Summary: As we get closer to the launch of the Xbox One this fall, Microsoft announced that access to its new console’s coolest new features – the system’s DVR and TV guide, NFL on Xbox and Skype video calls – will require a paid subscription to Xbox Live Gold, which retails for $60 per year. While some are outraged at this requirement, this mentality is nothing new for Microsoft, which has always required a paid Xbox Live subscription to access things like online multiplayer or the best sales on digital games. But Microsoft is making it far cheaper for families to access Xbox Live with ‘Home Gold,’ which only requires one yearly $60 subscription to extend the service’s best features to everyone in your home. On the Xbox 360, Microsoft’s current console, every person who wants to watch Netflix or play online must pay a yearly fee. While Microsoft may be continuing to hide its best features behind Xbox Live Gold, at least it’s making it easier and cheaper for us all to enjoy the benefits.
