Posts tagged XboxLive at Switched

Posts with tag XboxLive

Xbox Live and Zune Services Down for Maintenance

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Sep 30th 2008 at 9:56AM

It's okay, Microsoft fanboys. Relax, take a shot from your asthma inhaler, everything is going to be okay. We can see clearly Redmond is trying to drive you outside where you might be forced to interact with people face-to-face as opposed to via a Wi-Fi enabled music player or a 'Halo' branded headset, but don't panic.

Microsoft is scaring its fans and driving the rumor mills crazy this morning by taking down both its Xbox Live service and its Zune services at the same time for "scheduled maintenance." Both services went down yesterday, with Xbox Live expected to comeback online later today and Zune to return tomorrow.

Though little is known about the Zune update, Major Nelson, a member of the Xbox launch team, is making it perfectly clear that users shouldn't expect any new features when Xbox Live service returns. "Let me reiterate: When the service returns, you will not have any new features and you will not have the new Xbox experience update. That will happen later this Fall," he posted on the Xbox Live forums.

Your favorite Microsoft services will be back on soon enough, in the meantime why don't you take a walk in the park, or give your parents a call? Your mother would have never bought you that Xbox if she knew you were going to replace her with it. [From: Engadget]

Sexual Predators Using Xbox, PlayStation to Find Kids

by Tim Stevens, posted Jul 2nd 2008 at 11:41AM

Gaming Chats Serving as Gateway to Kids for Sexual Predators

Online worlds are already plenty dangerous enough for impressionable kids. Now, according to USA Today, online gaming is being pegged as the next possible source of harm for young kids, with sexual predators using voice and text chat in online gaming services like Microsoft's Xbox Live and Sony's PlayStation Network as venues to meet kids.

Several predators have been arrested after taking advantage of kids through these services. They tend to get to know the kids as they play games together, and as they become more familiar, exchange contact information.

For its part, Microsoft is helping law enforcement agencies figure out how to track the histories of such predators online and extract their messages and activity from Xbox consoles. However, as usual, the best prevention is for parents to keep an eye on what their children are up to. Yeah, we know you folks out there probably don't need another thing to worry about when it comes to your kids being online, but worrying is better than being ignorant, right? [Source: USA Today]

Microsoft Offers Free Game for Xbox LIve Downtime

by Tim Stevens, posted Jan 4th 2008 at 12:34PM

Microsoft Offers Free Game to Shafted Live Gamers

Over the last few weeks, Microsoft's Xbox Live service was suffering from a number of problems that prevented gamers from signing on or joining in games with their buddies. Those problems were rectified earlier this week (and then the service went down again).

Microsoft is coming out and not only explaining what caused the prolonged outage, but is taking the extra step of offering a free game as an apology.

Microsoft's Xbox Live General Manager Marc Whitten indicated that during those weeks, Xbox Live experienced the biggest period of growth in its five year history. The service, flush with new subscribers trying out their new holiday Xbox 360s, got a little bogged down and couldn't quite handle the traffic.

Marc didn't specify that only Gold subscribers would be receiving the free Xbox Live Arcade game, so it looks like it'll be made available to even Silver members who don't pay the monthly fee. The only questions now are which game and when, answers we should have in the next few weeks.

From Engadget

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Microsoft's Xbox Live Holiday Issues Resolved

by Tim Stevens, posted Jan 2nd 2008 at 11:16AM

Microsoft's Xbox Live Has Holiday Issues

Microsoft's Xbox Live service offers the best and most consistent online gaming experience of any of the current consoles, easily beating the hodge-podge -- but free -- services offered by Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii.

But at $5 a month, gamers aren't always getting what they paid for, especially when Xbox Live goes down. Gamers definitely weren't getting their money's worth over the holidays, with Xbox Live having problems ranging from timeouts during matchmaking (joining games) to failures during login.

This is doubly frustrating given the time of year, considering the fact that gamers are most likely on vacation with plenty of new games to play.

Microsoft's Xbox PR face Major Nelson confirmed the issues and has indicated that the problems have been largely fixed at this point. A recent test confirms Live appears to be operating normally, but it won't be much consolation to those who had hoped to spend a few hours (or days) online over the holidays and are now back at work!

