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Microsoft announces that six million gamers are using the online Xbox Live service

Microsoft announced a goal during E3 2006 to try and have six million people connect to the Microsoft Xbox Live service by June 2007.  While many considered it a bold move that would be unreachable, Microsoft today officially confirmed that it has reached its milestone four months faster than previously expected.  

Microsoft also found that more than 2.3 billion hours have been spent by users taking advantage of the service and that more than 2 million messages are sent on Xbox Live servers every day.  Halo 2 gamers have spent more than 710 million total hours playing Microsoft's top title game online.

The Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's virtual market that allows Xbox 360 owners to download content, now has over 70 percent of Xbox Live members downloading from the service -- more than 135 million downloads since the launch of the Xbox 360 in November 2005.  More than 70% of all connected Xbox game consoles have also downloaded game titles through Xbox Live Arcade, with more than 25 million reported downloads.

Microsoft declined to answer how many people are using the Silver account -- a free service -- compared to those who pay to become Gold members to Xbox Live.

Microsoft also announced that the Xbox Live Video Marketplace will feature high-definition episodes of Comedy Central's South Park.  "Good Times With Weapons" is the first episode to be offered and will be available for two weeks.  Starting next week, Xbox 360 gamers can expect more uncensored episodes of the new season of the show to be available.

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Silver?
By scrapsma54 on 3/6/2007 4:22:31 PM , Rating: 3
I wonder how many people are using silver. It would be interesting to see if the number is higher or lower.




RE: Silver?
By raisinbrainMMM on 3/6/2007 4:24:18 PM , Rating: 2
I bet it's more Silver users just downloading demos and stuff.....but it is still surprising to see that 70% of the users actually hook up their xbox to their broadband connection. That alone is a really high number


RE: Silver?
By scrapsma54 on 3/6/2007 4:54:21 PM , Rating: 2
Indeed.


RE: Silver?
By The Sword 88 on 3/6/2007 6:27:53 PM , Rating: 2
I use my silver for demos adn Oblivion DLC


RE: Silver?
By Farfignewton on 3/6/2007 8:36:23 PM , Rating: 2
I doesn't appear to say that 70% of xbox users are hooked up to the service. Only that 70% of the users of the service (not the console) were downloading this or that.


RE: Silver?
By FITCamaro on 3/6/2007 4:29:57 PM , Rating: 2
Either way they're probably still making some money off the majority of even Silver users. Gold membership is only required to play games. Everything else can be done with Silver so demos, extra content, etc. all are accessible.


RE: Silver?
By MonkeyPaw on 3/6/2007 7:00:39 PM , Rating: 2
I use Silver for downloading demos. The demos feature is my favorite thing about XBox Live. It works well for the game makers, too, as I've purchased games for my 360 that I never thought I would buy thanks to the demo feature.

Online play is very frustrating to me. I've played PC games online and know that I can play so much better with a MS&KB as opposed to using the controller. I suppose online gaming isn't really my thing anymore anyway.


Impressive
By gramboh on 3/6/2007 5:38:31 PM , Rating: 3
Compared to Steam:

Minutes played per month (average): 7.137 billion (13,580 years)

Average unique players per month: 3,026,694

Counter-Strike 1.6 only:

Current Players: 104,282
Current Servers: 71,958
Player minutes/month: 6.286 billion




RE: Impressive
By hecksign on 3/7/2007 3:55:33 AM , Rating: 2
thats surely impressive. MOre impressive for me is that people still play Counter-Strike for such a long time. For how many years? I've lost count.


It costs for XBox Live?
By SunAngel on 3/6/07, Rating: -1
RE: It costs for XBox Live?
By IceTron on 3/6/2007 6:39:10 PM , Rating: 3
Uh dude, what rock have you been living under the last 6 years? XBOX Live has ALWAYS cost a monthly amount. You can purchase 1,3 and 12+1 Month subscription cards either at the stores or on Xbox Live itself. Its not that expensive when you look at the math.

12+1 Gold membership subscription to play ALL the games you want, for as LONG as you want.

Thats $50 once a year charge. So take $50 and divide by 13 months and that equates to $3.84 a MONTH to play on Gold Xbox live all you want! Thats like nothing!

Xbox live DOES charge for downloading movies which you can purchase 1600 points either via cards at the store or on Live itself. This is a new service and you cannot keep the movies once they are downloaded, you have 2 weeks to watch them. After watching, they become "inactive" after 24 hours and you have purchase again to view.

Currently, there is no pay for music on Xbox live. You can easily get your own music on the HDD or by plugging in a USB or MP3 player.

Until you actually play an awesome game like Gears of War or Ghost Recon on Xbox Live with voice, you'll never know how awesome it is and why I haven't touched my PC for gaming for months.


"If they're going to pirate somebody, we want it to be us rather than somebody else." -- Microsoft Business Group President Jeff Raikes

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