GameSpot revamps subscription model

i want to cancel the account and i can't it just tells me that i am not signed in. Help

my Gamespot complete is payd up to the year 3000. after that it's free for life

doesn't sound like a good deal to me

I have been a Complete member for nearly three years now and have been on the site since it went by videogames.com. I have Complete for the lack of ads (which wouldn't be so bad if they were just about games, but since cnet took over, can be about anything from deodorant to movies to shoes) and the high speed downloads. Plus = ass. Download game guides, yeah. You mean the same ones that are on GameFAQs for free? Live coverage of E3? Like they have on IGN, Gamespy, and lots of other commercial sites for free? AND it costs the same as Complete did. Total = twice as much for the stuff Complete members get already. While a popup/ad blocker is an option for some people, I often browse the site from work where installing software that's not already on the machines is strictly not allowed. I expect there are others in the same predicament. My billing is up in June. I'm tempted to reactivate my IGNsider account and not renew.

Just an update, I created an IGN account and cancelled my Gamespot account. Double the subscription fee for less features than I had before is far too much for me. Good luck Gamespot.

I was an original Complete member (by a different name). It isn't worth it. You can get everything they offer for free elsewhere. I was also an IGN Insider and that was not worth it.

For the poor this doesnt help any, but gamespots free access is fine with me!

I've got no problem spending $40 bucks a year on something that's worth it (hell, I spend $150/month on domain names), but for me to pay that for bigger/HD videos of games, a pointless "I-can-get-in-but-most-people-can't!" forum, and no ads is ludicrous. These extra features aren't substantial enough to warrant 40 bucks. Complete used to be good for $20, but this "Total" thing is really best suited to someone with no life whatsoever so they have the time to use everything. This is an over-conceived money grab. There's no way a huge company like CNET/ZD has to gouge gamers to this degree.

You babies cryin' about $40 a YEAR, need to go back home to mommy or mow some more lawns for your allowance. How are you ever going to afford next gen gaming if you whine about a measely $40 per YEAR, thats about $3.33 per month...pittins for what GS offers.

I've been Complete for a few years now. $20 to $25 a year is not so bad, but $40?!?! Count me out. And the new Plus service doesn't really offer me anything worth paying for. Sorry, just my opinion.

$40/year?!! I guess I should've been checking my CC statements. I have NO, 0, ZILCH email records of any price increase notification since I signed up 4 years ago. This is bullsh*t. Time to cancel.

Thank God for this.....not so much.

i'm happy to just continue being a free-loader

so... yeah. i'll prolli be surrendering my $3 for when E3 rolls around. those who can't be there find the next best thing.

I don't think $40.00 is that big of a deal.

i knew gamespot complete was a gimmick ever since it started. For the subscribers, they took your money! hahaha for features and things you can find on other websites.

I'm glad it FLOPPPPPED!!!!!1111

So... for $40/year I get total access to GS and subscription to 2 magazines?? LOL where do I sign up???

I'm going to bite the hand here, but this is a price increase. I balked at the last one (from 19.95 to 29.95). Now, they take away my colorful single green star on my profile page and claim to have done nothing to hinder my access... yet. Too bad they don't know the injurious effect that loss of color has on my psyche. *tear* PS: The 700k never worked for me, even on a T1... and the 300k limit has been in effect for a (short) while.

"The one immediate change for unregistered and registered users is that the highest video-streaming quality that is available to nonsubscribers is now 300k. Subscribers will get the highest-quality movie streams and downloads that GameSpot offers." its like slapping a fee to a soup kitchen

So, that's why I have an Army chevron next to my username.

Ah, hitting that print magazine price model, eh? Well, I've been hemming and hawing for a good long time now over subscribing, because if you don't live in the U.S.A. the bonuses are naught. Guess this puts the nail in the coffin. And what ads I do see are great for design inspiration, or knowing what not to do. Keep up the great content, news, and DVD compilations! Goodness knows I don't need to hear about things the day they happen.

I have been a complete member since 5/8/02 and I have to say that the latest price increase is ridiculous. I have always thought of Gamespot as my preferred site for news, previews, and reviews, but now that it will cost 40 dollars when I used to pay 20, I will most likely not be renewing my subscription. Especially since, in my eyes at least, the site has seemed to be slipping in getting timely reviews up. I honestly think of this as swift kick in the nuts for the loyal members. I would have gladly paid $30 a year, but doubling the price for not doubling the content is unacceptable. I might have to say so long GameSpot.