From CrunchGear and Major Nelson

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Microsoft Celebrates Five Years of Xbox Live With a Free Game

by Ryan Rayhill, posted Nov 15th 2007 at 5:24PM

With Microsoft's Xbox Live service turning 5 years-old this week, the folks in Washington are celebrating with original Xbox games like 'Halo', 'Fable', 'Crimson Skies' and the underrated 'Psychonauts'.

Taking a cue from Nintendo, Microsoft is making these old gems downloadable. Xbox classics will run you 1,200 Microsoft points ($15) and will be available beginning December 4^th. Microsoft has stated that this is only the tip of the iceberg and that we can expect many more "Xbox Originals", as they are calling them, very soon.

Not only will offer those golden oldies but they are giving away the popular Xbox Live Arcade game, Carcassone, free for 48 hours beginning at midnight Wednesday (last night) until 11:59pm on 11/16.

From Ars Technica

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ESPN Games and Shows Now Available on Xbox Live

by Tim Stevens, posted Nov 6th 2007 at 1:47PM

ESPN Selling Old Games and Shows on Xbox Live

It was a big deal when, back in 2004, Electronic Arts decided to bring their massive platform of sports games to Microsoft's Xbox Live service. Before then, EA had its own online service and didn't want to have anything to do with Microsoft's, meaning Xbox Live sports gamers were out in the cold when it came to multiplayer. Today, it's not quite so major an announcement that ESPN has also signed up for Xbox Live, but this agreement has nothing to do with video games. ESPN will instead be using the Live Marketplace to hawk reruns of its shows and sporting events to the poor souls who didn't catch them live in the first place and forgot to set their DVRs.

For between $2.00 and $2.40, Xbox 360 owners will be able to download episodes of ESPN original shows like 'World Series of Poker' and 'Madden Nation' in either standard definition or high definition. For $3 to $4.50 gamers can download days- or even months-old sporting events. Last Saturday's USC vs. Oregon NCAA football game is the most recent thing available at the moment, while other coverage events include last week's basketball games and last summer's X Games. These offerings are similar to what ESPN offers through Apple's iTunes service, both in terms of price and availability, though if you want high-def content you'll need to use Live.

There's nothing close to a live sporting event on Live just yet (despite the name), but rest assured that if you missed last weekend's NCAA games you can now pay a couple bucks apiece and download 'em to your Xbox. Or you could save some dough and set your Tivo next time.

From Reuters

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Player-Created Xbox LIve Games Look Like Ads

by Tim Stevens, posted Oct 30th 2007 at 12:14PM

Not long ago, getting any game on a video game console like Microsoft's Xbox or Sony's PlayStation required some sort of publisher to front thousands of dollars in capital for the production of discs and boxes and manuals. Thanks to Xbox Live Arcade, getting games on the Xbox 360 is a lot easier than it used to be, since publishers are essentially no longer required because games are sold and downloaded directly onto the console.

Xbox Live Arcade has been a boon to independent game makers, who were recently encouraged to submit concepts for original games in the in the Doritos "Unlock the Xbox" contest.

Submissions were narrowed down to five finalists, and those five ideas have been turned into relatively simple, Web-based games you can access at the Unlock Xbox site, where you can vote for your favorite. The winning title, to be announced on November 19th, will be the first user-created game to be developed into a full-fledged Xbox Live Arcade title for the Xbox 360.

We gave the games a test drive and think that picking the best one is a bit of a challenge -- and not because they're all so good.

Some, like 'Monkeys form Mt. Doritos,' are just existing games with a thick layer of corporate branding applied. In this case, a monkey chasing 'the wonderful flavor of Doritos(R)!' instead of Pac-Man chasing power pellets. Another, 'Rhythum Racing' seems highly derivative of an earlier PlayStation game, 'N2O: Nitrous Oxide', which itself was a bit of a knockoff of classic shooter 'Tempest 2000.' Then there's 'UDC: Ultimate Dodgeball Champions,' which seems to be the most playable, but may find itself a bit overshadowed before it gets out of the gate, given there's already a dodgeball-themed game coming to the Arcade, .

So, go try out the games and see which one you like, knowing that whichever wins at least won't cost any money.

And if you have any thoughts on any of the games, tell us what you think!

From BetaNews

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IPTV Coming to Xbox 360 With Fall Update?

by Ryan Rayhill, posted Oct 29th 2007 at 1:27PM

With Microsoft's promise of the Xbox 360 becoming your one-stop media hub becoming more and more evident with each passing day, the rumor of an IPTV update for the concave box should be a somewhat exciting non-surprise.

