Xbox network, formerly known as Xbox Live, is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by the Xbox division for the Xbox brand. It was first made available for the original Xbox on November 15, 2002.[2][3] An updated version of the service, adding the Xbox Live Marketplace, became available for the Xbox 360 at the system's launch in November 2005, and a further enhanced version was released in 2013 with the Xbox One.[4][5] This service is also used with the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S and, in addition to a Microsoft account, is the account for the Xbox ecosystem; accounts can store games and other content.
The service was extended in 2007 for Microsoft Windows, named Games for Windows - Live, now defunct, which made most aspects of the system available on Windows computers. The Microsoft Store and Xbox app are now used to cross over the Xbox ecosystem into PC gaming, in addition to handhelds and mobile phones, as part of the Play Anywhere initiative.[6] Microsoft's former mobile operating system, Windows Phone, included full Xbox Live functionality until it was discontinued.[7] The service shut down for the original Xbox on April 15, 2010, and original Xbox Games are now only playable online through local area network (LAN) tunneling applications such as XLink Kai or replacement services such as Insignia.[8]
Xbox network service is available as both a free service and a subscription-based service known as Xbox Game Pass Core. In 2021, Microsoft renamed Xbox Live as simply the "Xbox network" to cover all of its services related to Xbox, and began slowly phasing out all "Live" branding until it was fully removed in 2023.[9][10]
History[]
Launch with the original Xbox[]
The first Xbox Live logo, used from 2002 to 2010.
As Microsoft developed the original Xbox, online gaming was designated as one of the key pillars for the greater Xbox strategy. Opting to create a unique console experience, it was decided that a hard disk drive and an ethernet port were vital to the platform, allowing for a more PC-style experience. The former would allow for downloadable content, such as new levels, maps, weapons, challenges, and characters, while the latter would allow adaptability to standard Ethernet equipment. The Ethernet port also served as an end to a means, since Microsoft decided that their online gaming service for the Xbox console would require a broadband connection, stating that dial-up connections would not allow them to standardize features (such as voice communication) and were inappropriate for intense online gaming. Critics scoffed at the idea, citing poor broadband adoption at the turn of the century.[11] Sega made a similar attempt to capitalize on the ever-growing online gaming scene when it launched the Dreamcast video game console in 1998. The console shipped with a dial-up modem, while a later-released broadband adapter was not widely supported or widely available.
When the Xbox launched on November 15, 2001, the as-yet unnamed online service was destined for a summer 2002 deployment.[12] Xbox Live was finally given a name at E3 2002 when the service was unveiled in its entirety. Sound-dampened booths and broadband-connected Xbox consoles - featuring an early version of Unreal Championship - demonstrated the service on the show floor. The Epic title was one of the flagship titles for the service, which was now slated for a debut on November 15, 2002, marking the anniversary of the Xbox launch. Microsoft announced that 50 Xbox Live titles would be available by the end of 2003.[13] The service was revolutionary in many aspects. Utilizing the required broadband bandwidth, Xbox Live featured a unified gaming "Friends List", as well as a single identity across all titles (regardless of the publisher), and standardized voice chat and communication; a feature that was still in its infancy, even on the PC.
Leading up to the launch, Microsoft enlisted several waves of beta testers to improve the service and receive feature feedback. When the service debuted, it lacked much of the functionality that later titles included, but Xbox Live grew and evolved on the Xbox, and many aspects of the service were included with the Xbox 360 console out of the box, rather than through a later update. Microsoft's 5000th patent was a Live-related patent which gives Xbox 360 users access to watch other gamers compete against each other over Xbox Live.[14]
The packaging for playable Xbox Live titles on the original Xbox console featured the trademark luminescent orange-gold bar underneath the Xbox header. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell and Brute Force sported a Live "bubble" design, as they only featured downloadable content. This was changed later, wherein all Xbox Live titles included the universal gold Live bar. By the time of the Xbox 360, all titles were required to provide at least a limited form of Xbox Live "awareness". In July 2004, Xbox Live had reached 1 million online users.[15] In July 2005, Xbox Live had reached 2 million online users.[16]
Subsequent growth[]
The second Xbox Live logo, used from 2005 to 2013.
