Xbox network facts for kids
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| Developer | Microsoft |
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| Type | Online service |
| Launch date | November 15, 2002 |
| Platform(s) | Xbox (Servers shut down on April 15, 2010) Xbox 360 Xbox One Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S Windows XP – Windows 7 as (Games for Windows – Live) Windows 8/8.1/10/11 as (Microsoft Store/Xbox App) Windows Phone(Servers shut down on May 16, 2022) iOS Android |
| Status | Active |
| Members | 120 million (as of January 2023) |
The Xbox network, once known as Xbox Live, is an online service made by Microsoft for its Xbox gaming consoles. It lets you play games with other people online and download digital content like movies and apps.
This service first launched for the original Xbox on November 15, 2002. Later, updated versions were released for the Xbox 360 in 2005 and the Xbox One in 2013. The newest consoles, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, use the same service. Your Microsoft account is linked to the Xbox network, storing your games and other content.
In 2007, the service came to Windows computers as Games for Windows – Live, but that version is no longer active. Now, the Xbox app connects your PC gaming to the Xbox world. You can also use it on mobile phones and Android or iOS devices as part of the Play Anywhere program. The original Xbox network service for the first Xbox console stopped working on April 15, 2010.
The Xbox network offers both a free service and a paid subscription called Xbox Game Pass Core. In 2021, Microsoft changed the name from Xbox Live to "Xbox network" to include all its Xbox-related services. They slowly removed the "Live" name until it was completely gone in 2023.
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Where You Can Use Xbox Network
The Xbox network is available in 42 countries around the world.
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'*' = Countries where the Xbox Network and Store are available, but the store uses US dollars instead of local money.
If you live in a country not officially supported, you might still be able to use Xbox network. You would need to provide an address in a supported country. The country you choose for your account affects what games and services you can access. In 2012, Microsoft added a tool that lets you change your account region and keep your Xbox network profile.
History of Xbox Network
Starting with the Original Xbox
When Microsoft was making the first Xbox console, they knew online gaming would be a huge part of it. They wanted to make sure the Xbox could handle intense online games. This meant the console needed a fast broadband connection and a hard drive to store games and extra content.
The Xbox launched on November 15, 2001. The online service, which didn't have a name yet, was planned for summer 2002. At E3 2002, the service was fully revealed and named Xbox Live. It officially launched on November 15, 2002, exactly one year after the Xbox console.
Xbox Live offered cool features like a single "Friends List" for all games and built-in voice chat with a headset. Before it launched, Microsoft had people test the service to make it better. By July 2004, Xbox Live had 1 million online users, and by July 2005, it had grown to 2 million.
Growing Over Time
On November 15, 2007, Xbox Live celebrated its 5th birthday. Microsoft gave a free game, Carcassonne, to its 8 million members. They also gave 500 free Microsoft Points to gamers who had been members since the very beginning.
In February 2010, Microsoft announced that Xbox Live had reached 23 million members. On the same day, they shared that support for the original Xbox would end on April 15, 2010. This meant online play for original Xbox games would stop, even if you played them on an Xbox 360.
In August 2010, Microsoft increased the price of Xbox Live Gold in some countries. The free service, previously called Xbox Live Silver, was renamed to just "Xbox network" for the free features.
By February 2013, Xbox Live had grown to 46 million members. In June 2014, Microsoft changed things so you no longer needed an Xbox Live Gold subscription to use streaming apps like Netflix or YouTube.
On December 25, 2014, both PlayStation Network and Xbox Live faced problems due to a cyber attack. Services were mostly back to normal by December 28.
In 2019, it was announced that Xbox Live would become cross-platform. This means it would work on Android, iOS, and even Nintendo Switch devices. Microsoft also added Xbox Live Gold to its Xbox Game Pass program as part of a new Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
Changing the Name
On January 22, 2021, Microsoft planned to increase the prices for Xbox Live Gold subscriptions. However, after many complaints from the Xbox community, they quickly changed their minds on the same day. The prices stayed the same.
