Xbox Live

Xbox Live Gold

Xbox Live Gold is a paid subscription service for the Xbox community. Signing up to Xbox Live is free, but, with the exception of the Windows 10 version, in order to play online and access some core services, a recurring subscription fee is required. Features that require a Gold subscription include online gaming, matchmaking/smartmatch, private chat, party chat and in-game voice communication. Other features, such as game recording and media sharing also necessitate Gold membership. Similarly, ordinary Xbox Live members can download and access the Twitch live streaming application, but in order to broadcast gameplay of one’s own, a Gold subscription is necessary. Free-to-play titles also remain behind a paywall. Subscribers are benefited with space «in the cloud» for storing files, and granted early or exclusive access to betas, special offers, Games with Gold, and Video Kinect.

Games with Gold

Games with Gold is a program in which digital downloads of games are offered at no charge to Gold subscribers. Games with Gold launched for Xbox 360 in July 2013, while Xbox One games were added in June 2014. Xbox 360 receives a game twice per month, while Xbox One receives two games once per month. Games downloaded through the program on Xbox 360 are free to own with no further restrictions. Xbox One Games with Gold titles require an active Gold subscription in order to use, and become locked and unplayable if the subscription lapses. As of November 2015, all Games with Gold titles for Xbox 360 are backwards compatible on Xbox One.

Порядок регистрации

1. На консоли в главном меню выбирается раздел «Xbox Live» и нажимается «регистрация в xbox live». Появится предупреждение о том, что подключение к службе требует завершения работы с консолью. Перед процедурой надо игру закрыть, если она активна. Нажимается «Да».   

2. При условии, что сетевые настройки выполнены корректно, то появится окно с приветствием.  Нажимается кнопка «Продолжить». В окно с клавиатурой вводится тег игрока, ник в системе. 

3. После выбора тега появляется окно с Windows Live ID идентификатором пользователя., а в верхнем углу — созданный аккаунт. Система с помощью Windows Live ID привязывает его к электронной почте, если почтовый адрес расположен на следующих серверах: Xbox.com, Zune, Passport Networ, Hotmail.com. Нажимается «Да» и вводится в окне пароль и адрес электронной почты – они необходимы для того, чтобы войти в свой аккаунт на Xbox Live. 

Если аккаунта на данных почтовых серверах нет, то нажимается «Нет, создать». Открывается список стран, где России нет, но пользователь может выбрать, например, США. Дальше ставится дата рождения и язык. Нажимается «Далее» и вводится адрес своей электронной почты. После этого придумывается пароль и секретный вопрос. Нажимается «Далее». Вводится ФИО латиницей (можно не настоящие) и номер телефона (не менее 10 символов). Нажимается «Далее». Принимается лицензионное соглашение с Microsoft — такое окно появится,  если все сделано правильно.    

После этого должны прийти 2 письма: одно — приветственное и второе с требованием подтверждения запроса на вхождение в аккаунт. Для подтверждения открывается почтовый ящик с использованием ПК. В окне вводится адрес электронной почты и для входа в аккаунт пароль. Все: новый Windows Live ID создан, а почтовый ящик активирован.  

4. Предстоит выбрать вид членства (серебряный или золотой аккаунт) в сервисе Xbox Live. Нажимается «Оставить серебряное». Появляется окно с сообщением о месяце бесплатного Gold Membership. Нажимается «Продолжить». 

5. Вводится собственный адрес в следующем окне, для этого выбирается другая страна, поскольку России в нем нет. Главное, чтобы адрес существовал реально, для чего в поле поиска Yandex, Google и т. д. вводится address in USA (England). Нажимается «Далее».

6.В новом окне выбирается аватар для своего тега. Нажимаеся «Выбрать». 

7. Выборается игровая зона (их всего четыре). Все, регистрация завершена.

Programs

The «Game with Fame» initiative has been Microsoft’s way to connect Xbox Live members with celebrities and game developers. Notable participants of «Game with Fame» include Shia LaBeouf, Jack Black, Rihanna, Velvet Revolver, Victoria Justice, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Scissor Sisters, Paramore, Korn, OK Go, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Dream Theater, Linkin Park, Green Day and Insane Clown Posse.

«Xbox Ambassadors» are Xbox Live members selected by Microsoft who have proven themselves to be helpful towards others, and are willing to assist new Xbox Live users and answer their questions. As of March 2009, there are ambassadors representing 18 countries in more than 30 languages.

«Xbox Rewards» was a promotion designed to provide gamers incentives to play on Xbox Live by subsidizing achievement points earned with actual rewards. Gamers were required to register for specific challenges which, if successfully completed, would yield a challenge-specific reward.

«Xbox Live Rewards» is a current promotion providing Xbox Live members with Reward Points (not to be confused with the defunct Microsoft Points) when they renew their Gold Membership, buy something on the Marketplace, etc.

«Xbox Live Labs» was a program found in the community section and was available from March 10 to 27, 2011 for members in the United States. If a player chose to participate, they were rewarded with avatar items and 3 zero-point achievements.[citation needed]

Availability

Xbox Live is available in 42 territories.