EihBeir: "$40 a year now, eh? Nah. Adblock will take care of most of the stuff I don't wanna see."-----------Exactly. I've already blocked the ads on all of the Web sites I visit regularly.

what a rip-off o_O

Hm, I might have to sign up later.

Me, myself I like what GS has done. Wasn't really concern about any upgrades, but glad they did something for the members that give up $40.00. Which helps keep the site going and gives the non contributing members (freeloaders Ha Ha) a place to hang out, and talk there BS on the union boards ! Like, no one else will except them (otherwise why are they here), except GS and the contributing members

I was more than happy to pay $19.99 a year for a Gamespot subscription. Gamespot has always been one the best sites on the net so I had no problem paying what is a typical magazine subscription for not having to deal with ads. But this new subscription model that requires $39.99 for no ads is the end of the road for me. You

Am I imagining it or didn't we already get 700k streaming video's as complete members? At first I got all excited as I've seen the quality of IGN's streaming vid's for their subscribers and thought we might be getting the same - they certainly made it sound as though they'd made some improvements to the streaming quality in their glowing e-mail. It looks to me like GS are trying to dress up 'Total Access' as something new with extra features but it looks like the same old 'Complete' to me. When I first saw the e-mail I thought 'Maybe I won't cancel when my sub runs out in July after all' but now I'm almost more set on getting rid of it. Shame.

Personally I don't see what all the whining is about. These websites need to continually draw in revenue, or they begin dropping features. Forty dollars is far less than you would pay to pick up a single game, and you only do that once a year. Not as bad as everyone is making it seem...

this is really nice

$40 a year now, eh? Nah. Adblock will take care of most of the stuff I don't wanna see.

Bad news. The feature I'd be most willing to pay for is ad-free browsing, and now you've gone and made it 10 bucks more expensive. 40 dollars is just too much for a website subscription.

You can always go to the E3 website and get all the updates you want. Also, you can alway find the info somewhere else for free. This is what the web is for.

*shrug* Wow. No E3 access? You mean I won't be able to get up-to-the-minute updates on things that websites and magazines will be bludgeoning me to death with starting from an hour after E3 and going to August? However shall I survive?

$40 a year!! WTF!?! That is ridiculous.

Umm, you guys do realize that they doubled the fee every year? The Total Access was what us paying customers were already getting in the past, for $20 a year.

Its 40.00 dollars a year for gamespot complete not 40 per month!!

Aside from faster downloads, I really don't see the need to upgrade from basic lurking. Personally, I like the ads. If it were not for the ads, then I'd probably be in the dark about a lot of products or services. I don't participate in any tournaments or contests (not that I'd win anyway), not interested in mags, don't use guides, and I never needed live coverage, because it will be posted somewhere soon enough. I thought about going complete for E3, but it looks as if they're prepping (read: netting) for more traffic because of elusive PS3 announcements. Sorry, I just call 'em as I see 'em.

I think this new pricing structure is pushing it. $40 for full web site access to get info about games.... pfffft

A magazine subscription is $20 a YEAR, not a month... And it's probably got more content per dollar than what you get out of a paid membership here over a free one. Enterprise-E said: This to me is an heck of a deal. better than paying 20$ a month to game Mags.

Love you Gamespot! =)

So people that were already subscribed as Complete members can get those mags? Where do I sign up?

Actually, I don't think the free access of E3 was ever live guys. I think we'll still be able to stream videos of what they do, only it'll be after they've been put up for download/stream, and not immediately as it happens live.In the past they always boasted about signing up to Complete and seeing everything "live". So I don't think we're losing anything here guys.

I WANT ICE TOO!! I don't know where you people getting your info about 40$ an month and stuff. I was an Gamespot Complete Memember and I am paying only 5$ for it. Now with this new Gamespot Total Access i pay 5$ for it. This to me is an heck of a deal. better than paying 20$ a month to game Mags. Gamespot you are doing an great job with this and look forward to many more years with ya.

Good thing I got in before it the price went up.

I've been a loyal user of GameSpot for a while, and my first real sign of discontent came a few months ago when I saw that Complete membership had been boosted to $40 - I couldn't understand why, as no new features had been announced, and I was going to ask when it came time to renew. Now I see, sorta. Except that the 'Total Access' features seem to be the same as Complete, and Plus has less features. Gamespot mentions that various features, like new discounts and stuff, are to 'be announced'...if they justify the price tag, I'll do it...but if not, I might have to shift to a good quality free site, like Eurogamer.

Sigh.. all they did was take what was already free (E3 coverage, other events) and took a few functions from gamespot complete and slapped a cheaper price tag on it. The only people who lose here are the basic suscribers.

This is still largely pointless...