Xbox Live Gold Entertainment Apps Unlocked for all Xbox Live users for this weekend (4/19 - 4/23)

so what happens after the weekend?
thumbs down Microsoft!

No point in using XBOX Live when a perfectly good HTPC will do everything and not have extra membership costs for a fool's gold membership price attached to it. PS3 doesn't charge for these services.

Even if it is only $1 per month I want ms to keep this gold thing going because it does filter out the worst whiners and overly cheap ppl and make the multiplayer experience better.
Of course if you don't do multiplayer (ok and maybe netflix for some) there is really no point of staying in gold.

hah! I pay for gold and I only play a few online games like Full House Poker online. I try to limit myself to Tournament nights.

It's just nice to have for pennies a day for when I need it. I don't eat out, smoke or drink so this is one of my luxuries. I just played the Joe Danger arcade game that was on sale last week. What a blast for all ages! Now time for poker.

Quote from johnjuan02 : No point in using XBOX Live when a perfectly good HTPC will do everything and not have extra membership costs for a fool's gold membership price attached to it. PS3 doesn't charge for these services.

A lot of tvs and blu ray players will also do the same, but they won't play new games until you build an uber htpc

does this mean that I can play online with friends if i don't have the gold membership?

SNES 4 life!

Will I be able to play xbox live as in online gaming without gold? Thanks.

Quote from Viral_Dog : Terrible deal. I couldn't imagine paying to access paid services everyone else can access for free. /hugs PS3, PC

i cant tell you how much it pains me that i pay around $2 a month for xbox live gold. (for you communication and business majors, thats like 7 cents a day) i guess some people just need things to complain about.

maybe you are right, i could just drop $200 on a PS3 and make my money back in a cool 8 years!

Quote from mirai : Even if it is only $1 per month I want ms to keep this gold thing going because it does filter out the worst whiners and overly cheap ppl and make the multiplayer experience better.

Quote from Mxyzptlk3 : does this mean that I can play online with friends if i don't have the gold membership?

I think it's only the GOLD Applications that are available which doesn't include multiplayer gaming.

"Unlocked applications include all Entertainment Apps. Online multiplayer, Video Kinect, and Deal of the Week will not be unlocked."

It's at the bottom of this page...
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/en...t-unlocked

Quote from blacksoxing : More "relevant" fodder: Is the streaming aspect of the ESPN app available unlocked too? Cable One acts like they can't get an agreement w/ESPN to allow streaming.....

The app is listed on the weekend offer. I believe you need an ESPN3 affiliated Internet provider still. I have Charter's Internet only service and I can stream ESPN3.

http://espn.go.com/watchespn/xbox
http://espn.go.com/espn3/xboxproviders

Quote from mirai : Even if it is only $1 per month I want ms to keep this gold thing going because it does filter out the worst whiners and overly cheap ppl and make the multiplayer experience better. Of course if you don't do multiplayer (ok and maybe netflix for some) there is really no point of staying in gold.

I totally agree, and this is one of the reason why I like Xbox Live. I don't meet too many random people on Xbox Live that don't maintain or keep their account. Put simply, if you pay you are likely to be far more invested into the service.

To contrast that, the PS3 I have many friends and a large portion of them hasn't logged in for ages. Know why? Cause they created a new account and no longer use the old one and didn't tell me! I'm stuck with my real life friends (they are for the most part the only one that cares to notify me), but I enjoy playing with a lot of others.

I also believe (with no scientific evidence, mind you) that more cheating and unsportsmanlike behavior occur on PSN simply because, hey if you get caught or outed, just create a new account!

Of course, the Xbox Live Gold fee unfortunately keep people that don't play, but might have turned regular online gamers from getting the opportunity....

Quote from hightop32 : i cant tell you how much it pains me that i pay around $2 a month for xbox live gold. (for you communication and business majors, thats like 7 cents a day) i guess some people just need things to complain about. maybe you are right, i could just drop $200 on a PS3 and make my money back in a cool 8 years!

Your logic suggests your Xbox 360 was free...