8 million people now on Xbox Live

360 News | Free Xbox Live Arcade game for those members.

Following the earlier announcement that Xbox 360 owners would soon be able to download original Xbox games to through th Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft Australia have revealed that more than eight million people all around the world have signed onto Xbox Live.

As a gesture of thanks to the Live community, all eight million members will have the opportunity to download a complimentary Xbox Live Arcade game between 7:01 p.m. EST on 15 November and 6:59 p.m. EST on 17 November. Microsoft Australia didn't confirm which title gamers will be able to download for free, but we hope it's something that's available at a premium price and available to both gold and silver users.

Microsoft also confirmed that Psychonauts will be one of the first Xbox originals that will be available for download on the marketplace. Andrew Jenkins, Xbox Product Marketing Manager, says, “Since its pioneering launch, Xbox Live has consistently lead the way in terms of innovative features and quality content. New services such as the ‘Xbox Originals’ demonstrate precisely why Xbox Live is – and will remain – the premiere online destination for console gamers.”

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25 Comments

GooberMan

4 years ago

That's awesome news.

IF YOUR XBOX HASN'T RED RINGED IN THE PAST WEEK.

Sigh.

ugh the boot

4 years ago

Now THIS is more like it...A free game for download tomorrow! Hell yea! I didn't really want to spend money on Streets of Rage 2 (have original) but with Xbox Live play it's too good to pass up!

This better be for any game aswell instead of Rally X or Dig Dug! Man the amount of crap on Xbox Live Arcade I really can't think of anything else i'd wanna get.

Karai Pantsu

4 years ago

The free game that we're getting is the same game that the rest of the world (except Korea, they get Hexic 2) are getting - Carcassonne. If it means anything at all, IMO the game is well worth playing.

Source - http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=30599

arbok

4 years ago

^^Cool Im happy about that!

I like board games - although Carcassonne is not my favourite one, I'll be glad to add this to my collection.

I'm sure Microsoft are giving this away, because Carcassonne will have a ridiculous number of expansions which they will make money off anyway.

Karai Pantsu

4 years ago

arbok wrote

I'm sure Microsoft are giving this away, because Carcassonne will have a ridiculous number of expansions which they will make money off anyway.

I reckon you've nailed it there - Capcom said that they planned on releasing all of the C expansions on to XBLA (they've already got two of them up there) which will obviously sell a hell of a lot more after the amount of users explodes tomorrow.

Sunrider

4 years ago

In regards to Psychonauts being downloadable, it's good to see Microsoft paying a little respect to a game they themselves canned.

ugh the boot

4 years ago

Is Carcassonne anything like Risk? If so cool, but even then we should be allowed to choose which game....in others words....this gesture is useless to me when it's a game I couldn't give a rats about!

Free Microsoft points should've been what people received.

Thanks again for nothing Microsoft.

critter2003

4 years ago

Apparently if you've been a live subscriber since 2002, you will also get 500 Microsoft points.

Kurupt

4 years ago

Does this include Xbox 1, or just 360?

Because if it's 8 million 360 owners, that like, 9/10ths of owners online.

ugh the boot

4 years ago

critter2003 wrote

Apparently if you've been a live subscriber since 2002, you will also get 500 Microsoft points.

Damn I would be a member since 2002 if Xbox Live let me transfer my original Xbox Live username across (ugh the boot), instead I had to settle for ugg the boot.

Deus Sceleris

4 years ago

Damn, i checked and i've only have Live for 3 years... Seems like a lot longer... But no, 2004... If only i knew i'd be getting $8.25 worth of gamepoints then, man, i probably still wouldn't have got it.

I really do wish they'd just give us 800 pts (what Carccassone costs right?) to spend, or hell, even the 500 pts would be nice; but a rfee game is a free game...

ohayes

4 years ago

in before 'how many people are gold members' comment

ugh the boot

4 years ago

Deus Sceleris wrote

I really do wish they'd just give us 800 pts (what Carccassone costs right?) to spend, or hell, even the 500 pts would be nice; but a rfee game is a free game...

Not really. What about those that have already paid for this? It's more like a slap in the face!

"Hahah! Didn't know we'd be offering it for free one day did you? Hahahah!"

