
Game: $50
Subscription: Usually free
Total: $715 for one year of online gaming, plus $50 for each additional game

PlayStation 2
System: $200
Modem: $40
ISP Access: $40 per month (average)
Game: $50
Subscription: Usually free
Total: $770 for one year of online gaming, plus $50 for each additional game

Xbox
System: $200
Modem: Included
ISP Access: $40 per month (average)
Game: $50
Subscription: $50 per year, includes headset
Total: $780 for one year of online gaming, plus $50 for each additional game

*Note that monthly ISP access is based on dial-up service plus one extra phone line, or the typical cost of DSL or cable Internet service.

At a glance, GameCube is clearly the most economical choice, mainly because of it being the cheapest hardware and not having a standard subscription fee. GameCube also benefits from Nintendo’s software policy of not collecting royalties for online games, so compatible software could theoretically be sold at less than the normal MSRP for GameCube titles (not calculated in the table above). Nintendo is also not demanding any general subscription fee, although individual games or an individual publisher may charge one itself. For example, Sega may charge $5 per month for access to SegaNet, which would let you play all of Sega’s online games as much as you want. Or Sega may charge for Phantasy Star Online separately, as they did with the game’s second edition on Dreamcast. The bottom line is that Nintendo is leaving the choice up to publishers, and Nintendo’s own first-party games will presumably be free to play online.

Sony’s strategy is almost identical to Nintendo’s, but their hardware is pricier and the modem is just slightly more expensive, though you do get both 56K and broadband capability in one piece. Like Nintendo, Sony is leaving subscription fees up to the individual publishers, and first-party online games will likely have no monthly fee. Sony has no royalty-free plan like Nintendo, but there are rumors that the company is planning to cut PS2 software down to $40 across the board.

Microsoft Xbox is arguably the easiest console to get online since its modem is already built in and included with the system’s price, but dial-up users will be out of luck. Microsoft is the only one of the big three charging a universal network subscription fee. The initial offer is $50 for one year, plus a headset communicator; no announcement has been made as to monthly or annual subscription fees after the initial offer expires. The mandatory subscription fee makes taking Xbox online more expensive upfront, but it may turn out to be competitive in the long run depending on what publishers do with Nintendo and Sony’s more lassez faire attitudes. And, like Sony, Microsoft is rumored to be considering a universal price cut on Xbox software.

Overall, Nintendo looks like the winner at least in terms of price, but there are, of course, many factors involved here that will vary from person to person. If you’re reading this article, you’re probably already paying for ISP access every month... so that cost is already figured into your budget. You probably also own one or more of these consoles by now, so that takes care of a bulk of the above totals. There is also the issue of a hard drive-type of device, which will cost you extra on the PS2, and isn’t available at all for GameCube at this time. What it really boils down to, however, is that all three systems are really quite comparable in pricing, and the most important factor is which software library (and especially which online games) appeals to you the most.

link as well
Old 05-28-02, 10:52 AM
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Isn't there only one confirmed online game planned right now for gamecube? I know that eventually madden and sega games will be also, but I thought they only had the one confirmed game. Another thing, xbox comes with a game called revolt and ps2's network adapter will have a coupon for twisted metal black online.
Old 05-28-02, 11:11 AM
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Won't you have to by the hard-drive for PS2 also, if you want access to a lot of the online games (or at least their full capabilities)? If so that adds another cunk o'change to Sony's bill.


It seems like the one-price for all the MS games is preferable to paying out $5 here and $10 there for whichever games you wanna play online with the other systems. If Sony and Nintendo leave online pricing up to the individual game publishers, you could end up shoveling out a lot of cash depending on the pricing structure.
Old 05-28-02, 11:28 AM
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And the xbox live package comes with an online game also.
Old 05-28-02, 12:17 PM
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What I REALLY have to pay to get my console online:

Xbox
System: Already own--$0
Modem: Included--$0
ISP Access: Already get DSL--$0
Game: Already own Halo--$0
Subscription: $50 per year, includes headset
Total: $50 for one year of online gaming, with free game

Sounds damn good to me!
Old 05-28-02, 12:55 PM
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Isn't it $50 for XBox Live for the first year only? I thought I read that after that it's going to be 9.95 a month (~$120 a year). Not bad, but not great. I guess it depends on how interested you are in online gaming.
Old 05-28-02, 01:13 PM
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Interesting point however, money is irrelevant to me. I have no broadband options where I live.

I like the way assumptions are made that everyone has broaband high speed access just waiting to be hooked up.
Old 05-28-02, 06:49 PM
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I'm already paying for net access and already have a LAN set up so all I have to buy is a couple bucks worth of wiring and the modem for my PS2. The games you have to buy whether you are going to play them online or not. I guess the article might be true for people without access already, but it really is assuming a lot and blowing things out of proportion.

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not gonna pay $40+ for broadband then only use it for console gaming... and buying games is something you have to do anyway and the $50 they quote for the game price is more like anywhere from $10 to $55 depending on your patience.

~Scheherazade
Old 05-28-02, 06:58 PM
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I thought i remembered hearing that everquest was going to be free to play, and that a hard drive would not be necessary. If this is true im not sure how square will do, considering the monthly free, plus additional fees for additional characters. Im also hoping that broadband is not requried for everquest, I've heard that it is required for SOCOM.
Old 05-28-02, 07:48 PM
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Originally posted by mustaine
I thought i remembered hearing that everquest was going to be free to play, and that a hard drive would not be necessary.
It's not free to play. That was an editorial mistake made by Gamespy. They fixed it.

Everquest will have a monthly charge to play online.
Old 05-28-02, 11:34 PM
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Well I think I have to buy an ethernet router to share my broadband connection right? Might as well get a 4-way to link up all 3 systems. Oh the mess of wires.
Old 05-29-02, 12:32 AM
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it will cost me nothing since I have no interest in online play. I expect that the vast majority also do not care.

I do think that a small group will be very interested in these online offerings however.

Of course the only way I would even think about trying online gaming is for free. so if a game I really want comes out and gives me the adapter for free maybe I might try it.
Old 05-29-02, 01:53 AM
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Frankly I don't really care about it, but the fact that I have a router with an open connection makes me figure what the heck. If I had to get a service or a router or anything else I think I'd skip it. I defenitely won't be playing anything that requires additional charges though... especially EQ, blech!

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