On November 15, 2007, Microsoft celebrated Xbox Live's fifth anniversary by offering its then over 8 million subscribers the title Carcassonne free of charge and awarding gamers who had subscribed to Live since its inception 500 free Microsoft Points. Due to intermittent service interruptions during late December 2007 and early January 2008, Microsoft promised to offer a free Xbox Live Arcade game to all Xbox Live users as compensation, in an open letter to all Xbox Live members from Marc Whitten, Xbox LIVE General Manager.[citation needed] Increased demand from Xbox 360 purchasers (the largest number of new user sign-ups in the history of Xbox Live) was given as the reason for the downtime.[citation needed] On January 18, 2008, Microsoft announced Undertow would be offered free to both Gold and Free members for the week starting January 23 through January 27 as compensation.[citation needed]
On November 12, 2009, Dennis Durkin, COO of Microsoft's interactive entertainment business, announced that on November 10, 2009, the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 marked the busiest day ever on Xbox Live, with over two million active users simultaneously.[17]
On February 5, 2010, Marc Whitten announced that Xbox Live had reached 23 million members. On the same day, Larry Hryb, Xbox Live's Major Nelson, announced on his blog that Xbox Live support for the original Xbox would be discontinued on April 15, 2010, including online play through backwards compatibility on the Xbox 360 and all downloadable content for original Xbox games.[18]
In August 2010, Microsoft announced an increase in the cost of Xbox Live Gold in several countries by 20%, for the first time since its inception.[19] The basic service was also renamed. Before October 2010, the free service was known as Xbox Live Silver.[20]
It was announced on June 10, 2011, that the service was going to be fully integrated into Windows 8.[21]
In October 2011, Microsoft announced live streaming cable television with various providers.[citation needed]
The third Xbox Live logo, used from 2013 to 2021.
In February 2013, Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business, shared that Xbox Live members now number 46 million, up 15 percent from a year ago, during the Dive into Media conference in Southern California.[citation needed]
In June 2014, Microsoft retracted the Xbox Live Gold requirements to access streaming media apps (including Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Internet Explorer, Skype, and others), though various rental or subscription fees may still apply.[citation needed]
On December 25, 2014, both Xbox Live and PlayStation Network suffered network disruption after a denial-of-service attack.[citation needed] Functionality was restored on December 28, with some users experiencing difficulties in the days that followed.[citation needed] A group called "The Phantom Squad" had threatened to disrupt Xbox Live through a denial-of-service attack on December 25, 2015.[citation needed]
In 2019, the Official Xbox Magazine revealed that Xbox Live would be made cross-platform, and would serve Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch.[citation needed]
Microsoft added Xbox Live Gold to its Xbox Game Pass program as part of a new Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription tier in April 2019.[citation needed]
Rebranding[]
On January 22, 2021, Microsoft planned to increase the prices for the Xbox Live Gold subscriptions, as follows: by $1 for the monthly subscription ($10.99 from $9.99), by $5 for the 3-month subscription ($29.99 from $24.99), by $20 for the 6-month subscription ($59.99 from $39.99), and by $60 (double the price) for the 12-month subscription ($119.99 from $59.99). However, the 6-month and 12-month subscription price increases would not affect existing subscribers when they resubscribed at the same level, nor those already subscribed through the Xbox Games Pass Ultimate program.[22] However, after complaints from the Xbox community, Microsoft made an announcement on the same day that they revoked their decision, and that they would not increase the prices of any of the subscriptions, thus they would remain the same as they were.[23][24]
Microsoft officially announced that it would be branding Xbox Live as "Xbox network" in March 2021, to cover all the services related to Xbox and not just Xbox Live. Xbox Live Gold would retain the same name, and to distinguish the subscription program from the set of services. Microsoft also stated that with this, it would eliminate the requirement to have Xbox Live Gold to play free-to-play games on Xbox consoles.[25]
By January 2021, Microsoft reported that there were more than 100 million Xbox users (including those through the Xbox Game Pass subscription).[26]
On September 14, 2023, Xbox Live Gold was discontinued and replaced by Xbox Game Pass Core, which carries most of the same benefits as Xbox Live Gold, while replacing the "Games with Gold" program with access to a limited rotation of Game Pass titles.[27][28]
Availability[]
