4m people use Xbox Live

By Tom Bramwell Published 19 October, 2006

MS predicts 6m by June '07.

Over four million people now use Xbox Live in some form or other, Microsoft announced yesterday.

That figure almost certainly includes original Xboxen and Xbox Live Silver users as well as the more lucrative Xbox Live Gold subscriber base.

And Microsoft reckons it's on track for six million users by June 2007. "We openly welcome other console platforms to join us in [the online] space," it says, a bit mockingly.

Lovers of stats, the Microsoft PR machine also revealed that Xbox Live Arcade has seen 12 million downloads, with an average 24 percent download-to-purchase conversion rate (UNO is the most popular game, incidentally, with a 50 percent conversion rate).

And we were told that 70 percent of connected users are downloading content, and have been responsible for the download of over 70 million bits of downloadable content since the Xbox 360's launch.

Not only that, but nine million voice and text messages (recently joined by picture messages and video chat sessions) are pinging around every week.

Finally, the company said that since November 2002 when Xbox Live first came online with Xbox 1, users have cumulatively logged over two billion hours.

Then again, Microsoft faces some real tests in the future, with PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii's respective online services due to cost absolutely nothing to use.

Microsoft will be looking to an expanded first- and third-party exclusive schedule, including games like Gears of War, to help drive Xbox Live Gold uptake during this period - and install an Xbox 360 game at the top of the most-played-online table where, after all this time, Halo 2 still resides.

Should be interesting to watch.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (16) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • captainrentboy #1 5 years ago

    "We openly welcome other console platforms to join us in [the online] space,"
    Ohhh god,don't bite guys,don't bite,he was only jesting.This story doesn't need 4billion replies from Sony defenders all over Europe :)
    Although like it hinted I think MS might have to rethink their pricing policy for xbox live gold should Sony's free online service turn out to be an amazing lag free experience.
    Edited by 1 at 19/10/06 @ 08:25

  • BartonFink #2 5 years ago

    That's what we will get though crb they will be foaming and frothing ....

    But it's free etc etc .. ad nausium
    Edited by 1 at 19/10/06 @ 08:35

  • Steroyd #3 5 years ago

    Ok I'll go first.

    Give us the damn number of XBL Gold Subscrbers you PR hippies.
    I wanna know what percentage bother to play online.

    **edit**

    /froths and foams at the mouth
    Edited by 1 at 19/10/06 @ 08:54

  • fizzer25 #4 5 years ago

    I recently found a gold ac on ebay for £20 this over the cost of the year = 1.66 per month or approximately 38 pence per week or approximately 6 pence per day. I dont care if Sony's service is free of which I'm sceptical of anyway, remember the saying ya only get what ya pay for!! I can afford 6 pence per day for a service which I believe is genius and im saying this after only being a gold member for approximately 3 weeks!!!
    So MS ask you to pay for their service they aint a charity and ms users will have the best online interface of that im sure!!!!!!!

  • Baz_Dude #5 5 years ago

    Wow, its doubled since the 360 launch, not a bad effort really :)

  • Xerx3s #6 5 years ago

    My granny can scrap better than that!

  • Macross #7 5 years ago

    Yeah but your granny probably doesnt get sued if she tries to be really cheeky, or have to hire bodyguards to fend off the opposing fan-boy snipers :)

  • Inflatable #8 5 years ago

    My guess is the only game to beat Halo 2 as #1 on XBL will probably be Halo 3.. When that game comes out a lot of Halo 2 junkies will buy a Xbox 360 aswell, where atm they're all still on the old Xbox playing Halo 2..

    And it will be interesting to see what MS will do when Sony manages to pull of a XBL Gold clone for no charge at all.. I don't mind paying 60 euro a year for it atm, but it would always be welcome if they lowered the price or even made it free offcourse.. In the end it should be possible when the marketplace brings in enough money.. But first we have to see if Sony can really pull it off..

  • Nobuo #9 5 years ago

    "So MS ask you to pay for their service they aint a charity and ms users will have the best online interface of that im sure!!!!!!!"

    I thought the live interface was panned by critics? Too cluttered or something? Not that I've ever seen it myself.

    Anyway, since these figures include all the non-paying, just-having-a-look customers, not just the gold subscribers, I expect the free service of the PS3 and Wii to destroy these figures.

  • Turrican #10 5 years ago

    I still only play Halo 2 on Live. I think if I didn't have access to a PC and all the online gaming it encompasses, I'd probably try more Live online games. As it is, they need to be careful Sony don't pull the rug from under their feet. Suffice to say, MS will be watching Sony Online very carefully in the coming months.

  • Foxclose #11 5 years ago

    Pay for online content, NOT for online play! ;)
    Edited by 1 at 19/10/06 @ 14:16

  • Xerx3s #12 5 years ago

    4 Million isn't that much, but I'm fine with it. I don't care who has the most users as long as my online experience is great. And XBL gives me a great experience for 0,05 € a day, yes that won't even get you the tissue at your local McDonald's. Roll on the H3 days! \0/

  • Steroyd #13 5 years ago

    Anyway, since these figures include all the non-paying, just-having-a-look customers, not just the gold subscribers, I expect the free service of the PS3 and Wii to destroy these figures

    Sony could take the piss and include all the users who have used the Web Browser.

  • Drakron #14 5 years ago

    Why do they continue to not disclose the Gold subs figures?

    Because they dont want to tip off the likely fact that its likely the same percentage they had in the Xbox.

    Its easy to say 4 millions use live when the console comes with a build in modem and costs nothing to connect to live and use a silver account, however when it comes to people that actually play online (and pay for it) ...

  • TonyBlair #15 5 years ago

    @fizzer25

    Mine cost £15 a small price to pay can't be arsed with the maths but something like 20p a day tops cheaper than a Mars Bar my PS2 "experience" is as now a distant memory in retrospect I had more fun on my gamecube but it did have GTA and Pro Evo.

    I have some great games and Pro Evo next week am I happy or am I sad well let's put it this way I wish I wasn't as dismissive about the previous "Black Brick" and XBL it is rather wicked and will I get a PS3 wii no!



  • Sid-Nice #16 5 years ago

    3% of Xbox Live gamers play naked; we are hoping that this will rise with the introduction of Xbox Live Vision.

  • Downside #17 5 years ago

    This figure includes all the people who could be bothered to plug a cable in the back of their 360 and into their router.

    I think this says a lot about how bothered gamers are generally about online play, be it a XBOX, PS2, 360 or to come, PS3 and Wii.

    Which is to say...not much.

    Although a lot of early adopters of the PS3 will go online it's still a long way off until it's the first thing a gamer does when they unpack their new console.

    Just check the forums full of questions about how to get online because the user has a cable modem with a USB plug that goes into their PC and so what do their plug their console into..

    Until people get a proper (wireless?) router as a basic standard from a broadband provider, we are not going to see very high figures for online use.

    IMHO of course :)