At last week's Game Developer Conference 2015, Microsoft announced that it will bring Xbox Live services to Windows 10 devices including PCs. What the company did not make clear was, if Xbox Live's multiplayer service would be free to use or not. Currently Xbox One and Xbox 360 owners have to pay Rs. 2,240 a year or Rs. 350 a month to play online.
However the company will not charge users on Windows 10 PCs or phones to play online. This was confirmed on Twitter by Microsoft's Larry Hryb, known as Major Nelson to the Xbox community. "Not charging," says Hryb, "Xbox Live Gold will not be required for online multiplayer gaming using our service on Windows 10 PCs and Phones."
This comes as a sign of relief for PC gamers. Around a decade ago Microsoft tried charging them play online if they used the company's Games for Windows Live service. A lot has changed since then with competition from Origin, Steam, Good Old Games, and Uplay to name a few. All of them don't charge users to play online. It will be interesting to see how Microsoft tailors its approach in its latest attempt to target an audience that has options aplenty and has been burnt in the past with a service that was buggy, riddled with authentication issues and sported a subscription to play online.
In the meanwhile, the Xbox One is now available in India at its lowest price since launch. Rs. 29,990 nets you an Xbox One with a download code for FIFA 15 on Amazon India, the exclusive retailer of the console.
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