Recently, an Xbox 360 owner by the name of Aaron turned on his unit to see an interesting new icon had materialized on his dashboard that had four blank boxes and some text indicating that he could record live TV, see on-demand movies and chat while watching TV.

The option does not function at the moment, but does offer the website www.microsoft.com/tv , which takes you to the companies Mediaroom site, where some of the basics of Microsoft's IPTV features are explained.

His unit had just been returned from the repair center, which may explain how this weird preview ended up on his Xbox, but since he seems to be running the same dashboard version as everyone else (2.0.5787.0) it doesn't really explain why or how the currently non-working update came into being.

Either way, the photos he posted seem to lend credence to the rumor that this huge addition is impending in the Xbox 360's annual Fall Update.

Stay tuned!

From Xbox360FanBoy

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Xbox 360 Gets Better, Darker
HD-DVD Players Drop to Sub-$200 Price Tag

UK Spy Agency to Recruit Video Gamers

by Tim Stevens, posted Oct 19th 2007 at 12:30PM

Hunting Spies Through In-Game Advertising

If you were looking for a spy, where would you start. The baccarat table? A dark alley? A Washington D.C. parking garage? Xbox Live?

That last place probably wouldn't be high on your list, but that's exactly where the British government is starting a recruitment campaign to find potential spies interested in employment. The ads will be embedded into the popular online game 'Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent,' with the hopes of attracting the eye of gamers with an interest in that sort of thing.

By the sounds of it, recruits won't be given new names and shipped abroad, or have their existences denied should they be caught. Rather, British Intelligence is looking to hire people who are "computer-savvy, technologically-able, quick-thinking."

Notice there's no mention of physical ability, overpowering charm, or ability to stomach hard liquor. In other words, they're looking for your typical gamer, so those who accept will be far more likely to find themselves in a computer server room than a villain's secret lair.

Much safer, that.

From AOL Money & Finance (AP)

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Amazon Slips, Leaks the New Xbox 360

by Tim Stevens, posted Oct 3rd 2007 at 3:20PM

This week is all about retail stores stealing the thunder of big gaming companies. Yesterday it was a new PS3 model leaked by Best Buy before Sony had a chance to announce it. Now we have word of a new Xbox 360 model being leaked by Amazon.com and confirmed by Toys 'R' Us. The new model is a replacement for the cheapest 360 version, the cut-rate Core system that shipped with a wired controller and without a hard drive. It was Microsoft's play to the budget-conscious gamer, though it's never really found much success despite its low price of $299.

This new bundle will be called the Arcade system, named to match the console's popular Xbox Live Arcade service, which features hundreds of new and retro games for download, most for $10 or less. It's expected that the new version will include the convenience of an HDMI port (one cable for video and sound) first found only on the Elite Xbox 360 but later included on other models. Also, the package will apparently include five free Arcade downloads. But, beyond that, and a price of $279.99, it's unknown what else will be included in the box -- though we wouldn't be surprised if the controller loses its umbilical cord.

(Check out how the new system fits into the existing lineup of 360 consoles.)

From Team Xbox

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Online Scam Targets Xbox Users

by Tim Stevens, posted Sep 13th 2007 at 9:21AM

Is there no place safe from hackers? According to Microsoft, scammers have taken their game to the Xbox Live online service. Users on Xbox forums have reported receiving questionable e-mails that were made to look as if they were sent from Microsoft Support. The e-mails attempt to trick people into updating their Xbox Live subscriptions with a credit card through a fake site that's an exact copy of Microsoft's Passport secure login page. This practice of tricking people into providing sensitive personal info is known as phishing, and is becoming increasingly common on the Internet -- though this is the first case we've seen of an online gaming service being used as the trap.

Here's an example of one of the fake e-mails:

Subject: Changes To Your Xbox Live Account

From: Xbox Support [support@passport.xbox.com]

Email body:

Dear Xbox Live User,

We have made many changes to everyone's Xbox Live account, and we would like you to check out the new features! You can check out the new features by click on the link below to login and check them out!

Please check out your new features to your Xbox Live account!

https://www.xbox.com/signin/

However, clicking on that link actually took you to a cloned site not run by Microsoft. Users were directed to enter in their Live usernames, passwords, and and also their credit card info. Once they clicked submit the info was in the hands of the phishers and who knows what they may be doing with it. Whatever it is, it won't be good.

