[Update] This news is now confirmed and Microsoft has removed the Xbox LIVE Gold requirement for many apps.
It’s one of those instances of corporate gouging that’s always raised hackles: if you’re already paying a monthly fee for a video streaming service like Netflix or Hulu, why should you have to pay another fee — in the form of an Xbox Live Gold membership — to view that content on your Xbox?
While that’s been the state of the Xbox world for quite some time, that might be about to change, according to a report discussed on many sites, including Crave gaming site Destructoid.
According to a story first published at Ars Technica, the change has been among a host of topics discussed ahead of Microsoft’s keynote address at next month’s E3.
While the decision to allow streaming video apps to work on Xbox One and Xbox 360 without the Gold requirement is still under consideration, it’s not all good news for Xbox owners. The report also states other Xbox features could soon find themselves behind the Gold paywall, including all those cool Xbox Originals series currently heading toward production.
We’ll have to see if Microsoft goes through with the plan when they make their big E3 presentation on June 9.
