Xbox Live hits 2m user milestone

Microsoft has announced that its Xbox Live online gaming service now has two million members and insisted that transferring accounts from Xbox to its next-generation Xbox 360 system - of which Live is considered a core component - will be very simple.

The platform holder also drew attention to the fact that more than 20 million pieces of content have been downloaded to date.

"Reaching the two million member milestone in such a short time speaks volumes about the depth and vibrancy of the Xbox Live community," said Robbie Bach, senior vice president of the Home and Entertainment Division and chief Xbox officer at Microsoft.

"This enormous growth is a true testament to the compelling content and engaging experiences enabled through Xbox Live today. The service is inspired by the creative power of the individual and fuelled by the passion of a worldwide community," he said.

There are a few caveats to consider though - Microsoft has yet to clarify whether the 20 million downloads figure includes obligatory patches - known as "automatic updates" - that apply to games like Halo 2. The company has also yet to say whether the two-million-user figure includes people using the two-month-free subscription cards bundled with a large number of games recently.

Details of the worldwide breakdown of subscription figures have also yet to be released.

The company says that Xbox 360 buyers can expect to play Perfect Dark Zero, Project Gotham Racing 3, Madden NFL 06, Dead or Alive 4 and Call of Duty 2 online soon after release.

Meanwhile users of its current-generation service can look forward to include Tony Hawk's American Wasteland, Star Wars Battlefront II and Battlefield 2: Modern Combat.