Since this console generation began, there's been one key difference between the online play for Microsoft and its rivals: The other guys let you play for free. Though Xbox Live is usually considered the best of the bunch (barring a bunch of squeaky-voiced teens who think racism is cool, for whatever reason), it has widely been considered an inevitability that Microsoft-- particularly if they want to woo that "casual" crowd-- will need to either drop the charges for online play, or face the consequences.

Well, it looks like they might be doing the former. Though this past weekend was a "Live Weekend" where Silver users could play online for free, at least one person has cited having been able to play since Wednesday night, two nights before the promotion began. Microsoft has already ended the distinction on PC, could the 360 be following?

Others on Microsoft's forums have cited several games working online for free, including Shadowrun, Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition and Universe at War: Earth Assault. Hopefully this will bode well for the near future; things are not yet concrete, again owing to the free weekend, but we'll let you know once there's any sort of clue as to a concrete answer.