Microsoft today announced that for the remainder of the Xbox 360 life cycle access to the Xbox Live Network will come at no cost beginning this July 1st, A gold membership will still be required to access extra features like Facebook, YouTube and Crackle however gameplay will be free for all users bringing the networks offerings on par with the PSN price wise however with the cost now removed this puts the Xbox live network miles ahead of the competition.

Does this mean we will see the next Xbox sometime in 2013? Surely their decision to remove the fee for online gaming means the next gen is a lot closer then we think, you’d surely have to be some kind of April Fools to believe we won’t.