backtop

Print E-mail del.icio.us 40 comment(s) - last by SavagePotato.. on Nov 17 at 1:37 AM
Microsoft gives free XBLA game on fifth anniversary of Xbox Live

On November 15, Microsoft’s Xbox Live service will have been in operation for five years, now with “more than eight million members now actively engaged in the largest social entertainment network on TV.”

To celebrate the anniversary, Microsoft is giving all Xbox Live users the opportunity to download the XBLA game Carcassone free of charge between 12:01 A.M. PDT on Nov. 15 and 11:59 P.M. PDT on Nov. 16.

Microsoft will also be rewarding early adopters of its online gaming service. Every active member who joined the service in 2002 will receive 500 free Microsoft Points.

"In just five short years Xbox Live has revolutionized the way friends and family have fun in the living room," said John Schappert, corporate vice president of Live, software and services at Microsoft. "On its fifth birthday, Xbox Live truly is the place for hanging out with friends and enjoying downloadable TV shows, movies, videos, game add-ons, and now downloadable Xbox games on demand."

Yesterday, DailyTech reported that Microsoft will be introducing a new service for Xbox 360 gamers to download original Xbox games for play on their current generation consoles. Classics such as Fable and Halo will be available for 1,200 Microsoft Points, or around $15.

For more on Xbox Live’s fifth anniversary promotions, see the “Live is 5ive” website.

Comments     Threshold


This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
There's no way it's 8 million.
By JonnyDough on 11/14/2007 10:26:15 PM , Rating: 2
For one, I know that I'm no longer on XBox Live, but that the guy I sold my XBox to is. I had about 4 XBox Live accounts, and many of my friends on Halo2 had numerous accounts as well. Therefore, I think it's probably about 25% less than the number they're saying.




RE: There's no way it's 8 million.
By mcturkey on 11/15/2007 12:28:55 AM , Rating: 2
Considering that the Silver service is free, I have no trouble believing there are 8 million active accounts.


RE: There's no way it's 8 million.
By XToneX on 11/15/2007 2:29:43 PM , Rating: 2
^^^^ Exactly. Plus, what about people who had accounts on a system that was about to expire, and then the RROD came along and they got a new box in which they made a new account? Sure there might be 8 million users, but remember, they have a 33% failure rate which means that there could be almost 2 million users that are just duplicate accounts from 1 million users.


RE: There's no way it's 8 million.
By Wolfpup on 11/16/2007 3:54:26 PM , Rating: 2
I've had multiple accounts too, and have never given Microsoft a dime for their service, but I'm sure I'm being counted at least three times. I actually got locked out of one account as I hadn't logged in to it often enough-it dumped the associated Hotmail account.


the part they left out...
By maverick85wd on 11/14/2007 7:09:59 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
"In just five short years Xbox Live has revolutionized the way friends and family have fun in the living room,"


..."which has contributed to American obesity second only to Fast Food... and here at Microsoft we're very proud of that"




WoW has more subscribers?
By CRimer76 on 11/14/07, Rating: -1
RE: WoW has more subscribers?
By FITCamaro on 11/14/2007 4:38:16 PM , Rating: 2
Very few people in China buy 360s and sign up for Live. They can't make money spamming you with offers to buy gold or power level you on Live.

It makes me sad that WoW exists. Every other MMO has to stoop to its mediocrity. The sheeple want it easy like WoW.


RE: WoW has more subscribers?
By SavagePotato on 11/14/2007 4:53:24 PM , Rating: 4
Saying people like WoW because it is easy would be a poor analysis.

People like WoW because it has cracked the perfect combination of addictiveness to get a few million people to repeat the same tasks over and over again, with the goal of improving their image among the other addicts.

When it comes down to it, it is quite diffucult to play. Due to the rate people with this level of addiction chew through content the encounters are extremely scripted and difficult. Requiring perfect timing out of a large group of people, where one false move rewards 5 hours work with failure.

Something has to keep these people playing. Padding that time requirement with hours on end of mindless repetitive tasks to be able to afford to, or be equipped to go spend 5 hours jumping through hoops for the promise of rewards is the best it seems they can come up with. It certainly may suck, unfortunately it is a massive success, and success draws imitation in the hope of success.

However I certainly wouldn't call it having it easy.


RE: WoW has more subscribers?
By Gnoad on 11/14/2007 6:06:59 PM , Rating: 2
WoW used to be challenging and rewarding, even for doing the repetitive stuff, I think. Then the expansion came out, and now the game is just flat out boring.


RE: WoW has more subscribers?
By OblivionMage on 11/14/2007 10:34:40 PM , Rating: 2
In their latest patch they have reduced the amount of experience points needed to get from lvl 30-60 and increased the quest reward xp.


RE: WoW has more subscribers?
By clovell on 11/14/2007 4:47:49 PM , Rating: 3
What difference does it make?


RE: WoW has more subscribers?
By CRimer76 on 11/14/07, Rating: -1
RE: WoW has more subscribers?
By Etsp on 11/14/2007 4:57:54 PM , Rating: 2
I think you are being quite presumptuous about clovell's mom... I mean, how do YOU know that she is a good artist?


RE: WoW has more subscribers?
By clovell on 11/14/2007 5:05:24 PM , Rating: 1
Idk, but I wouldn't have picked him to be a necrophiliac.


RE: WoW has more subscribers?
By clovell on 11/14/2007 5:02:44 PM , Rating: 1
You seem to be taking this news rather personally.


RE: WoW has more subscribers?
By clovell on 11/14/2007 5:04:31 PM , Rating: 1
I should add that your response doesn't address my question. One may be good and the other may suck, but seriously, why do you care so much?


RE: WoW has more subscribers?
By CRimer76 on 11/14/07, Rating: -1
RE: WoW has more subscribers?
By SavagePotato on 11/14/2007 5:14:03 PM , Rating: 4
People that like to make your mom comments likely haven't had the experience of spitting most of their teeth on the ground, which from observation it would seem most of them direly need to experience.


RE: WoW has more subscribers?
By kinnoch on 11/14/07, Rating: 0
RE: WoW has more subscribers?
By arazok on 11/14/2007 5:40:29 PM , Rating: 5
This from a guy who calls himself Rimmer. I can only imagine what the C is for.


RE: WoW has more subscribers?
By CRimer76 on 11/14/07, Rating: -1
RE: WoW has more subscribers?
By clovell on 11/14/07, Rating: 0