Xbox One - $329 Microsoft Store - Hidden Charges of Ownership. Xbox Live Gold.

Tech and cars on 27/06/2016 - 10:23

Hi All,

I saw that the Microsoft store is selling the Xbox 1 for $329.00. This is a pretty great deal.

After a bit more investigation, I've come to realise that I will also need xbox live to play online(this is very expensive). This is not mandatory for me and I am really buying the console to play one game in particular; forza motorsport 6.

Besides playing online - which I'm happy to pass on, do I get restricted in any other way for not having an Xbox Live Gold Membership?

One more question unrelated.

I know the controllers are bluetooth. I have a nice Bose Bluetooth speaker that I prefer to use instead of the TV sound. Would this be compatible (google does not give a definitive answer, and refers me to bluetooth to 3.5mm adapters which is silly) ?

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Comments

  • lupiter on 27/06/2016 - 10:51

    If you connect your XBONE to your TV via HDMI, and then the TV to the BT speakers, then you won't need to change anything. Unless you are planning to use your XBONE with a different screen? There doesn't appear to be a way to connect BT headphones, so I'm guessing you can't connect BT speakers directly to the console.

    Microsoft has requires a subscription membership for online services for all their consoles. You'll also get a free game for each month you're subscribed (typically you lose access to these if you unsubscribe?) and some discounts in their online store.

    • Tech and cars on 27/06/2016 - 11:23

      My TV does not have BT. Thank you for the suggestion.

      Good to know about the free game :)

      • manbearpig on 28/06/2016 - 13:19
        +2

        Not just 1 game, but 4 games a month. Worth it just for this.

      • ozhunter68 on 29/06/2016 - 11:15

        Does your Bose speaker have Auxiliary in? If so, connect the audio out from T.V. to your Bose speaker and that might work bypassing the need for bluetooth.

  • Adz81 on 27/06/2016 - 10:55

    If I remember correctly, you can still play online with the Silver membership level? (IE:- the free one).

    • silverrat23 on 27/06/2016 - 11:06
      +3

      Nope. For online multiplayer, an Xbox Live Gold subscription is needed.

      • Tech and cars on 27/06/2016 - 11:24

        Do you know if you can play via LAN with silver membership (the free one)?

        • silverrat23 on 27/06/2016 - 11:26
          +1

          I personally can't say, since I've never had 2 Xbox 360 consoles in the same room, hooked up. I have heard that you can do so, but only for certain games.

          For the Xbox One, not sure. I believe there's a new trend of games dropping of cutting down on local multiplayer and focusing more on online multiplayer instead. Halo 5 does not have local multiplayer. At All.

        • BookerDeWitt on 27/06/2016 - 11:37
          +2

          FYI: No games on the Xbone have the ability to play multiplayer over a LAN. If you have two Xboxen in the same household, they both have to be online and have Gold accounts to be able to play against one another via XBL.

          If you want to play multiplayer games, I highly recommending building a gaming PC and playing online for free (or via LAN). Or failing that, just buy cheap XBL Gold trial codes on eBay or G2A for a few bucks whenever you want your multiplayer gaming fix. First party games (like Halo 5) usually come with a trial 2 day XBL code in them too.

        • Tech and cars on 28/06/2016 - 13:30
          +1

          @BookerDeWitt:

          Thank you. I have a good gaming PC. I would like the Xbox-One for some particular games that are exclusive to the console.

          Good to know that : "No games on the Xbone have the ability to play multiplayer over a LAN. If you have two Xboxen in the same household, they both have to be online and have Gold accounts to be able to play against one another via XBL."

          That's ridiculous in my opinion. This has made me realise that I am not going to spend my money on a PS4, Xbox 1…

          I'm glad I posted this before I went and purchased the console.

      • ialam99 on 08/11/2016 - 22:44

        Just curious, what exactly does a silver membership do if you cant play online?

    • BookerDeWitt on 27/06/2016 - 11:25
      +3

      Absolutely not. This is incorrect. Microsoft have been charging for peer-to-peer gaming since the day XBL launched via the "Gold" membership tax.

  • silverrat23 on 27/06/2016 - 11:16
    +2

    Besides playing online - which I'm happy to pass on, do I get restricted in any other way for not having an Xbox Live Gold Membership?

    I'm the same with you. Here are two notable things we'll miss out for not having a Gold subscription:

    • Deals with Gold (discounted games and DLC).
    • Games with Gold (free games every month).

    For Games with Gold, Microsoft releases a game for free each half-moth for both the Xbox One and Xbox 360 (so, 4 free games per month). If you obtain the Xbox 360 games, you'll be able to keep them after the subscription has ended - and yes, they are backwards compatible with the Xbox One. For Xbox One games, it's more of a rental service (think Netflix or Playstation Plus), meaning an active Gold subscription is required to play them.

    In spirit of the OzBargainer way, I normally buy a 1-month subscription code from Coles or Woolies and activate it during the month that has a game I'm interested in. For $10.95 max, the least you'll get is 3 Xbox 360 games to keep.

    • Tech and cars on 27/06/2016 - 11:25

      In spirit of the OzBargainer way, I normally buy a 1-month subscription code from Coles or Woolies and activate it during the month that has a game I'm interested in. For $10.95 max, the least you'll get is 3 Xbox 360 games to keep.

