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Xbox Live on Windows 10 won't charge for online multiplayer
The news of Xbox Live coming to Windows 10 was a bit confusing last week, but, slowly, details of how it'll work are surfacing. Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb recently responded to PCWorld's Hayden Dingman on Twitter saying that Xbox Live Gold won't be required for online multiplayer using Live on WIn10 and mobile (like it is on consoles). Great news, right? Well, like The Verge notes, it should be for anyone who remembers the disastrous Games for Windows Live program that Microsoft tried implementing around 10 years ago. We reached out to the company for additional information and were told that there wasn't anything more to share at this time, but that'd change over the coming months.
Microsoft will beta test a patch for the still-busted 'Halo' collection
343 Industries is beta testing its latest patch for the horribly crippled Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Yes, you read that right: Redmond's internal Halo studio is asking a portion of MCC's players to be canaries in the Covenant coal-mine ahead of the latest (hopefully last?) update that'll address the myriad issues still surrounding the game's multiplayer. The test is available to North Americans in the Xbox One Preview Program, and furthermore, if you opt in it'll limit who you're playing with to those also in the beta. The test surrounds changes to the game's matchmaking and party systems according to 343i, with further details coming once the update gets closer to a final release. Sign-ups start this Friday, and only those with the "highest levels of engagement" with the game are going to be selected. Everyone else? You're just going to have to dream of what a revamped "Relic" will look like.
These are the hackers who wrecked your holiday gaming
If you're a console gamer, you're probably all too aware of Lizard Squad, the hacker outlet that allegedly knocked both the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live offline for a good chunk of the Christmas break. But just why and how is this group causing so much grief? Thanks to the Daily Dot, we now have a better (if imperfect) idea of what's going on. It might not shock you to hear that the team is doing this both for laughs, à la LulzSec, and to expose the "incompetence" of the security teams at Microsoft and Sony. However, they also claim to have access to undersea internet cables and other "core routing equipment" that lets them flood networks with massive amounts of data. They supposedly bombarded PSN and XBL at a rate of 1.2 terabits per second, or three times the rate of the previous largest attack on record.
Xbox Live and PlayStation Network both down due to an apparent attack
Merry Christmas, game fans: Both Xbox Live and PlayStation Network are down this morning, apparently due to a denial-of-service attack. The notorious hacking group Lizard Squad -- which already carried out earlier attacks on Microsoft and Sony -- has claimed responsibility on Twitter for these latest outages. While Lizard Squad's role in all of this remains unconfirmed, the group did threaten last week to take down Xbox Live and PSN, according to Business Insider. Regardless of who's behind this, the timing is obviously terrible: Plenty of people surely received one of the two consoles as Christmas presents today, while many more gamers would have happily spent the afternoon in front of the TV. In the meantime, both Sony and Microsoft have acknowledged the problem, with Sony issuing a tweet and Microsoft posting a message on its website: "We're working to address this as quickly as we possibly can," reads its status website. "Thanks for your patience, Xbox members." In an email, a Microsoft spokesperson declined to comment further or say when the company expects to restore service. We've also asked Sony to comment and will update this post if and when it does.
Your Xbox One now plays Pandora radio and Vevo music videos
You haven't had many choices for streaming music on the Xbox One so far; you've largely been limited to Xbox Music or the occasional YouTube mix. You'll have some proper options very shortly, though. Apps for both Pandora's internet radio service (US-only) and Vevo's music videos (in 14 countries) are reaching the game console this week. The two apps don't have any surprising Xbox-specific features in store, but they'll definitely help if you need some tunes for your next house party. And don't worry, movie and TV fans -- you'll get a few apps as well. Bravo Now and Telemundo Now let American TV subscribers stream shows from those networks on demand, while Popcornflix gives North Americans "hundreds" of free movies. If your Xbox One doubles as your media center, you're in for a treat in the days ahead.