The Xbox network is currently available in 41 countries:
Users from other countries are not officially supported, although they can access the Xbox network if they provide an address located in a country where the Xbox network is officially available. The country selected during account creation affects the payment options, content, and services available to the user.[29] Previously, users were unable to change their account region, but in October 2012, Microsoft introduced an account migration tool as a pilot project, which allows the user to change their region and maintain their Xbox network profile. Subscriptions, such as that for Xbox Music, cannot be transferred with this method.[citation needed]
On May 18, 2011, Microsoft announced that it planned to launch the Xbox network in the Middle East within the next twelve months,[30] although it never occurred during that time period. However, on October 20, 2012, Microsoft announced that the service would be launching in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in three days.[citation needed] On November 4, Microsoft announced that the service would be launched on November 29 in Argentina and Israel.[citation needed] The service also appeared in the following month in Slovakia and Turkey. The service was launched in China without Game Pass in late 2014.[citation needed]
On March 5, 2022, the Xbox team announced it had suspended all Xbox network services in Russia in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[31]
User information[]
Gamertag[]
A gamertag is the universal name for a player's username on the Xbox network. A gamertag is a unique identifier, and can include numbers, letters, and spaces. Gamertags can be changed using an Xbox console (first time is free, all other changes afterwards are charged), while the Xbox 360 supports eight Xbox network-enabled profiles per memory unit and thirty-two profiles on the hard drive.
A player's Gamertag account status can be checked using a variety of online tools, which is useful especially when looking for a new Gamertag or confirming that a Gamertag exists. Using a valid gamertag, any player can be found and messaged from within the network. Several websites allow users of gamertags to upload photos and information about themselves.
Gamertags also contain avatar images (or "gamer pictures"), with the stock images sometimes associated with certain games or game characters. On Xbox 360, individual gamerpics are available, but they are usually bundled into packs. It is also possible to take "Public" pictures (which are shown to all who view a profile, unless the user has a different "personal" picture set), which can be taken of avatars while using the avatar editor. On Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, players can upload custom images of their choice through the Xbox app, subject to Xbox approval.
Users were formerly forbidden to use strings such as gay or refer to homosexuality in any way in their gamertag or profile due to it being considered "content of a sexual nature", even if the string occurs in a legitimate surname. Incidents where a woman was suspended from the service for identifying herself as a lesbian, and an incident where a male user was suspended for using his surname "Gaywood" in his username, attracted controversy. In February 2009, Xbox Live Lead Program Manager for Enforcement Stephen Toulouse clarified the service's policy on sexual identification, stating that "Expression of any sexual orientation [...] is not allowed in Gamertags" but that the company is "examining how we can provide it in a way that won't get misused". Changes announced in March 2010 permit Xbox Live members to express sexual orientation in their gamertags and profiles.
Gamerscore[]
The Gamerscore (G) is an achievements point accumulation system that reflects the number of achievements accumulated by a user on Xbox by displaying the number of points accumulated. These Achievement points are awarded for the completion of game-specific challenges, such as beating a level or amassing a specified number of wins against other players in online matches, and other various in-game challenges.
Initially, retail Xbox 360 games offered up to 1,000G spread over a variable number of Achievements, while each Xbox Live Arcade title contained 12 Achievements totaling 200G. On February 1, 2007, Microsoft announced on its Gamerscore Blog some new policies that developers must follow related to Gamerscore and Achievements in future releases. All regular disc-based games must have 1,000 Gamerscore points in the base game; the title can ship with fewer than 1,000 points, but anything added later must be free. Game developers also now have the option of adding up to 250 points via downloadable content every quarter after the first year of release (for a total of 1,750 points). Xbox Live Arcade titles also allowed players to obtain Gamerscore, initially up to 200 Gamerscore with additional points up to 50 Gamerscore via downloadable content (for a total of 250 points), but some XBLA games now contain up to 400 Gamerscore without DLC.
