What is Xbox Live?

As of today Xbox Live is the only online gaming service for video game consoles which charges a stipulated amount of fee for multiplayer gaming. Does paying for any such service really hold ground today - when the competition is at its all-time high and manufacturers are trying to get an edge over their competitors by slashing prices and coming up with newer concepts. In the following write-up, we will try to answer some FAQs about Xbox Live - right from what it is in the first place to how it is connected through a laptop, in a bid to clear all your doubts about this service.

What is Xbox Live?

Basically, Xbox Live is an online gaming cum content distribution service for Microsoft Xbox and Xbox 360 which allows users to download and play games, chat with other users and download digital media. Microsoft launched this service in 2002 for Microsoft Xbox. Eventually in 2005, it was followed by the launch of upgraded version of Xbox Live which was compatible to Microsoft Xbox 360. Further in 2007, the service was enhanced and made compatible to devices with Windows platform. By subscribing to this service, the users get to access voice chat, video chat, download content, play multiplayer Xbox 360 games with other online users, stream movies and do a lot more. That being said, not all these services are available unless you are willing to pay for them.

Xbox Live Gold

The paid subscription of this service that Microsoft has to offer is referred to as Xbox Live Gold. It is a complete package which consists of multiplayer online games and content download. If you intend to subscribe to Xbox Live Gold, you will have to resort to Xbox Live Gold Subscription Cards which are available for $7.99 (1 month), $19.99 (3 months) and $49.99 (1 year.) Yet another way is to upgrade your default Live membership to Gold membership online using a credit card. The exclusive features of Xbox Live Gold include multiplayer online gaming, multiplayer online tournaments, video chat, etc. Other than these features, the Gold subscription of Xbox Live also offers all the basic features which the free subscription Xbox Live Silver has to offer.

Xbox Live Silver

The free subscription, on the other hand, is referred to as Xbox Live Free or Xbox Live Silver. Though the manufacturer has switched the name of this free service from Xbox Live Silver to Xbox Live Free since October 2010, many people still prefer to call it by its former name. It allows the users to create an online gamer profile, chat (both voice and text) access Xbox Live Marketplace, etc. Even though the voice chat facility does exist, the user only gets to chat with one person at a time. Similarly, even though the Silver user can't resort to video chat, he can view the video of a member with Gold subscription.

As far as Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) is concerned, it is a video game download service within the Xbox Live Marketplace which allows the users to download smaller video games from independent game developers other than from major publishers. As of today, there are more than 300 Xbox Live Arcade games to choose from, all of which can be bought for anything between US$5-20. Some of the best Xbox Live Arcade games available today include Shadow Complex, Sonic the Hedgehog 4, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, etc