Xbox Live Premium Gold Pack - License

Adds a huge dimension to many Xbox 360 games

Strengths: Reasonable price given quality of service and support for online players

Weakness: Simply that it isn't a lifetime membership

There are a growing number of games that are really defined by the quality of their online, multiplayer component: Call of Duty 2 and 3, Gears of War, and an increasing number of sports simulations. Xbox Live makes finding players for popular Xbox 360 games a snap. Setup is surprisingly painless (compared to, say, configuring your first wireless network on a PC) and in several months of online...
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There are a growing number of games that are really defined by the quality of their online, multiplayer component: Call of Duty 2 and 3, Gears of War, and an increasing number of sports simulations. Xbox Live makes finding players for popular Xbox 360 games a snap. Setup is surprisingly painless (compared to, say, configuring your first wireless network on a PC) and in several months of online play, we've only had one day where Xbox Live was "down". From time to time, I have seen this 12-month pack go on sale, at which time it becomes a terrific value. The fact that it comes with a free headset is just gravy.

By ktgivers - Apr 1, 2007

Xbox 360 Live Gold 12-Month Starter Kit

Strengths: Only $50 for 12 months of Live plus extras

Weakness: None

The Xbox 360 Live Gold 12-Month Starter Kit is a great way to introduce yourself to Microsoft's excellent Xbox 360 Live service. The service allows members to download game demos, music, movies, TV shows, gamer picks and themes and much more. Each month works out to be about $4 per month which is a great price for this service. Anyone with a Xbox 360 needs to be a Gold member of Xbox Live.

By thebob101 - Sep 21, 2007

Its What You Need to Play Online on XBOX 360

Strengths: Its allows you to play Online for one year on your XBOX 360, sometimes on Live Marketplace there is exclusive content or timed exclusive for gold members.

Weakness: It costs to play online.

XBOX 360 Live Gold 12-Month Starter Kit is an online service subscription that allows you to play XBOX 360 games online. XBOX Live is the best online service out at the moment from the current 3 next-gen consoles. This is mostly due to Microsofts software experience and that they had all the years on the original XBOX to improve on it. The services only major flaw is that it costs money, while...
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XBOX 360 Live Gold 12-Month Starter Kit is an online service subscription that allows you to play XBOX 360 games online. XBOX Live is the best online service out at the moment from the current 3 next-gen consoles. This is mostly due to Microsofts software experience and that they had all the years on the original XBOX to improve on it. The services only major flaw is that it costs money, while the other consoles offer theirs for free. But if you want a service that's top notch you get what you pay for. I give XBOX Live 4 stars, could be better if it was free.

By JDreborn - Mar 25, 2007

Xbox Live 12-Month Premium Gold Pack

Strengths: Good value if discounted

Weakness: $20 off coupon is expired, 12-month card and arcade game expire at the end of June, 2007

Microsoft has put out several Xbox Live bundle kits over the years and this is the first one that was available for the Xbox 360. It contains the following: 12 month Gold subscription card, 200 Microsoft Points, a code to download the Xbox Live Arcade game Bankshot Billiards 2, an Xbox 360 headset, and a $20 off any 360 game coupon. Unfortunately the $20 off coupons expired quite a while ago. As...
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Microsoft has put out several Xbox Live bundle kits over the years and this is the first one that was available for the Xbox 360. It contains the following: 12 month Gold subscription card, 200 Microsoft Points, a code to download the Xbox Live Arcade game Bankshot Billiards 2, an Xbox 360 headset, and a $20 off any 360 game coupon. Unfortunately the $20 off coupons expired quite a while ago. As a result, this bundle is often discounted at most stores.

A good price for it is anything under $60. The values of all of the items are as follows: 12-month Xbox Live subscription card ($50), 200 MS Points ($2.50), Bankshot Billiards 2 game ($12), and the 360 headset (?). The value of the headset is relative as you probably already have one from the premium 360 system bundle. But even if you discard that item the total value is over $60. The only catch is that the 12 month subscription card and Bankshots Billiards code (the 2 most valuable items in the package) expire at the end of June this year (2007). This package will be useless after that point. The good news is you can use the 12-month card to extend an already active Gold account. So if you find one of these on clearance in the months before the card expires it is still worth a purchase.

By mj_f - Feb 17, 2007