In March 2021, Microsoft officially announced that they would rename Xbox Live to "Xbox network." This new name would cover all services related to Xbox, not just the online gaming part. Xbox Live Gold kept its name to show it was still the paid subscription. Microsoft also said that free-to-play games on Xbox consoles would no longer require a paid subscription to play online.
By January 2021, Microsoft reported that there were over 100 million Xbox users.
Your Xbox Network Profile
Gamertag
A Gamertag is your unique username on the Xbox network. It can have numbers, letters, and spaces. You can change your Gamertag for free the first time. After that, there's a small fee.
You can check if a Gamertag is available online. Once you have a Gamertag, other players can find and message you on the network.
Gamertags also have profile pictures called "gamer pictures." On Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, you can even upload your own custom images through the Xbox app, after they are approved by Xbox.
Gamerscore
Your Gamerscore (G) is a points system that shows how many achievements you've earned on Xbox. You get Achievement points for completing challenges in games. This could be finishing a level, winning a certain number of online matches, or other in-game tasks.
Most Xbox 360 games originally offered up to 1,000 Gamerscore points. Xbox Live Arcade games usually had 200 points. Game developers can also add more points later through downloadable content.
In March 2008, Microsoft took action against "Gamerscore cheaters." These were players who used special tools to unfairly increase their Gamerscore. Microsoft reset their scores to zero and marked their Gamertags as "Cheater."
The Gamerscore system led to many websites being created to help gamers find tips and tricks for earning achievements.
On March 13, 2014, a gamer known as "Stallion83" became the first person to reach 1 million Gamerscore points!
Gamecard
Your Gamecard is a quick summary of your Xbox network profile. It shows important information like:
- Your Gamertag
- Your Gamer picture
- Your Reputation (only on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S if you often break rules)
- Your Gamerscore
- The recent games you've played
You can see your Gamecard through your Xbox console, the Xbox app, or on Xbox.com.
TrueSkill Ranking System
TrueSkill is a system used to rank players and help them find fair matches in online games. It was first used on the Xbox 360's Live service. This system helps new players get ranked correctly quickly.
When you play online, TrueSkill tries to match you with players who have a similar skill level. This makes games more competitive and fun. For example, if two players have the same skill level, they should each have about a 50% chance of winning.
To prevent people from cheating the system, most ranked games have limited options for matchmaking. This makes it harder for players to easily play with their friends in ranked games. However, you can still play "Player Matches" which are unranked and allow players of any skill level to play together. These matches don't affect your TrueSkill rating.
Microsoft Store
The Microsoft Store is where you can buy digital games and other content for your Xbox. It launched in 2017 for the Xbox One. You can access it on your console, on the Xbox website, or through its own website. It offers games from all Xbox generations, plus movies, TV shows, and apps for music or streaming.
Xbox 360 Stores
The Xbox Games Store (formerly Xbox Live Marketplace) was the digital store for the Xbox 360. It offered free and paid content like Xbox Live Arcade games, demos, game add-ons (like extra maps), trailers, gamer pictures, and themes.
In November 2006, Microsoft also launched Microsoft Movies & TV (formerly Xbox Video Marketplace) for the Xbox 360. This allowed users to download high-definition and standard-definition TV shows and movies.
Xbox Play Anywhere
Xbox Play Anywhere is a cool service that lets you play certain games on both your Xbox console and your Windows 10 PC. If you buy a supported game digitally from the Microsoft Store for your Xbox One, you can also download and play it on your Windows 10 PC (with the Anniversary Update or newer) at no extra cost. It works the other way around too!
This service also lets you keep your game saves, achievements, and downloadable content synced between your Xbox and PC. So, you can start a game on your console and continue it on your computer exactly where you left off.
In March 2019, Microsoft announced that they would bring Xbox network features to iOS and Android mobile devices. They also looked into bringing this to the Nintendo Switch.
