Microsoft Reportedly Dropping Gold Live Subscription Requirement To Stream Netflix And Hulu
Citing "multiple sources within Microsoft [who] have been briefed" on the matter, ArsTechnica says an upcoming change to the Xbox Live Gold paywall will no longer require a Gold level subscription to tap into Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services.
Such a change would make the Xbox 360 and Xbox One more competitive with dedicated streaming devices like Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, and so forth, but it would come at the expense of some paid subscriptions. It's not known how many Live Gold subscribers pay for a subscription solely to access streaming media through their game console, but they're out there.
To make up for the hit, ArsTechnica says other services might be moved behind the paywall. It's not clear if that includes existing services or brand new ones that have yet to be rolled out.