      • This is awesome to know! Thank you!!
      • SirFlibbled on 27/06/2016 - 11:58

        I find the XB1 freebie games better than the PS4 freebies (I own both and a member of both). Most of the time, the games are fun indies I would never have bought or older AAA titles I never bothered to buy or already own. For the $80-odd for 2 years it costs for gold (deals up on here at this price often lately), imo, it's well worth the money for the games with gold alone.

  • jhaley3180 on 27/06/2016 - 11:49
    +3

    As a long time Xbox user - I had silver for years as I didn't want to play two player online games. No issues with this if you don't have an interest in online gaming. About 18 months ago I found a special for Gold on Ozbargain and I must admit that they have won me over.
    When you can pickup an annual subscription on special for less than $50 and you get around 24 free games a year that sees great value to me. I know the games aren't new but I don't have a lot of time for gaming and generally only play one game at a time so it doesn't worry me that they aren't the latest release.
    My suggestion if you want gold subscription at a bargain price simple create an alert on ozbargain and get it while its cheap…

    • Carydadon on 28/06/2016 - 07:50

      Good tip. One question… Do the games still belong to you/still playable even when you aren't a gold subscriber? Your post suggests yes, but I thought there was some restrictions eg can you delete and d/l again? Can you also join>d/l> unsubscribe for x360 games that are played on xb1?

      Apologies, new to these gen of consoles where online is basically mandatory and the subscription pricing model for gaming.

      • ilikeradiohead on 28/06/2016 - 12:25
        +1

        360 games are yours forever, XONE expire when your membership does. You can delete them and download them later as a subscriber, not sure as a non subscriber (never let my membership lapse haha).

  • yacman on 27/06/2016 - 11:53
    +5

    Just to clarify for passers by, as the headline grabbed my attention, I really do not feel as though anything mentioned in this thread is a hidden charge of ownership.

    if we should or shouldn't pay additional fees to play online is debatable, but I wouldn't define this as a hidden charge.

    Also applying it to XBO is not overly fair when it is the same case with PSN.

    • [Deactivated] on 28/06/2016 - 09:23

      I do consider it a hidden fee. I have Rocket League on pc and play that on line. I was shocked when i found out you must have an active subscription to play Rocket League or any other game online on ps4 and xbone. It made me reconsider getting a ps4. Most people would expect to buy this particular game once since it's all about the multiplayer

      • tonyjzx on 29/06/2016 - 11:33
        +1

        If you consider it hidden then maybe you just havent been aware of the way consoles have worked this past generation.

        360 has had fees since year dot, that's 2005, over a decade ago.

        Sony brang it in recently, say 5yrs ago.

        Fees subsidies console and servers.

        Nothing in your pc is subsidised. I agree with you, it should be free but many things should be free.

        • [Deactivated] on 30/06/2016 - 10:54

          Correct, i haven't been aware of the way consoles have worked this past generation, and when i found out, i decided not to buy a ps4

  • jonathonsunshine on 27/06/2016 - 11:53

    Controllers aren't Bluetooth, they are some proprietary 2.4ghz wireless thing.

    Xbox doesn't have Bluetooth either.

    • Zylam Marex on 27/06/2016 - 12:32

      The new Xbox One S controllers have Bluetooth, it's more for people to be able to connect them to their PC.

      OP, you're buying the Original Xbox One, this one doesn't come with Bluetooth controllers.

      I've played Xbox 360 via lan without Xbox live, never tried the Xbox One, but gold shouldn't be an issue when it comes to mp via lan, you just need to make sure the game supports system link (which is Xbox words for lan mp). It'll tell you at the back of the box.

      • StickMan on 27/06/2016 - 22:30

        Halo Master Chief Collection doesn't support LAN play, only XBL.

  • RaiZdbyDINGOES on 28/06/2016 - 07:30
    +1

    the xbox one controllers aren't bluetooth. The xbox one s controllers are. They are introducing bluetooth to the X1 S controller as they want that play anywhere thing. Basically this will allow you to use the new controllers on pc without any type of first party receiver. OG xbox controllers will only work with a purchased first party receiver on PC. And again arent blutooth. Only way to get exterior sound besides your tv is through some type of amp or receiver with optical support

    • Japius on 28/06/2016 - 08:57

      Interesting, will the S console allow bluetooth headphones to work too?

      • wonderboy on 28/06/2016 - 11:33

        I don't think the console has bluetooth support. It has bluetooth on the new controllers for the PC side of Xbox so you don't have to get a wireless dongle just for a controller.

  • imurgod on 28/06/2016 - 10:05

    Gaming has all but completely moved to games as a service nowadays. Online is the main feature for most games. I have had live since it came out and I like it. It can be had cheap if you look around. I got 2 years gold membership for $100.

  • manbearpig on 28/06/2016 - 13:50

    I didn't realise that Xbox One games were only yours to keep while your subscription is active, since when you download games it says that they're 'purchased' just like games you actually purchase.

    Here's a hypothetical question - If your gold subscription ends and you don't re-subscribe, and then you decide to buy a game that was previously a 'games with gold' game because you want to play it as a silver member, would you be able to? Or would it not let you since you already 'own' the games, even though you no longer have access to the game..?

  • Burnz316 on 28/06/2016 - 15:45

    Xbox Live Gold deals pop up on OzBargain every now and again, and are normally quite cheaper than buying it through the Xbox store;
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/product/xbox-live-gold

    Go here and scroll to the bottom of the page to view what 'Gold' is needed for and what is 'Free';
    http://www.xbox.com/en-AU/live/gold

    Besides the mentioned multi-player and free games, party chat also requires gold according to the Xbox website.

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