History of Play Anywhere
Play Anywhere was first known as Live Anywhere. It was a plan to bring the Xbox network to many Microsoft devices, including Xbox consoles, Windows PCs, and Windows Phone. While a mobile version was shown in 2006, it didn't fully launch then.
On February 15, 2010, Microsoft announced its new mobile operating system, Windows Phone. Windows Phone 7 and Windows Mobile 10 included full Xbox Live features. However, Windows Phone has since been stopped.
At E3 2016 on June 14, 2016, Play Anywhere was officially announced and launched on September 13, 2016.
Xbox Game Pass Core
| Developer | Microsoft |
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| Type | Premium online service |
| Platform(s) | Xbox 360 Xbox One Xbox Series X/S |
Xbox Game Pass Core, which used to be called Xbox Live Gold, is a paid subscription service for the Xbox network. While signing up for the Xbox network is free, you need a Game Pass Core subscription to play online multiplayer games that are not free-to-play. Other features like recording gameplay and sharing media also require this subscription.
However, as of April 2021, you no longer need a Game Pass Core subscription to play free-to-play games online or to use party chat on Xbox consoles. Subscribers also get storage space on Xbox servers and sometimes early access to game betas or special offers.
On September 14, 2023, Xbox Live Gold was replaced by Xbox Game Pass Core. It offers the same benefits, but the "Games with Gold" program was stopped. Instead, Game Pass Core subscribers get a changing selection of games from Xbox Game Pass, starting with over 25 games.
Games with Gold (Discontinued)
Games with Gold was a program that gave free digital games to Xbox Live Gold subscribers. It started for the Xbox 360 in July 2013, and Xbox One games were added in June 2014. After October 2022, Games with Gold stopped offering Xbox 360 games.
Games downloaded through this program on Xbox 360 were yours to keep forever. However, Xbox One Games with Gold titles only worked as long as you had an active Gold subscription. If your subscription ended, you couldn't play those games anymore. All Xbox 360 Games with Gold titles became playable on Xbox One through backwards compatibility. The Games with Gold service ended in September 2023.
Xbox Programs
"Xbox Ambassadors" are Xbox network members chosen by Microsoft. They are known for being helpful and ready to assist new Xbox users with their questions.
"Microsoft Rewards" is a program that gives Xbox network members Reward Points. You can earn these points by completing Game Pass goals or buying things from the Microsoft Store. You can then use these points for rewards.
Xbox Network Security
Microsoft uses different security measures to keep the Xbox network safe. One way they do this is by making sure that only Xbox consoles that haven't been changed can access their service. For example, on May 17, 2007, Microsoft banned consoles with modified software from Xbox Live. This was done to keep the service fair and protect users.
In early November 2009, Microsoft banned about 1 million consoles with modified software from Xbox Live.
On December 25, 2014, both PlayStation Network and Xbox Live experienced network problems because of a cyber attack. Services were mostly back to normal by December 28.
Original Xbox Live Shutdown
Xbox Live for the first Xbox console was officially stopped by Microsoft on April 15, 2010. Microsoft encouraged gamers to upgrade to the Xbox 360. However, some users found ways to keep playing even after the official shutdown date. A small group of 14 users famously kept playing Halo 2 until May 11, 2010.
The "Noble 14"
The Noble 14 were a group of 14 users who continued to play Halo 2 online for weeks after the official Xbox Live shutdown for the original Xbox. They played custom games together, trying to stay online for as long as possible. An Xbox spokesperson even praised them for their dedication.
The last 12 users were offered Halo: Reach Beta Codes and had their Xbox Live memberships extended by Microsoft. Eventually, only two users, "Agent Windex" and "Apache N4SIR," remained. Agent Windex was disconnected on May 10, leaving Apache N4SIR as the very last player. Apache N4SIR was finally disconnected on May 11, after playing for many hours.
Images for kids
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The first Xbox Live logo, used from 2002 until 2010
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The second Xbox Live logo, used from 2005 until 2013
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The third Xbox Live logo, used from 2013 until 2021
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Xbox Play Anywhere logo
