Xbox Live Content SHOULD NOT BE FREE!

Ok, so now I have your attention and probably need to explain the title of this post somewhat. First, let me start off by saying that a lower cost on most LIVE content IS needed. $10 is pricey for some of the stuff out there for Xbox LIVE, but at the same time I would rather pay some fee for content that is actually worth playing then get a stream of free content that isn't worth my time. My feeling about this stems primarily from the free content served up for Gears of War vs. the $10 content for Rainbow Six that just came out this week. While, the Rainbow Six content is a little pricey ($5 would be perfect) it does give you a whole lot more to do in the game: 5 new maps and 2 new gamemodes with one of the new maps being one of the best yet (Doscala Restaurant). So while, I'm a little pissed about the high price, I am happy with all the new features. It's a little much for $10, but definitely deserves to cost something. Compare this major expansion pack to Gears of War's 2 free maps and new game mode. The 2 free maps were nice, but only 1 was any good (Old Bones). Raven Down IS the WORST map and I would've been just as happy to never have it. The new game mode is also nice, but that merely brings Gears of War's multiplayer modes to a whooping?... what 2 modes: Annex and Team Deathmatch/Survival (w/ 3 variations). Gears of War owes us more modes and should give them to us for free, whereas Rainbow 6 already had 8 modes or so and just added 2 more on top of that. Let's really take a moment and compare the price and features of each game (please let me know if I forget a map or something)-

Gears of War- $60

Game Modes: 5 (I'll count Assassination, Warzone and Execution as different despite the vast similarities then throw in online co-op as an online mode and of course Annex)
Maps: 12 (Escalation, Gridlock, Old Bones, Raven Down, Fuel Depot, Tyro Station, Warzone, Rooftops, Canals, Clock Tower, Mausoleum, Mansion)
Players: up to 8

meanwhile

Rainbow 6: Vegas - $70

Game Modes: 10 (Co-op Story, Co-op terrorist hunt, Sharpshooter, Team Sharpshooter, Survival, Team Survival, Attack & Defend, Assassination, Territories, Retrieval)
Maps: 15 (Calypso Casino, Casino Vault, Dantes, Labs, Dam, Killhouse 1 & 2, BorderTown 1 & 2, Doscala Restaurant, Marshalling Yards, Roof, Streets, Library, LVU campus)
Players: up to 16

So after this brief analysis, Rainbow 6 DEFINITELY offers more modes, maps, and overall game than Gears for $10 more. It would be great if we could get these new modes and maps for free, but ultimately when you compare the 2 packages, they really seem about right. Don't get pissed at Content costing money...get pissed that Gears still owes us content and that the next round of maps is going to cost money (at first). How bout the fact that Gears has been out for 5 months and all we've gotten is 2 maps, a new mode, and a bunch of updates which have still yet to fix the Shotgun's immense power and the complete lack of strategy that this overused and overpowered weapon brings. Gears OUT Rainbow IN.