Of course PCs offer the same online services and thousands more besides, just not tied up with a neat bow in a simplified format.

That said, is Amazon's $30 a deal? Sure. It's 40 points less than you had to pay 48 hours ago, and for online multiplayer aficionados, Xbox Live isn't optional.

But should online multiplayer cost so much as a dollar? I don't think so. And if Sony drops the price of the PS3 by $100 in April, , don't be surprised if Microsoft's rejoinder involves finally goose-egging Xbox Live...or at least migrating the "online multiplayer" component into its freebie Xbox Live Silver membership column.