Xbox Live suffers holiday hangover

People are so funny... they want everything, they want it now, and they want it without a single glitch. I would be more concerned if there were never any problems because that would just be inhuman. As for a month free to compensate for a few days of sluggishness? That would cost Microsoft too much money for something that essentially is not a mistake. When I first got on Live, back when it had first started, it took me days if I recall. I had to coordinate my modem with my router and my Xbox, configure this and that, spend hours and hours talking to my service provider and Microsoft. That was a hassle, did I complain? Hell no, I was so glad to be on what has become the premiere online gaming service in the world, it didn't matter what hoops I had to jump through to get there. Microsoft is addressing the issue and will most likely make Live better for it.

I thought it was just my internet service.

it should be free to strat of with but at least they should give 1 month free

I was supposed to buy one tomorrow but my friend got his a week ago and he still hasn't been able to register his live account that he bought.

XBOX Live! is Microsoft's ace card for its console, so it best take care to make sure that service stays up at all costs. And if you like multiplayer gaming, it's worth every penny. Read my thoughts on gaming at my blog The Score.

Why is everyone arguing about 360 and PS3. Some say that they're tired of feeling ripped off with XBL, I'm sorry but if I paid hundreds of dollars for a system that has very few good games and is no longer backwards compatible, that would make me feel ripped off also. Either way it doesn't matter whose system is better, in the end the ones who win are us gamers.

Gizmonk got it man, the real result of the console wars is just the ppl's preferences. AS i said in my long post a while back

Ah... Fanboys. What would we do with out them. The internet just woulden't be the same. Anyway, sorry to hear that Live is on the fritz.

Yeah I couldnt play matchmaking for days. Its better now though, I wonder what MS will do so this doesnt happen again.

All i was getting was blade loading issues. In-game though, everything worked just fine. OT - When it comes to the debate of which console is better, PS3 or 360, it just comes down to personal preference. I made my choice, and I could not be happier. PS3 has its strong points like free online play and a Blu-Ray player, but its the SERVICE that is X-Box live that I pay for. If it means that I have to pay to play games online so that i can get the most streamlined online SERVICE available right now, then so be it.

ive had constant problems with xbox live over the past week and so havent my friends. Im glad to hear that microsoft is on the job and fixing it as fast as possible. I understand that no thing is perfect and there will be problems that take time to fix such as this but if thiss problem is due to more pple playing dont you think this should of been handle a while ago. I say we deserve some GOOD free content. in my opinion.

"im-a-roustabout snarple_basic Yea the region free gaming thing needs to be on all systems. Sure I would think the online gaming could throw some confusion into this, but I would like to be able to import weird japan games that dont come here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yet another thing the ps3 has right out of the box." For games, I believe the original Xbox never had region locking built into the hardware. I understand it was the choice of the publisher as to whether or not to region lock a game I know that (a) the dvd remote locked the console to a region for watching dvds And I think xbox live is region aware for downloads (but I'm not sure as I've never used it) But surprised to hear that the games are now locked too !??

please come with region free play atleast....ugh man i can't go one more year knowing that it's free to play on ps3...suprise me microsoft do the right thing and make it free online...your system will push..

I had a few problems a couple of days ago, but other then that its been ok.

Its over now.

Yep, i had a lot of problems over the holidays, but didn't mind all that much

snarple_basic Yea the region free gaming thing needs to be on all systems. Sure I would think the online gaming could throw some confusion into this, but I would like to be able to import weird japan games that dont come here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yet another thing the ps3 has right out of the box. I own a 360 and I don't mean to rag on her, but I was upset at the lack of wi-fi, the AA batteries that came with the controllers :( (you gotta buy the rechargebale ones! No hd drive, glitchy consoles (it realy is a only a matter of time before everyones see's the three rings of death), your stuck with either 20 or 120 and that's IT! with the 20 giger you only get like 9 gigs though out of the whole thing, what a rip! At least with the "dark side" (sony) you can interchange the harddrive to however much you wanna put in! I also have to pay 49.99 a year just to play multi-player. Yea it's nice to have silver *sarcastic* the only thing silver lets you do is buy buy buy more crud from live. Gee thanks for the free service Micro you really are too nice sometimes. Guys please don't hate me I'm just voicing continual concern that I feel ripped off by this company.

