Xbox Live

Xbox 360 gamers actually social butterflies

Microsoft's latest software update that brought with it Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm, the Zune Marketplace and Sky Player in the UK is turning their gamers into social butterflies according to the latest figures released by the company.

Microsoft has said that over...

Xbox 360's Xtival weekend returns

Microsoft has announced that its Xbox festival - Xtival - will be returning in late November. Running across 27 to 29 November - Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - the festival is a celebration of gaming, movies and music that takes place on Xbox Live.

For the duration...

Banned Xbox 360s flood e-commerce sites

If you're thinking about picking up a second-hand Xbox 360 in the next couple of months, be very careful. As a result of the mass banning of about 3% of the console's userbase from Xbox Live, many unlucky gamers are attempting to offload their consoles through eBay, Gumtree...

Microsoft cuts off Xbox 360 hackers

It's believed that up to 600,000 gamers may have been cut off from Microsoft's Xbox Live online gaming service because they're running modded consoles that can play pirated games.

Microsoft has confirmed that "a small percentage" of Xbox's 20 million users had...

Sky Player arrives on Xbox 360

Ladies and gentlemen, Sky Player for Xbox 360 is finally here. The service, which allows you to access on-demand streams of Sky content and live broadcasting, has been long-trailed (see our coverage here, here, here and here), but has now arrived and should be accessible...

Xbox 360 Dashboard preview program reopens

Microsoft has, just like earlier in the year, offered its users the chance to take a look at the forthcoming dashboard upgrade a little early in the hope of getting rid of any bugs that testers might not have spotted.

The next version of the dashboard will have,...

Zune HD goes on sale in the US

The Microsoft Zune HD is now available in the States, while an update for the Zune PC software has also now been released.

For the first time, both standard and high-def movies can be purchased or rented through the Zune Marketplace online store, while a new...

Facebook and Twitter for Xbox Live need Gold membership

It's been revealed, in the footnote of the press release announcing the Xbox 360 price cut, that the forthcoming Facebook and Twitter applications for the console will require a Gold subscription - which is already required for playing games online.

A Microsoft...

Xbox Live gets new features Tuesday

UK Xbox gamers will be getting a string of new features on the game console on tuesday Microsoft has said.

"There will be a mandatory Xbox LIVE Service update on 11 August 2009. The update will occur automatically when you start your Xbox 360," Microsoft said...

Xbox LIVE update preview program announced

Microsoft has announced that it is accepting applications for the Xbox 360 update preview program as part of a testing process before the update goes live later this year.

As with previous schemes, the Xbox team is asking those interested in being a beta tester...

1 vs 100 announced for Xbox LIVE

Xbox has announced that the beta test of quiz show "1 vs 100" will come to Xbox LIVE in the UK on 10 July.

Claiming to deliver "the first truly interactive game show experience straight to the living room" it will be a regularly scheduled show that "puts players...

Xbox LIVE: Last.fm, HD Zune Video, LIVE Party

Microsoft has announced new Xbox LIVE features that are designed to make the Xbox 360 the central focus of your living room entertainment set-up.

Flinging itself headlong into the streaming music market, Last.fm will offer Xbox LIVE subscribers access to...

Microsoft: Zune to be more than just an MP3 player

Microsoft has announced what it claims is the "evolution" of the Zune MP3 player into a brand, as it tries to move the offering away from being just a personal music player.

The news opens up the possibility of a much rumoured Zune phone, as well as the...

Xbox announces Pathe movies for LIVE

Xbox has added a new studio partner to its LIVE movie download service with the news that Warner Bros-owned Pathe films will be available for rental.

A "variety of cutting-edge and locally UK-produced films" will see titles like "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The...

Xbox LIVE Xtival '09 announced

Xbox has announced "Xtival" is back for another 72 hours of "uninterrupted entertainment live in your living room" from 1st to the 4 May.

As most Xboxers will know, Xtival is a 3-day "festival" of gaming, movies and music that takes place entirely on Xbox LIVE.

Amazon launches Xbox LIVE store

In the States, Amazon has launched the Amazon Xbox LIVE store in beta, the first time that codes for downloading Xbox LIVE games have been available from a retailer.

As you would imagine from the name, the store offers US consumers the chance to purchase and...

Halo and Gears of War add-ons lead Xbox Live DLC line-up

Microsoft has announced that exclusive add-ons for the Halo and Gears of War franchises will be headlining Xbox Live's DLC line-up for the spring.

On 31 March, the Snowblind map pack will give Gears of War 2 gamers the chance to explore four new winter-themed...

Guitar Hero: Metallica demo launched on Xbox Live

Rockers waiting to get their hands on Guitar Hero Metallica can get a sneak peek today, as a four song demo has been released on Xbox Live Marketplace.

Available for free download from today, the demo includes two Metallica favourites "Sad But True" and "Seek...

Hasbro Family Game Night launches on Xbox Live

EA has launched the Hasbro Family Game Night destination on Xbox Live Arcade, which will allow players to access digital versions of some of the most-loved family board games.

Fans will be able to play games such as Scrabble (available in the US and Canada only),...

Midnight Club DLC accidentally released

The Xbox Marketplace team made a bit of a mistake on Wednesday and released downloadable content for Midnight Club: Los Angeles before it was ready.

However, Xbox has advised any gamer that was quick enough to get their hands on it for the brief time it was...

New Avatar clothes update is bit well-to-do

Microsoft has so far been pretty good at keeping Xbox Avatars in nice new clothes, and the biggest bonus is that they've all been completely free.

Another update today sees a number of difference items being added to Avatar closets for you to try on for size.

Microsoft to increase Xbox Live Friends limit

Microsoft executive Aaron Greenberg has said that plans are in the pipeline to up the number of Friends you can have on Xbox Live.

"I can't commit to when that will happen, but that is something we want to do", he said in a recent interview.

"It's...

Fable II "Knothole Island" DLC coming 13 January

Lionhead Studios has announced it will be releasing new DLC for Fable II on 13 January.

Senior programmer Jonathan Shaw and fellow members of the team hint at what we can expect from the new episode in the latest instalment of Lionhead Studios' video diary.

EA and Hasbro to launch games channel on Xbox Live

EA is set to launch its own gaming channel on Xbox Live, in association with Hasbro.

Family board game favourites such as Scrabble, Boggle, Battleship, Yahtzee, Connect Four and Sorry! will be available to play on the channel under the Hasbro Family Game Night...

Gen2Media launches independent music content on Xbox Live

Gen2Media Corporation has announced it is to showcase independent music content on Xbox Live.

e360live.com on Xbox Live will feature the "best classic original programming" from all music genres, from both independent and up and coming artists. There will also...