On March 25, 2008, Microsoft cracked down on "Gamerscore cheaters" (those who used external tools to artificially inflate their Gamerscore), and reduced their Gamerscores to zero without the option to recover the scores that had been "earned", and branded the player by denoting on their Gamertag that they were a "Cheater".
The development of the Gamerscore system had created a new niche in the internet economy. Many websites have been created to provide gamers with tips and tricks for getting achievement points. Some sites are solely devoted to these achievement guides, while others offer gaming guides in addition to their other content.
On March 13, 2014, Ray Cox IV, or "Stallion83", became the first player in history to reach 1 million Gamerscore.[32]
Gamercard[]
The Gamercard is an information panel used to summarize one's user profile on Microsoft's Xbox Live. The pieces of information on a Gamercard include:
- Gamertag
- Gamer picture (Avatar)
- Gamerscore
- Reputation (only shown on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S if the viewed player is constantly violating the Community Standards)
- Tenure (how many years a user has been subscribed to Xbox Game Pass Core or Ultimate)
- Gamer Zone (Xbox 360 only)
- Recent games played
A player's Gamercard can be viewed via the guide, the Xbox app, or online through Xbox.com.
On Xbox 360, there were four Gamer Zones: Recreation is for casual gamers, Family is for family-friendly gamers (without profanity, etc.), Pro is for competitive gamers who enjoy a challenge, and Underground is for no-holds-barred gaming where anything goes (as long as it does not violate the Xbox Live Terms of Use). However, in practice, these gamer zones were displayed only on the Gamercard of the player, and did not tend to affect the gameplay experience or the matching of players in online games.
TrueSkill[]
TrueSkill is a ranking and matchmaking system that was first implemented as part of the Xbox 360's Live service. Developed at Microsoft Research Cambridge (United Kingdom), the TrueSkill ranking system is now used in over 150 titles for the Xbox 360 and was used in the Games for Windows - Live game Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II. It uses a mathematical model of uncertainty to address weaknesses in existing ranking systems, such as Elo. For example, a new player joining a million-player league can be ranked correctly in fewer than 20 games. It can predict the probability of each game outcome, which enhances competitive matchmaking, making it possible to assemble skill-balanced teams from a group of players with different abilities.
When matchmaking, the system attempts to match individuals based on their estimated skill level. If two individuals are competing head-to-head and have the same estimated skill level with low estimate uncertainty, they should each have roughly a 50% chance of winning a match. In this way, the system attempts to make every match as competitive as possible.
In order to prevent abuse of the system, the majority of ranked games have relatively limited options for matchmaking. By design, players cannot easily play with their friends in ranked games. However, these countermeasures have failed due to techniques such as alternate account(s) and system flaws, where each system has its own individual TrueSkill rating. To provide less competitive games, the system supports unranked Player Matches, which allow individuals of any skill level to be paired (often including "guests" on an account). Such matches do not contribute to the TrueSkill rating.
Microsoft Store[]
- Main article: Microsoft Store
The Microsoft Store is the current digital marketplace for the Xbox ecosystem, starting in 2017 for the Xbox One. It is available on consoles and on Xbox's website (as well as its own website), offering games from across all of Xbox's generations, in addition to movies, television shows, and multiple apps available as streaming services for music or television.
Xbox 360 stores[]
- Main article: Xbox Games Store
Xbox Games Store (formerly Xbox Live Marketplace) was a unified storefront for the Xbox 360 and Xbox One which offered both free and premium content for download including Xbox Live Arcade titles, Xbox indie games, original Xbox games, Xbox 360 game demos, game expansion material (e.g. extra maps, vehicles, songs), trailers, gamer pictures and themes, television shows, music videos, movie rentals, Apps and games and more.
Xbox Play Anywhere[]
- Main article: Play Anywhere
Originally called Live Anywhere, Play Anywhere is a cross-platform service allowing owners of Xbox and Windows games the ability to use said games on either operating system. Under the scheme, supported games purchased digitally on the Microsoft Store for Xbox One can also be downloaded on a Windows 10 PC (running Windows 10 Anniversary Update or later) through the Microsoft Store using the same Microsoft account at no additional charge, and vice versa. The scheme also promotes the ability to synchronize save data, achievements, and downloadable content between Windows 10 and Xbox One versions of a game.