Xbox One gamers could soon try before they buy with a 'Free Play Day' (update)
At $60 per year, an Xbox Live Gold subscription isn't cheap, but Microsoft's working to make the all-access package a bit more attractive to gamers. The 'Games with Gold' offering that we first saw with Xbox 360 made its way to One as well, and now it appears that the company's latest console may soon get a second bonus feature. Xbox One beta users noticed a new 'Free Game Day' option this week, which enables 24 hours of access to select titles, giving you a chance to preview games before making a purchase. Max: The Curse of Brotherhood appears to be the first offering, and if an Xbox Support tweet is any indication, a broader rollout may be on the way very soon. Update: Microsoft tells GamesIndustry.biz that the tile was posted "in error" yesterday, and would only say that it's "constantly exploring different ways to offer more benefits to our Xbox Live Gold members." Our interpretation? It's not if, just when this kind of promo starts popping up regularly.
Xbox Live and PlayStation Network are both having issues (update: fixed!)
Excited to play the Destiny on PlayStation Network? You're not the only one, and demand as the game's beta opened its doors today seems to have the service stumbling. A message on the PlayStation Knowledge Center says PSN access is "Intermittently available" so if it's working, great but don't be surprised if you notice some odd behavior. Xbox fans shouldn't be too quick to point fingers though, since besides waiting another week to try out an early version of Bungie's next big game you may also experience issues with Xbox Live. The Xbox Live Dashboard points out problems for some users signing in or accessing the Video and Music services, but says there is a team working on it and promises another updated within the half hour. Since Nintendo Network appears to be running just fine, we can only assume which culprit is behind this. Update: The PlayStation Network status has been upgraded to "online" so go forth and beta test freely. Meanwhile, Xbox Support says its sign-in issues are resolved, so you should be good to go there as well.
Old console, new tricks: Getting the most out of your Xbox 360
Whether you're holding out for the Kinect-less Xbox One or you've already unpacked a new system, there's still plenty of life left in the Xbox 360. Microsoft will have its new system properly on track after another half dozen or so software updates, but until then, it's all about getting everything we can out of older hardware. Nearly nine years later, here's how to make sure your Xbox 360 is aging gracefully.
Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and other services will be open to all on Xbox One, Xbox 360
In a move that bucks the standard set by Microsoft itself back in 2005, both the Xbox One and Xbox 360 will drop the requirement for an Xbox Live paid membership to access services like Netflix, Hulu and YouTube. Microsoft announced this morning that its prices and structure are being streamlined, and coming in line with those offered by Sony. When the "new generation" of Xbox Live rolls out in early June that means not only cheaper hardware, but also abandoning the need to have an Xbox Live Gold subscription for access to apps and streaming media. It's a move that certainly makes sense given that sales of the Xbox One are several million units behind the Play Station 4.
Xbox Entertainment Studios has at least 12 projects in production, committed to half
There's a lot to know about Microsoft's push into original programming with Xbox Entertainment Studios. Why now? Why carry Xbox branding? Will XES content only run in certain regions? Is it free to all Xbox Live members, or only Xbox Live Gold? Will XES content also head to other digital video services, like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Instant and elsewhere? What about other Microsoft platforms, like Windows Phone and Windows 8? How will interactivity with the content work? Much of that information is still up in the air, according to XES president Nancy Tellem (former president of CBS Television Studios, among other accolades) and executive producer Jordan Levin. The duo walked us through Xbox Entertainment Studios' first projects last week, and left us with more questions than answers. Here's the high level: There are at least 12 projects in the works, and Microsoft's only "committed" to half (full list below the break). That means that six are paid for and in production, while the other six are in various stages of creation and may never make it to our eyeballs. The first, a multi-camera, multi-stage, interactive version of Bonnaroo, premieres this June.
