Details of the restrictions Xbox One users will face if they do or do not have an Xbox LIVE paid subscription have emerged online thanks to a chart found on Xbox.com that details the features requiring an Xbox LIVE Gold subscription.
With the Xbox One landing in the last months of this year, many of its features have been promoted but the finer points of these are still a little bit vague. In this case the big question is whether we would need an active Xbox LIVE Gold subscription to use some of the advertised features.
Well the answer is yes, and just like the Xbox 360 only paying Gold members will be able to take advantage of many of the non-gaming related features on the new Xbox One console from Microsoft.
The image shows that a Gold subscription is still required for multiplayer gaming, Internet Explorer and “premium entertainment apps” (BBC iPlayer, 4OD, YouTube etc) on Xbox One which is pretty much the same service you get on the Xbox 360. However, with the Xbox One you will also get Xbox One’s NFL streaming service, game DVR which allows gamers to record video while playing, Skype and OneGuide (a TV guide-like service) features too, well; if you are in the US that is.
The extra features should really be seen as a bonus as Xbox LIVE Gold membership has always been seen as a pass to play online and over the years Microsoft has added extra features on top to sweeten the deal for its customers. Game DVR, Skype and full web browsing are further additions to a service which Xbox gamers are already familiar with paying for.
Many gamers will use the Playstation vs. Xbox subscription services to compare the two consoles but unfortunately for PlayStation Network users it’s looking like you too will also have to pay for PlayStation Plus on the new PS4 to get access to most online multiplayer games on Sony’s new console.
So either way you look at it, if you want the new next-gen consoles then you are going to have to pay a subscription to get the most out of them.
There is currently no news on what regional Xbox and PlayStation Network services will look like, with features such as Xbox One NFL likely to not land outside the US. We’re hoping for alternatives, with perhaps a Premier League football streaming service for us Brits!