So, add another entry to our list of top 5 e-mail scams, another example that you need to be careful of what you click on.

From Next-Generation

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'Family Guy' Arrives on Xbox Live

by Tim Stevens, posted Aug 30th 2007 at 12:26PM

'Family Guy' -- the show that just wouldn't die despite Fox canceling it twice -- is spreading some love in the gamer community with the complete first and second seasons set to debut for download on Microsoft's Xbox Live service on Monday. The straight-to-DVD film 'Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story' will also be available. Each episode will be able to be downloaded and purchased for 160 MS points (roughly $2), which is comparable to the average cost of a video download on iTunes -- though with the added benefit of being playable directly to your TV (assuming you own an Xbox 360, of course).

Given that you can buy the boxed set of all 28 first and second season episodes on DVD for around $40 at many places, this isn't exactly a steal. That said, the Xbox 360 is quickly becoming the game console for cartoon watching adult men, with episodes of 'South Park,' 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force' and 'Robot Chicken' also available.

Growing up is overrated, anyway ...

From I4U News

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Watch Disney Movies on Your Xbox 360

by Tom Samiljan, posted Jul 11th 2007 at 12:11PM

Last night at a press conference kicking off the E3 gaming conference, Microsoft added Disney to the increasingly growing list of content providers for its movie, TV-show, and video download service on Xbox Live. This means that users can now download movies such as 'Tarzan,' 'The Emperor's New Groove,' 'The Queen,' 'Bridge to Terabithtia,' and others-- all in HD -- to their Xbox 360s.

Now, before you get too excited, know this: Some of the big classics like 'Dumbo,' 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,' and 'The Lion King' aren't available on the Xbox Live Marketplace just yet, but the announcement further solidifies the Xbox 360 as a jack-of-all-trades media device that can truly live in the center of your home entertainment set-up.

In fact, if you're looking for pay-per-view rental movies in HD, your best bet is probably the Xbox 360. Right now, it's got a better offering of on-demand movie titles in high-def than any of the cable providers (Microsoft is saying twice as many as the nearest competing cable provider). In fact, many of the releases -- second-tier though they may be -- are at least within the new DVD window, which means they're the same new titles you could rent at your local Blockbuster.

For more on last night's Microsoft gaming announcements, check out the E3 coverage on Joystiq and Engadget, as well as some of the Switched E3 posts below.

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D.I.Y. Xbox Live Game Contest

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Jun 22nd 2007 at 3:29PM

Bad news for AMD and Intel: Microsoft has teamed up with another chip maker for its next endeavor, and that chip maker is Doritos. The two companies are running a contest in which users submit Doritos-themed video-game ideas. Submissions will be accepted through July 29th, after which Doritos and Xbox 360 developers will choose five finalists. The finalists will work with the developers to produce beta versions of their games, which will then be put up on Xbox Live for users to vote on. The winning game gets turned into a full-fledged Xbox Live game that will be available for six months.

Don't feel too bad for the losing finalists, though. For their troubles, each finalist (including the winner) gets a prize package that includes a 42-inch plasma TV, an Xbox 360 Elite, a home theater system and a host of games.

This sounds like a great idea, and a really interesting new area to expand user-generated content to. There's just one thing we can't figure out -- why in the hell Doritos needs a video game in the first place?

Submit your ideas here.

From BetaNews

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Make TV for the Xbox

by Tim Stevens, posted Apr 19th 2007 at 7:55AM

It seems Microsoft isn't content just distributing other peoples' television shows via its Xbox Live Marketplace, which enables users to download movies and episodes straight to their Xbox 360. Now the tech giant wants to start making its own TV programs, and it's hoping you can help through a contest called called Xbox Live Originals.

How does it work? Through June 29, would-be TV hot-shots can submit their 5-15 minute pilot episodes of whatever show they've created. For a small fee of $15 (waived if you still have that ratty student ID kicking around!), Microsoft's public relations crew will review your entry. If your pilot selected as a finalist, you can expect to see it posted online for all Xbox owners around the world to download. Go all the way by winning and you'll nab yourself a $100,000 contract to produce six more episodes. That's not exactly one-million-per-episode Friends cast kind of money, but it's enough to throw together something worth watching, and maybe even enough to make you a star...amongst Xbox gamers, anyway. (For a list of rules, go here.)

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