Microsoft already has six TV series lined up for Xbox and more are coming (updated)
Though Microsoft has yet to produce any original TV programming, it has Netflix-like ambitions, according to a report from Bloomberg. Xbox's TV studio, headed by ex-CBS exec Nancy Tellem, now has at least six series in production and three in development. Those include a sketch show from JASH (founded by Sarah Silverman, Michael Sera and others), a Seth Green stop-animation series and Humans, based on a creepy Swedish thriller about replicant-like robots. Those go along with the previously announced Halo TV series produced by Steven Spielberg, a Halo "digital feature," soccer reality show Every Street United, and an Atari documentary. Xbox's new chief Phil Spencer said all shows will be selected to help draw users to the Xbox platform, and won't be approved unless there's a gaming or interactive angle. There are also a number of others under consideration, so hopefully the budget can stretch to a series with giant brawling robots. Update: Microsoft has told us that the JASH sketch comedy show and Seth Green stop-animation projects are under under development, not in production. The post has been updated to reflect that. Check after the break for a complete list of announced projects.
Watch a 5-year-old spam the spacebar to access his dad's Xbox Live account
Kids: they're our future, and apparently are also great at finding backdoors within video game security measures. Take 5-year-old Kristoffer Von Hassel from the San Diego area, for instance. His parents were curious about just how their son was accessing games on Dad's password-protected Xbox One profile. Well, as KGTV in California reports, it was as easy as spamming the space key on the password verification screen. If you thought Kristoffer's dad would be mad though, you'd be 100 percent wrong. The elder Von Hassel works in computer security and was pleased as punch when he learned how. The father and son team reported the backdoor to Microsoft, and Redmond rewarded Kristoffer with a year of Xbox Live, four games and $50. Had you been abusing this exploit yourself and were wondering why it went away, well, now you have the answer. The most ironic aspect of the whole ordeal? In the video below, Kinect recognizes the younger Von Hassel's guttural vocalizations and takes him to the Xbox One dashboard -- most of the times we ask nicely to launch Titanfall nothing ever happens. [Image credit: KGTV]
New Xbox head Phil Spencer promises renewed focus on gaming across all Microsoft platforms
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced the new head of its Xbox division this morning: Phil Spencer, longtime Microsoft Studios leader and Xbox game dude. In Spencer's initial letter to the legions of Xbox owners the world over, his approach comes across as scattershot. See for yourself: "This past year has been a growth experience both for me and for the entire Xbox team. We've taken feedback, made our products better and renewed our focus on what is most important, our customer. Our mission is to build a world-class team, work hard to meet the high expectations of a passionate fan base, create the best games and entertainment and drive technical innovation. As we continue forward, this renewed focus and mission will be a foundational part of how I lead the Xbox program." Given that, our first question to Spencer in a short phone interview this afternoon was one of clarification. With so many aspects of Xbox to oversee, where will he begin? "I'm gonna lead with a gaming focus and making sure that's where we're led. That's the North Star for the organization," he told us.
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Xbox gets a new leader at Microsoft: Phil Spencer
When longtime Xbox lead Marc Whitten left for Sonos recently, Microsoft was left without an exec to lead up one of its most powerful divisions. Today, Phil Spencer is stepping in to fill that spot -- not exactly a surprise given Spencer's past role leading up the Xbox software side (specifically games). Beyond just Microsoft Studios and Xbox, Spencer says he's, "leading the Xbox, Xbox Live, and creative teams including Xbox Music, Xbox Video and Microsoft Studios." It also stands to reason that we'll see a lot more of Spencer during Microsoft's annual E3 briefing and in press interviews; what we're trying to say is "expect to hear from him a lot more going forward." Not sure who Phil Spencer is? Rest assured, we've got more on his background below.
New Xbox One notifications let you know when other gamers think you're being a jerk
The Xbox One's simplified Reputation system aims to keep like-minded gamers playing together, and now the folks in Redmond plan to notify you if you fall of out the community's good graces. Are you the sort of player who doesn't ruffle too many feathers? You'll be just fine -- the occasional bad report won't do much harm. Starting this month though, Microsoft will reach out to trollish gamers when negative feedback from fellow players drags their reputations down into "needs work" territory. Prolonged abrasiveness will ultimately land them in the red "avoid me" zone, where matchmaking for games becomes more difficult and certain features like Twitch livestreaming could be restricted. Seems like a pretty big price to pay when the alternative is to behave like a civilized human being, doesn't it?