Users from other countries are not officially supported, although it is possible for them to access Xbox Live if they provide an address located in a country where Xbox Live is officially available. The country selected during account creation affects the payment options, content, and services available to the user. Previously, users were unable to change their account region, but in October 2012, Microsoft introduced an account migration tool as a pilot project, which allows the user to change their region and maintain their Xbox Live profile. Subscriptions, such as that for Xbox Music, cannot be transferred with this method.

On May 18, 2011, Microsoft announced that it planned to launch Xbox Live in the Middle East within the next twelve months, but it never occurred during that time period. However, on October 20, 2012, Microsoft officially announced the service will be launching in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in three days time.
On November 4, Microsoft announced that the service would be launched on November 29 in Argentina and Israel. The service also appeared in the following month in Slovakia and Turkey. The service was launched in China in late 2014.[citation needed]

Xbox Games Store

Xbox Games Store (formerly Xbox Live Marketplace) is a unified storefront which offers both free and premium content for download including Xbox Live Arcade titles, Xbox indie games, original Xbox games, Xbox 360 game demos, game expansion material (e.g. extra maps, vehicles, songs), trailers, gamer pictures and themes, television shows, music videos, movie rentals, Apps and games and more.

On November 17, 2009, Microsoft released a downloadable Zune application for the Xbox 360. This application turns the Xbox 360 into a Zune device. Once one downloads the Zune application, it takes over the Marketplace menus and sections of the console. With the addition of the Zune Marketplace to a Xbox 360 console, one is able to purchase movies instead of only being able to rent them. The Zune Marketplace has a much more extensive content offering compared to the classic Xbox Live Marketplace.

Подписка

Доступ к сервису Xbox Live может быть предоставлен в двух вариантах: по подписке Xbox Live Free и по подписке Xbox Live Gold. Подписка Xbox Live Free бесплатна и доступна с момента регистрации профиля,так же в ней нет раздачи бесплатных игр полной версии, приобретая диск с игрой будет игра полной версии. Так же в ней запрещена многопользовательская игра! Подписка Xbox Live Gold является платной, и в ней присутствует бесплатная раздача полных версий игр раз в месяц по одной бесплатной игре.и разрешена многопользовательская игра

Цены на подписку Xbox Live Gold

Live Anywhere

Live Anywhere is an initiative by Microsoft to bring the Live online gaming and entertainment network to a wide variety of platforms and devices, including Xbox, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows (XP SP2/SP3, Vista and ), Windows Phone, Java-based phones and Zune. The concept service for mobile devices has been demonstrated at E3 and CES on a Motorola Q mobile phone.

Microsoft’s Chris Early clarified that Live Anywhere is a long-term project expected to be rolled out over several years.

On February 15, 2010, Microsoft announced its new mobile operating system, Windows Phone. With Windows Phone 7, Microsoft has integrated full Xbox Live functionality into Windows Phone.

Microsoft announced in March 2019 that it would be providing Xbox Live SDKs for iOS and Android mobile devices, allowing developers on those platforms to integrate most services of Xbox Live into their applications and games. Microsoft also stated that they are looking to bring this functionality to the Nintendo Switch, anticipating this to be a post-launch feature for the Switch port of Cuphead.

Xbox Video

On November 6, 2006, Microsoft announced the Xbox Video (formerly Xbox Video Marketplace), an exclusive video store accessible through the console. Launched in the United States on November 22, 2006, the first anniversary of the Xbox 360’s launch, the service allows users in the United States to download high-definition and standard-definition television shows for purchase and movies for rental onto an Xbox 360 console for viewing. With the exception of short clips, content is not currently available for streaming, and must be downloaded. Movies are available for rental from the Video Marketplace. They expire in 14 days after download or at the end of the first 24 hours after the movie has begun playing, whichever comes first. Television episodes can be purchased to own, and are transferable to an unlimited number of consoles. Downloaded files use 5.1 surround audio and are encoded using VC-1 for video at 720p, with a bitrate of 6.8 Mbit/s. Television content is offered from MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, Turner Broadcasting and CBS; and movie content is Warner Bros., Paramount and Disney, along with other publishers.

Security

Microsoft implements a number of different security measures on its Xbox Live service. One of these takes the form of a proactive security check that assures that only unmodified machines may access their service. On May 17, 2007, Microsoft banned consoles with modified firmware from Xbox Live. According to Microsoft, consoles with firmware of unknown origin, quality or intent were banned permanently from Xbox Live. A Microsoft representative indicated that the action was taken to assure «the integrity of the service and protect our partners and users.»

It has been discovered that pretexting has been used to impersonate an Xbox Live user for sabotage. Microsoft has implemented greater security to decrease the service’s susceptibility to social engineering.

In early November 2009 Microsoft banned approximately 1 million consoles with modified firmware from Xbox Live.

In October 2011, users of Xbox Live reported having unauthorized access to their Xbox Live accounts, with Microsoft points subsequently being used and/or bought to purchase various in-game items for FIFA 12. Microsoft is responding to such incidents by restricting access to the account for 25 days whilst the fraud team investigates. Both EA and Microsoft have denied that there is a problem with security.

On December 25, 2014, both PlayStation Network and Xbox Live suffered network disruption after a denial-of-service attack. Functionality was restored on December 28, with some users experiencing difficulties in the days that followed.