Xbox Live Hits a New High

Microsoft's online strategy pays off in a big way.

Microsoft and Sony have taken wholly divorced paths through online console gaming. Sony's do-as-you-please strategy is diametrically opposed to Microsoft's do-as-we-say approach. But the latter is working well for both Microsoft and third-party publishers.

New figures from Microsoft reveal that more than 1.4 million people are playing games through the Xbox Live network. Publisher support is an important factor in the success of Xbox Live and there are already more than 200 online-enabled games. There is one stand-out title, though: Halo 2.

Since its debut in early November, Halo 2 has sold more than 6.4 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling Xbox game to date. Halo 2 is also the most popular game on Xbox Live, with gamers spending an average of 90 minutes per session playing the game. In total, Halo 2 has been played online for more than 90 million hours between November and January.

And that's not all. Microsoft is working on several big games for 2005 that will support the service, including driving sim Forza Motorsport and the Xbox conversion of Doom 3.

Not everyone can play such complex games, though, which is why Microsoft created Xbox Live Arcade. This allows you to download games that provide a more immediate return, such as '80s arcade classic Ms Pac-Man and the dangerously addictive puzzle game Bejeweled.

The impressive growth of Xbox Live is down to the overall experience, though. As Cameron Ferroni, general manager of Xbox Live, put it: "The Xbox Live community has an insatiable appetite for riveting, connected and social game experiences."

And that's exactly what Microsoft intends to give them.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games