Xbox Live problems keep many Xbox One owners from calling in their Titan (update: fixed!)
Just as the Xbox One's biggest game release arrives, network problems are keeping many owners from signing in. The Xbox Support Twitter account reported an issue around 5PM ET, and according to the service's dashboard it's still ongoing. While many players who already setup their consoles and logged in to the game (including some of our editors) are able to connect and play Titanfall -- the game's cloud seems to be holding up, even if Xbox Live isn't in general -- others are unable to sign in, particularly brand-new Xbox One purchasers who can't get much of anything going. The support team's message has been promising updates every 30 minutes or so, but so far there's no ETA on a fix. Steam appears to have just come back online after downtime of its own -- perhaps we could suggest some Dark Souls II on PC in the meantime? Update: As of 10:47PM ET the Xbox Status page and Support Twitter report the problem is resolved. The team recommends a full power cycle (hold down the Xbox button on the system itself for five seconds to turn it all the way off, then turn it back on), and then you should be ready to request your Titan, pilot.
A closer look at Titanfall's not-so-secret weapon: Microsoft's cloud
While you were busy running along walls and throwing missiles back at your opponents during the Titanfall beta, countless data centers across the world were making sure that each AI-controlled Titan bodyguard had your back. Much of the frenetic action in Respawn Entertainment's debut game rests on one thing: Microsoft's Azure cloud infrastructure. Up until last November, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's baby was mostly used for business applications, like virtualization and acting as an enterprise-level email host. With the Xbox One, though, the company opened up its global server farms to game developers, giving them access to more computing power than could reasonably be stuffed into a $500 game console. Since the Xbox One's debut, Microsoft has been crowing about how Azure would let designers create gaming experiences players have never seen before. Now it's time for the product to speak for itself.
NSA reportedly infiltrated Xbox Live and World of Warcraft in hunt for terrorists
According to documents leaked by Edward Snowden and brought to light today by The Guardian, the NSA has been monitoring online gaming communities since 2008 and has even been sending real-life agents into online RPGs posing as players. Xbox Live was apparently one of the biggest services to be targeted, while World of Warcraft and Second Life also came under some degree of scrutiny. It's not totally clear why the NSA, along with its UK equivalent the GCHQ, thought such operations were necessary, but there seems to have been a general sense that online games could be used as communication hubs by evil-doers, as well as some evidence that Hezbollah had developed its own game for the purpose of recruitment. None of the leaked files suggest that the agent-avatars caught any terrorists, even though undercover operations were apparently so numerous that, at one point, an NSA analyst called for a "deconfliction group" to be set up to prevent the agency's personnel from inadvertently spying on each other. Meanwhile, Microsoft and Linden Labs have refused to comment, but Blizzard Entertainment has said it was unaware of any surveillance taking place in World of Warcraft and certainly has never granted any permission for its players to be observed. The Guardian says it'll publish the relevant files later today, in partnership with the New York Times and ProPublica. Update: We asked Microsoft how this happened, and a spokesperson told us that Redmond wasn't aware of any surveillance activity. "If it occurred as has been reported, it certainly wasn't done with our consent."
Xbox One will arrive with six months of free Skype calls -- if you have an Xbox Live membership
Alongside the kind of high-end features that you'd expect to find on a Microsoft app on a Microsoft console (multitasking, wide-view camera with auto-zoom and pan), the company's gone so far as to give you six full months of calling gratis... alongside your Xbox Live subscription. So, it may not be completely free, but we're hoping this next-gen battle of one-upmanship keeps throwing up freebies.
Microsoft shows how to redeem an Xbox One download code in six seconds (video)
How quickly can you redeem an Xbox One download code? Quickly enough to fit the experience into a six-second Vine video, apparently. Microsoft's Major Nelson has just posted one of the looping clips (after the break) to prove that you can scan codes with the console's Kinect sensor in mere moments. It's doubtful that anyone will need to grab content quite that quickly, but the demo is a friendly reminder of the time we'll save by ditching old-fashioned keyboard input after November 22nd.