It would be much nicer if everyone could benefit from this but instead only those that want this game will.....hardly satisfying anything close to the 8 million members who have given Microsoft their business which they seem to be so (un)grateful of. What's wrong with 500 points? Name 1 thing wrong with giving that out instead? Oh no people will spend it on a game they want! *shock, horror*

LeonJ

4 years ago

Karai Pantsu wrote

Er I already own this? Do I get another friggin free game?

ugh the boot

4 years ago

^ Exactly my point, here is a very happy xbox 360 owner and live subscriber and he's going "What about me?"

Passa

4 years ago

It's not as feasible for Microsoft just to let you choose what game you want for free. If that were the case, then a large majority of people might put the free 800 points towards the same game. The creators of this popular game didn't agree to give it away for free! They want people to buy their game of course, not use free points on it.

No doubt they had a chat to whoever developed Carcassonne and negotiated to have the game offered free, of course meaning that there would be renewed interest in buying additonal content for Carcassonne, so everyone was happy.

And really, this sort of thing happens all the time. I bought FEAR the day it came out. I loved every minute of it, the sp, the mp, it was great. Then one day Sierra came along and released FEAR Combat, essentially the entire MP component of the game for free. It flooded what was previously highly skilled and friendly community with rude and hopeless players. But at the end of the day, I got over the 'cheated' feeling and it wasn't such a big deal (especially now that the dust has sort of settled and the FEAR community left isn't too bad anymore).

Is this really any different to you buying a game from the store for $90, only to find out that six months later the game was selling for only $50? Not really, Carcassonne has been out for a few months now, and even then, it's only free for a day.

ugh the boot

4 years ago

^ Yea good point, but just because someone got something for free doesn't necessarily mean they would've spent money on it (which relates to the first post I made), but yea I get what you're saying. Also:

Quote

between 7:01 p.m. EST on 15 November and 6:59 p.m. EST on 17 November.

So i think it's free for a couple of days.

They should maybe have two games to choose from next time. If you own both....well then maybe you should slow down on the Xbox Live Arcade stuff.

LeonJ

4 years ago

ugh the boot wrote

^ Exactly my point, here is a very happy xbox 360 owner and live subscriber and he's going "What about me?"

Yes, it does suck. I wish I didn't buy this game now. Surely they can give me something else?

Kurupt

4 years ago

Deus Sceleris wrote

man, i probably still wouldn't have got it.

I lol'd.

Karai Pantsu

4 years ago

It isn't the first time I've said it, nor will it likely be the last, but damn gamers are a whingey lot. Not that I'm exempt from that or anything, but really - how about just be happy that there'll be more people to play against, or that you've now got this opportunity to play a (fantastic) game that you otherwise wouldn't have bought?

If they'd given out points instead you'd probably be complaining that they didn't give out enough...

(for the record, I bought Carcassonne not long after it launched on XBLA)

Lord Haart

4 years ago

From my understanding, MS owns the rights to all XBLA games. Meaning that a studio makes a game, then sells it to MS, who can then sell it on as they see fit.

Now, I like getting Casconi-thingy for free, but 500 points would've been nice as well. Hardly a "slap in the face" though.

Karai Pantsu wrote

damn gamers are a whingey lot

Not just gamers - it's us human beings in general

It's ridiculous - to use a quote off google, "There is not a shred of evidence in favour of the notion that life is serious."

We should stop criticising everything that happens - if life ain't all that serious, and I'm sure it isn't, then noone has any right complaining about a GAME.

/* end tongue-in-cheek rant */

Suetekh

4 years ago

GooberMan wrote

That's awesome news.

IF YOUR XBOX HASN'T RED RINGED IN THE PAST WEEK.

Sigh.

Believe me, I feel your pain right now

Skiller

4 years ago

Quote

“Since its pioneering launch, Xbox Live has consistently lead the way in terms of innovative features and quality content.”

Lead the way? How is doing what sony are already doing (selling PS1 games on PS3) leading the way? I call that trailing behind, especially if you count PCs too, and the Wii and it's virtual console. MS are clearly ignorant.

Not that this isn't great news tho

Eyce

4 years ago

Skiller wrote

Quote

“Since its pioneering launch, Xbox Live has consistently lead the way in terms of innovative features and quality content.”

Ummm how about the first fully-functioning downloadable game service, the best Online Features on a console this generation, plus downloadable videos?

It didn't just apply to their new announcement, you know.

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