Chandler
New member
Recently, users of the Xbox Forums (via Kotaku) found they could play Shadowrun online on Xbox Live with a Silver membership. As word got around, other users found the same to be true for other cross platform titles such as Universe at War: Earth Assault and Lost Planet. Wondering what was up, we decided to contact Microsoft for their official statement.<o></o>
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To our surprise, it seems everything is as it should be. A representative from Microsoft wrote: "For a limited time, Microsoft is offering free online multiplayer on Xbox 360/Games for Windows titles that offer Live cross-platform play. This promotion won't last, so we can encourage everyone to take advantage of it while they can." They also added that this promotion is an extension of their initiative of no longer requiring PC users to have a Windows Live Gold membership to play multiplayer games.<o></o>
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We also asked Microsoft if this is any indication of Xbox Live pricing possibly being reduced. They assured us that the service will not be going free, citing many of the features of Xbox Live (such as Netflix on the 360) and calling Xbox Live Gold "the best bargain in the industry." Such a bold statement is expected of the company providing the service, but in reality, the consumers are the ones who decide such matters. So, cross-platform online play is free for now, but is there enough to keep you coming back once the promotion is up?