Xbox Live Diamond card to have annual fee

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jan 8th 2008 at 5:00PM }

If you can't live without your Peninsula Beauty Supply or illy Caffe discounts, prepare to pay the piper because the Xbox Live Diamond card is moving from free to a $6.95 annual fee. The charge occurs as the ownership and administration of the Diamond Card program moves over fully to Passport Unlimited (which makes it sound like Microsoft is walking away from the table).

Beginning March 1, 2008, the ~~hit or~~ miss discounts offered by the program will require you to input a credit card; those who are already members will stay on free until their memberships expire this year (renewals will naturally require the fee). To those who actually have these cards, do you ever use them?

[Via GamerTagRadio]

Tags: xbl, xbox-live, xbox-live-diamond-card, xboxlivediamondcard

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Chris @ Jan 8th 2008 5:03PM

Wow how dumb.

You would have to be equally as dumb to pay for this thing. I have never used mine.

Speddy @ Jan 8th 2008 8:11PM

I forgot I even had one! What's it good for, other than -$6.95?

rv @ Jan 8th 2008 8:58PM

Me neither-not once...

DWells55 @ Jan 8th 2008 9:53PM

Agreed. Although this was a mostly worthless service, I think it's completely ridiculous that Microsoft is taking away benefits of Xbox Live Gold, especially in light of the recent troubles. For me this is really the straw that broke the camel's back and as a result I've written an open letter to Microsoft on their forums for anyone who's interested - http://forums.xbox.com/17809534/ShowPost.aspx

Tom @ Jan 9th 2008 12:52AM

dwells55, you topic has been locked
i wanted to add more to it but failed
so i made my own topic but got locked right away
http://forums.xbox.com/17812337/ShowPost.aspx
if you read my last sentence about how they should allow criticism instead of silencing them, you would understand unsatisfying it is for me to took an effort to type on that forum just to have it locked the moment it post.

DWells55 @ Jan 9th 2008 11:02AM

Yeah, I submitted it to Digg in hopes of still spreading the word: http://digg.com/microsoft/An_open_letter_to_Microsoft_regarding_Xbox_Live_and_its_fees

For anyone who agrees with it or thinks it was a good read, I'd really appreciate it if you'd be willing to share it with friends/post it on forums/etc.

terrence @ Jan 8th 2008 5:03PM

no one. and i repeat, NO ONE, is going to pay for this.

ever.

Mark @ Jan 9th 2008 3:26PM

Xbox owners are idiots, they will flock to it.

In the same way they flocked to a console after being screwed over on the original Xbox are 3 years.

In the same way Americans continued to buy the Xbox360, despite it's horrendous track record on reliability

In the same way XBox owners stick up for all the crap Microsoft have done with the 360 like launch early, feature incomplete, and and forcing people to buy again for the real deal.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Jan 8th 2008 5:54PM

Yeah kinda like how Playstation owners are so stupid. They continually flock to a console where the console makers treat them like idiots, overpricing their console, and expecting them to buy anything that has their brand name on it.

terrence @ Jan 8th 2008 6:01PM

wow Mark you created an account just to post that?

bravo sir, bravo.

ViagraFiend @ Jan 8th 2008 6:05PM

@ Vegeta

Normally, I respect your opinions on things. I know you hate Sony but you normally mouth them in a way that makes sense and not with the blind fanboyism you just portrayed there.

I know you were set off by the anti-Xbox comment above you, but please, do not sink to their level.

Come on man, youre better than that.

Sora267 @ Jan 8th 2008 6:15PM

@Viagra

I think Vegeta was just trying show Mark how stupid he sounds...

NATO_Duke @ Jan 8th 2008 6:16PM

Mark, welcome to the internet.

You've done a great job at looking like an asshat and will be remembered for seconds to come.

rockstar @ Jan 9th 2008 12:45AM

@Vegeta:
"I have it. But I only got it cause it looked cool."

Wow, you said PS owners are stupid, but seriously dood.. what would you call someone who buy a service that right now is plagued with issues, because it looks cool?

That's amazing.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Jan 9th 2008 11:58AM

@rockstar

That's not even what I was talking about. I was talking about getting the card cause it looked cool. I got the online service because I knew it was the best and i bought the 360 knowing that there was a chance that it might fail. Though I didn't care because I felt that the 360 had the better lineup of games that I actually wanted. I'm proud of my decision and I don't regret my purchase.

Envoy X @ Jan 8th 2008 5:04PM

Have it. Never used it. I wonder who would actually pay for this.

MN Guy @ Jan 8th 2008 7:09PM

Perhaps it is MS's little special way of "cancelling" the program...

Grant @ Jan 8th 2008 7:45PM

watch out MN Guy,
i said that below and people didn't get it and copied the article in response.
We have some slow moving minds lurking in this corner of the internet.

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/08/xbox-live-diamond-card-to-have-annual-fee/#c9719761

Nessman @ Jan 8th 2008 5:07PM

I used i once.. the deals are so garbage, they're not at any good retailers and the coupons usually are buy one get one free or something lame like that that nobody wants to even use.

Rubix42 @ Jan 8th 2008 5:07PM

I love my Diamond Card, cause it has my GT on it, and is great nerd cred.

I would never pay for such a thing, all the discounts are just terrible.