Microsoft announced in March 2019 that it would be providing Xbox Live SDKs for iOS and Android mobile devices, allowing developers on those platforms to integrate most services of the Xbox network into their applications and games. Microsoft also stated that they were looking to bring this functionality to the Nintendo Switch, anticipating this to be a post-launch feature for the Switch port of Cuphead.
Xbox Game Pass[]
- Main article: Xbox Game Pass
Signing up for the Xbox network is free, but a recurring subscription to Xbox Game Pass is required to access community features such as online multiplayer for paid games, game recording, and media sharing. The service includes access to a library of games that can be downloaded and played at no additional charge; they become locked and unplayable if the subscription lapses or the title is no longer available to Game Pass.[citation needed] While initially requiring the subscription, online multiplayer on free-to-play titles, as well as the party chat feature on Xbox consoles, no longer need a subscription to use as of April 2021.[citation needed]
The service is available in multiple tiers:
- Game Pass Core: Launched on September 14, 2023, it replaces the former Xbox Live Gold service and is functionally the same as Xbox Live Gold, except that the former "Games with Gold" program (which offered a free game per month to subscribers) was replaced with access to a rotation of Game Pass titles available on Xbox consoles.
- Game Pass Standard: Launched in 2025, it offers the full Game Pass library on Xbox consoles, but does not include "day one" access to first-party Xbox releases
- Game Pass Ultimate: Offers the full Game Pass library on Xbox consoles, Windows PCs, and Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Programs[]
Former[]
The "Game with Fame" initiative was Microsoft's way to connect Xbox Live members with celebrities and game developers. Notable participants of "Game with Fame" include Shia LaBeouf, Jack Black, Rihanna, Velvet Revolver, Victoria Justice, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Scissor Sisters, Paramore, Korn, OK Go, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Dream Theater, Linkin Park, Green Day, and Insane Clown Posse.
"Xbox Rewards" was a promotion designed to provide gamers with incentives to play on the Xbox network by subsidizing achievement points earned with actual rewards. Gamers were required to register for specific challenges, which, if completed, would yield a challenge-specific reward.
"Xbox Live Labs" was a program found in the community section and was available from March 10 to 27, 2011, for members in the United States. If a player chose to participate, they were rewarded with avatar items and 3 zero-point achievements.
"Games with Gold" was a program in which digital downloads of games were offered at no charge to Xbox Live Gold subscribers. Games with Gold initially launched with the Xbox 360 in July 2013, while Xbox One games were added in June 2014. After October 2022, Games with Gold no longer offered Xbox 360 games, with future releases being Xbox One games only. Games downloaded through the program on Xbox 360 were free to own with no further restrictions. Xbox One Games with Gold titles required an active Gold subscription to use, and became locked and unplayable if the subscription lapsed. As of November 2015, all Games with Gold titles for Xbox 360 were backward compatible on Xbox One. The service was discontinued on September 14, 2023, as part of the Xbox network rebranding and focusing on a base-level Game Pass tier.
Current[]
Microsoft Rewards is a current promotion providing Xbox network members with Reward Points (not to be confused with the defunct Microsoft Points) when they achieve Game Pass goals, buy something on the Marketplace, etc.
"Xbox Ambassadors" are Xbox network members selected by Microsoft who have proven themselves to be helpful towards others and are willing to assist new Xbox users and answer their questions. As of March 2009, there are ambassadors representing 18 countries in more than 30 languages.
Security[]
Microsoft implements several different security measures on its Xbox network service. One of these takes the form of a proactive security check that assures that only unmodified machines may access their service. On May 17, 2007, Microsoft banned consoles with modified firmware from Xbox Live. A Microsoft representative indicated that the action was taken to assure "the integrity of the service and protect our partners and users.". According to Microsoft, consoles with firmware of unknown origin, quality, or intent were permanently banned from the Xbox network.
