Xbox LIVE

Xbox LIVE is Microsoft's online multiplayer subscription service used to play supported games via internet, using Xboxes as servers for multiplayer matches, instead of a dedicated server system. Xbox LIVE subscriptions run for about $50.00 (US) a year and $60.00 (Canada). In Australia, subscriptions are approximately $90.00 (AUS) for both Xbox and Xbox 360 and in New Zealand, 80-90 NZD depending on the retailer.

Originally released in November 2002, one year after the original release of the Xbox, Xbox LIVE was originally made popular by such games as Rainbow Six 3 and MechAssault. Over one million new users created accounts when Halo 2 was released, and it became the mainstay of Xbox LIVE, even with the onset of the Xbox 360. Usually the maximum number of players is 16 or less for original Xbox games.

Special Features
Besides multiplayer, Xbox LIVE can be used for downloading content such as new levels and maps. This feature is much more versatile on the 360 (you can download non-gaming files), because of Microsoft's push to make it a multimedia machine. All of Halo 2's Multiplayer Map Packs Maps can be downloaded for free. It is unlike PS2 online, just being multiplayer and nothing more, but you can download maps, missions, vehicles, weapons and more. Gamerpoints are achieved by unlocking "Achievements", which are awarded for accomplishments in the game.

Statistics
As of June 2006, players had spent over 2.3 billion hours playing over Xbox LIVE, a major portion of that time was spent on Halo 2, by far the most popular title on Xbox LIVE with 710 million hours spent on it alone, adding up to over five hundred million games. There were over six million unique players who used Xbox LIVE. By May 2007, that number rose to 5 million Halo 2 players on Xbox live, with 700 million total games of Halo 2 played on Xbox live (not including guests). By the beginning of 2008, Microsoft announced that they had over 11 million subscribers on Xbox LIVE.

Related Links
Internal External
 * Multiplayer
 * Halo 3 Beta
 * Xbox Live