Microsoft's $1 Billion Bet on Xbox Network. Microsoft is betting that an Internet-based gaming service will save its Xbox video-game system which lags far behind industry leaders. By John Markoff. [New York Times: Technology]

Here is the problem with MS's theory: People can game for free* on their PCs. Why would I buy a $200 box that is going to cost me another $50.00 for the game and then ANOTHER $9.99 a month for me to be able to play it online?

I just went and installed Tribes 2 on my new machine here, as well as Unreal Tournament. I can play those for free online, all I want, as well as Freedom Force [Flash into, you can skip it], any of the Quake series, etc etc. The only games that people have been willing to subscribe for are the MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games) games, which have a persistent universe and serve to continually hand out challenges to the players as time goes on.

I don't think people are going to rush to a system that has a history of OK games, in order to pay a monthly fee to play more OK but not great games.

8:29:53 AM