It has been discovered that pretexting has been used to impersonate an Xbox network user for sabotage. Microsoft has implemented greater security levels to make defense against social engineering more robust.[33]
In early November 2009, Microsoft banned approximately 1 million consoles with modified firmware from the Xbox network.[34]
In October 2011, users of Xbox Live reported having unauthorized access to their Xbox Live accounts, with Microsoft points subsequently being used and/or bought to purchase various in-game items for FIFA 12. Microsoft responded to such incidents by restricting access to the account for 25 days while the fraud team investigated. Both EA and Microsoft denied the existence of a wider security breach.
On December 25, 2014, both PlayStation Network and Xbox Live suffered network disruption after a denial-of-service attack. Functionality was restored on December 28, with some users experiencing difficulties in the days that followed.
First-generaton Xbox Live shutdown[]
Xbox Live for the original Xbox was discontinued by Microsoft on April 15, 2010, encouraging gamers to upgrade to the Xbox 360.[35] Through loopholes and flaws, however, users were still able to play after the provided time and date Microsoft announced the shutdown. Users could continue interacting in the network; new users, however, could not enter the system. Notably, 14 users played Halo 2 until May 11, 2010. Though the official Xbox Live service has been discontinued for the original Xbox, a replacement service called Insignia has returned online functionality, including online multiplayer, scoreboards, content download, and more features to currently supported games.[36]
As an alternative to Insignia, LAN tunnelling software exists, allowing original Xbox users to play system link games such as Halo 2 with other people from around the world.
The "Noble 14"[]
The Noble 14 were a band of users who continued to play Halo 2 until May 11, 2010, 26 days after Microsoft officially discontinued the service.[37][38] The users would play custom games together, with all attempting to stay on for as long as possible. An Xbox spokesperson made a statement regarding the Noble 14, "A small band of a committed few, engaged in a battle against insurmountable odds. It's not Noble team from Halo: Reach, it's the final, passionate few who are still playing Halo 2. We wish them the best in their battle against time." The last 12 users were offered Halo: Reach Beta Codes by GamesRadar.com, as well as having their Xbox Live memberships extended by Microsoft. Eventually, "Agent Windex" and "Apache N4SIR" were the final two users on the service; however, two days after the third user, "Lord Odysseus11" was disconnected by an internet drop, user Agent Windex was booted on May 10, stating, "Good job Apache, you're the last one." The next day, May 11, Apache N4SIR was booted offline after many hours since Agent Windex was disconnected.[39] He stated that he wanted to play 15 hours, 14 for each member, then one final hour for the community.
See also[]
- Xbox Live Marketplace
- Xbox Live Arcade
- Xbox Live Vision
- Games for Windows - Live
- Live Anywhere
- Windows Live
References[]
- ↑ Ivan, Tom (January 24, 2023). "Microsoft says Xbox monthly active users hit a record 120 million". Video Games Chronicle.
- ↑ "Xbox Live Arrives in Stores, Sparking the Next Revolution in Video Games". Microsoft Stories. November 15, 2002. Archived from the original on August 1, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
- ↑ "Xbox Live launches". GameSpot. November 15, 2002. Archived from the original on August 24, 2020.
- ↑ "Microsoft Unveils Initial Xbox 360 Marketplace Content". Gamasutra. November 15, 2005. Archived from the original on August 24, 2020.
- ↑ "Xbox One: what you get for Xbox Live Gold". Eurogamer. November 20, 2013. Archived from the original on May 12, 2020.
- ↑ "Imagine A Live Anywhere". Console Watcher. January 12, 2007. Archived from the original on March 24, 2008.
- ↑ "Microsoft Unveils Windows Phone 7 Series". Microsoft. Archived from the original on February 18, 2010.
- ↑ "The original Xbox Live can now play online games again with some help from Insignia". Neowin. October 1, 2023.
- ↑ Boddy, Zachary (March 22, 2021). "Microsoft officially ends 'Xbox Live' brand, changes to 'Xbox network'". Windows Central.
- ↑ Whitten, Marc. "A Letter from Marc Whitten: Discontinuation of Xbox LIVE for Original Xbox Games". Archived from the original on February 9, 2010.
- ↑ Dean Takahashi. Opening The Xbox: Inside Microsoft's Plan to Unleash an Entertainment Revolution. pp. 339. ISBN 0-7615-3708-2.