Although if I was still 14, I'd totally get some Etnies wear I guess. . .

rTwelve @ Jan 8th 2008 5:20PM

I have a card too, much for the same reasoning as you, but then I changed my gamertag.

Whoops. It expired, anyway.

rTwelve @ Jan 8th 2008 5:20PM

I have a card too, much for the same reasoning as you, but then I changed my gamertag.

Whoops. It expired, anyway.

NATO_Duke @ Jan 8th 2008 6:18PM

Do we call gamer tags "GT" now? What a space saver!

sp @ Jan 8th 2008 7:38PM

of all the internet acronyms THAT'S the one you have a problem with?

AoE @ Jan 8th 2008 8:45PM

I've never used my card either, but it was really nice to get something from Microsoft all official and printed up that said "Koch Hammer" on it. Really made my day when it arrived. :)

Jhongerkong @ Jan 8th 2008 10:13PM

u hav a prob wit acronyms? tat makz me lol 2 much

Lord Kaio @ Jan 10th 2008 8:03AM

I used mine for a couple of deals, like rent 1 get 1 free -games/movies - at hollywood video, and the buy 1 get 1 free at Quizno's, but I think both of those promotions have been discontinued.

Overall though, my favorite thing about it was that my gamertag was on a cool looking card. I just had to flash it to get into any of the hottest nerd clubs around...oh wait...those don't exist...well...nevermind then...sigh...

Hannibal @ Jan 8th 2008 5:08PM

I have it. The card is nice. Never used it because you need an online coupon for just about everything.

LaughingTarget @ Jan 8th 2008 5:08PM

Didn't even know it existed, don't like doing anything on borrowed money.

Grant @ Jan 8th 2008 5:24PM

it was free.

LaughingTarget @ Jan 8th 2008 5:27PM

Doesn't change the fact that a credit card is used to borrow money.

Rubix42 @ Jan 8th 2008 5:31PM

Umm, it's not a credit card, it's a sraight up discount card for crappy discounts.

About next to useless, except you get a card with your Gamertag on it instead of your name.

LaughingTarget @ Jan 8th 2008 5:36PM

OOOH! By calling it a Diamond Card, I just sorta thought "another credit card".

Even stupider.

AirIntake @ Jan 8th 2008 5:10PM

I've never heard of these! What are they and where do you get them? (not that I want to buy one, just curious)

Nate @ Jan 8th 2008 5:12PM

Ditto. Never heard of it. Is it just a discount program?

Warlord @ Jan 8th 2008 5:18PM

I'm curious to know as well. I used to work at a McDonalds, and I'd like to know what that stingy place "discounted" upon presenting that card...

NATO_Duke @ Jan 8th 2008 6:23PM

You would go to http://www.xboxlivediamond.com/ and just sign-up for it. They closed registration though.

I've had one for a few years now, and never used it. The one time I went to use it I saw it was expired and had to request a new one from them. Then forgot why I was going to use it by the time it got here.

BTW - LaughingTarget, I like how you attacked the card without having a clue what it was. Classic.

License to ill @ Jan 8th 2008 5:13PM

Do you still have to put a credit card in if you buy one of those 12+1 month gold cards they sale at target or walmart?

Greyseal @ Jan 8th 2008 5:14PM

This is a shame, actually... I've used mine a bit for pizza (it's not a bad deal, actually). And there's a damn good Omaha Steak deal (oddly).

But making it cost money isn't likely to drum up any new members. May as well just scuttle it.

shoeshine @ Jan 8th 2008 5:14PM

I still haven't even gotten the damn card. I ordered one 8 months ago.

MisterSquared @ Jan 8th 2008 5:51PM

Yeah I ordered mine like a month after the program started (like 2 years ago) and I still have yet to receive it.

NATO_Duke @ Jan 8th 2008 6:26PM

You could have emailed them at support@xboxlivediamond.com and they respond to questions fast.

I have used it a few times to get new cards..

SID SPACE @ Jan 8th 2008 7:40PM

I was in the same boat.

I ordered mine over a year ago and it showed up last week. Kind of funny that it'll be useless in 2 months. (No way in hell I'll pay for it.)

Sesur @ Jan 8th 2008 8:13PM

yeah it took like 4 months to get mine, and I think it only happened because I started calling MS.

J.Goodwin @ Jan 8th 2008 5:14PM

Yeah, it's a discount program that was tied to Microsoft passport accounts, and then they extended it to Live accounts.

I have a card, I'll probably hold onto it for the above mentioned reason. My employer has a similar discount program (get Microsoft Office 2007 for 20 bucks, things like that).

Warlord @ Jan 8th 2008 5:19PM

Funny, a guy at work here offered Office 2007 for the price of a blank DVD...

Grant @ Jan 8th 2008 7:18PM

"Funny, a guy at work here offered Office 2007 for the price of a blank DVD..."

The only problem with that is when you get your DVD back theres a whole bunch of worthless shit on it.

J.Goodwin @ Jan 8th 2008 7:31PM

Yeah, but he's not giving you a shiny holographic license sticker with it.

That sticker is really shiny and neat.

Darayz @ Jan 8th 2008 5:14PM

I've used it a few times to take advantage of 10% at Target when I was buying a load of games with free shipping. But other than that, the other deals aren't worth it. But theres no way I'll be paying for the right to use this card.
So I pay for xbox live and they expect me to pay for xbox diamond? I love xbox live. I'll say goodbye to the diamond card.