While gamers still curse Microsoft for its recent Xbox Live price hike, industry analyst and sourpuss Michael Pachter has used magic to determine that it’s going to get a lot more expensive than that. The soothsayer has had visions of a new tier to Xbox Live — a $100 Platinum service.
“The extra $10 translates to around $100 — 150 million per year in additional revenue for Microsoft,” says the bottersnike. “I think that they will reinvest at least this much in developing other new applications, and will roll out a premium service with $100-200 million worth of enhancements. If they can get 2 million users to switch from the $60 plan to the $100 plan, they’ll make an extra $80 million a year, and can keep investing to try to grow that business.
“… For all I know, the Platinum plan might include virtual goods credits for various Microsoft games. If members could get specialized Halo armor or weapons worth the extra $40, they might be more willing to sign up, and it doesn’t really cost Microsoft anything to offer things like that … I think that the possibilities are limitless, although it’s a bit early to speculate on what precisely they will offer.”
Microsoft has demonstrated often that no amount of money is too much to ask from gamers, so introducing a new paid tier to the Xbox Live structure really wouldn’t shock me. The question is, how many of us are only paying because Microsoft held online gaming hostage, and what would it take to wrangle another $40 a year out of us?
Xbox Live Likely to See $100 ‘Platinum’ Service Next, says Pachter [Industry Gamers]