- ↑ Microsoft. "Xbox Erupts on the Scene". Retrieved 2006-12-01.
- ↑ Microsoft. "Xbox Live Turns up the Volume on the Future of Gaming".
- ↑ Console Watcher. "Microsoft’s 5000th Patent: Allowing Users To Spectate Other Players Through Live". Archived from the original on May 2, 2006.
- ↑ "ActiveXbox.com: Interview with Larry Hryb, Director of Programming: Xbox Live". Archived from the original on February 1, 2016.
- ↑ "Xbox LIVE users top 2 million". Ars Technica. July 21, 2005. Archived from the original on August 1, 2020.
- ↑ "Tuesday Was Xbox Live's Busiest Day Ever". G4TV. April 10, 2010. Archived from the original on June 30, 2017.
- ↑ "Xbox Live being discontinued for Original Xbox consoles and games". Major Nelson. Archived from the original on November 25, 2010.
- ↑ "Xbox Live Gold subscribers face price increase". CNET. August 30, 2010. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014.
- ↑ Orland, Kyle. "Microsoft Renames Xbox Live Silver to 'Xbox Live Free'". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on May 11, 2012.
- ↑ Chacos, Brad (June 10, 2011). "Windows 8 To Integrate Xbox Live Support". Maximum PC. Archived from the original on September 2, 2011.
- ↑ Warren, Tom (January 22, 2021). "Microsoft is increasing the price of Xbox Live Gold". The Verge. Archived from the original on February 7, 2022.
- ↑ Byford, Sam (January 22, 2021). "Microsoft backtracks on Xbox Live Gold price hike". The Verge. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021.
- ↑ "No Changes to Xbox Live Gold Pricing, Free-to-Play Games to be Unlocked [Update]". Xbox Wire. January 22, 2021. Archived from the original on April 6, 2022.
- ↑ Warren, Tom (March 22, 2021). "Microsoft rebrands Xbox Live to Xbox network". The Verge. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021.
- ↑ Warren, Tom (November 6, 2021). "Xbox Game Pass subscribers hit 18 million". The Verge. Archived from the original on January 18, 2022.
- ↑ McWhertor, Michael (July 17, 2023). "Xbox Game Pass Core to replace Xbox Live Gold in September". Polygon.
- ↑ Warren, Tom (September 14, 2023). "Xbox Game Pass Core is launching with 36 games this week". The Verge.
- ↑ "How to change your Xbox LIVE account language setting". Xbox.com. Microsoft.[dead link]
- ↑ "Xbox Live for Middle East in next 12 months". ITP.net. Archived from the original on December 28, 2011.
- ↑ Vic Hood, Callum Bains (March 4, 2022). "Microsoft halts Xbox sales in Russia following Ukraine's call to 'block' accounts". TechRadar.
- ↑ "The Man with a Million Gamerscore: An Interview with Stallion83". Xbox Wire. May 2014. Archived from the original on November 20, 2017.
- ↑ Hryb, Larry (March 23, 2007). "Xbox Live Security Update - Xbox Live's Major Nelson". MajorNelson. Archived from the original on March 27, 2007.
- ↑ Terdiman, Daneil. "Report: Microsoft bans 1 million Xbox Live players". CNET. Archived from the original on March 8, 2013.
- ↑ Greenhough, Chris (April 14, 2010). "Original Xbox Live Service Getting Shut Down Tonight". Inquisitr. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
- ↑ "Xbox Live 1.0 Replacement 'Insignia' Now Supports 150 Games". Pure Xbox. November 16, 2023.
- ↑ "The Final Few: Our Story > OffTopic". Bungie.net Forums. Archived from the original on August 23, 2021.
- ↑ "Dedicated Halo 2 Fans Keep Multiplayer Alive - Slashdot". games.slashdot.org. April 28, 2010. Archived from the original on August 23, 2021.
- ↑ Teridman, Daniel. "Last Halo 2 player finally leaves Xbox Live". CNET. Archived from the original on August 23, 2021.
External links[]
- Official Xbox Live website
- Xbox network at Wikipedia
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Wikipedia (article: Xbox network)
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