Following Microsoft's recent (and long overdue) decision to make media streaming applications on the Xbox One and Xbox 360 accessible to all Xbox Live account holders -- not just those paying for an Xbox Live gold subscription -- the company has confirmed that it has no such plans for free-to-play games or subscription MMOs on the service.

The confirmation came by way of Xbox exec Phil Spencer, speaking with Joystiq:

"Right now we haven't changed the policy on MMOs and free-to-play games," Spencer said. While not getting into specifics, he noted that with some games there are "engineering constraints, policy constraints and partner constraints in each one of these scenarios," so the decision to keep games behind the Xbox Live paywall reportedly doesn't rest solely in Microsoft's hands.

Joystiq framed the topic in the context of the upcoming console version of The Elder Scrolls Online MMO, which will require a monthly subscription with publisher Bethesda, as well as an Xbox Live gold subscription, both on top of the initial full-price purchase of the game, in order for players to access the game. They also note that games such as World of Tanks and Warface, the on PC can be played free of charge both still require an Xbox Live Gold sub on Xbox platforms.