I just love watching Console Fanboys duke it out.... You know i am more then satisfied owning all the consoles so i dont miss out on any good games...I am more then Happy to sit back and watch all the console fanboys flame, bash and insult every amazing game just because its not on there console

Glad they're addressing the issue, but I never had a problem with Live.

Haha, it's to true TheMudora. But, sometimes one can hope, right? McKay

Yea the region free gaming thing needs to be on all systems. Sure I would think the online gaming could throw some confusion into this, but I would like to be able to import weird japan games that dont come here.

Seriously...you guys are creating these heartfilled comments, and all they are thinking is "What a noob". Thier minds can not concept such things...

ookkk... In topic: Everyone needs to agree that the xbox live service is superior (at least for now) than any console and yes, people play more online in the xbox live. I have some friends that only play online because some games put some archivements that need to play online, others like myself just need the online play. Off topic: for the guy who said wich games will come to the PS3 beside the ps1 games? Metal gear 4, haze, Little Big Planet, Gran Turismo, Final Fantasy 13 and Killzone just to name a few and the ones that I'm going after the next year. And why the 360 is the winner? the ps3 finish the year very well and will the 2008 line up plus with home don't you think will be a lot better year? Just don't be fanboys and try to look everyttime the both side of a coin... PSN: cmargary XBL:CMARGARY PR

Ape_Escape_1Fan: "Let's just face it. Half the PS3 fanboys on this website are happy about their purchases and try to make other console owners feel bad by telling how their console rules and the others suck. The other half aren't pleased with their purchases and just argue over the PS3 to make themselves feel better about wasting all that money." -OR they aren't "fanboys" but "actual gamers" that own both consoles and maybe, just maybe actual gamers don't like a person like yourself, who doesn't even own a PS3 to begin with, spouting out nonsense about the PS3 not having any games or how it has lost a war that it has only been in for a year. Nobody in here is your research puppet, go research the games yourself. if you actually cared than you would have done so already and wouldnt need to ask others to list anything. Oh and the PS3 games are region free so i can buy Japanese games that we will never see here in the states w/out having to buy a japanese PS3. i have fun with all my consoles but when i see an ignorant fanboy say some BS about a console/game he doesn't even own or care to own than yes something must be said. On topic, i hope these "Live" issues are resolved soon but it doesn't bother me none because i have plenty of other consoles to keep me busy in the meantime.

I didn't experience any problems last week, and I was online all the time. Hey, I might even get some Microsoft Points out of this.

*yawn*

My LIVE wouldnt connect for about a week. It would tell me to sign in,after i was already signed in, and then tell me how many friends were online, but would still askme to sign in to play online...weird. And to top it all off, I thought I'd just pop in Warhawk on my PS3 and play that, but every time I tried to join a game, it wouldn't let me. Thanks technology.

Funny thing about PS3 fans claiming they are the underdog in this console war is that it wasn't very long ago that Xbox fans were HUGE underdogs. The only reason that has changed is because people over time realized that Xbox and Live are better. How else can you explain why so many once die-hard Sony fans have converted? To me, that says it all and is truly, "the proof that's in the pudding."

The real winners in this war are those who are happy with their consoles, and not the ones who try to diss others by saying theirs is the best, So ya RadTad is a survivor of this war lol

I haven't had any problems. My kids say they have but I haven't yet. Always willing to pay the money for an awesome experience. XBox Live is an awesome experience and well worth the money.

Concerning the ps3 games list "myth", heres a list to make u feel happy: << LINK REMOVED >>

So this is why with 100,000 ppl online in each Halo mode I STILL can't find a match?

*sigh* I hate ignorance. PS3forums.com has the most comprehensive list I've seen so far - that's a cross-platform public forum by the way, not a fanboy site. Go check, it's in a sticky on the PS3 board. Also, go into any Gamestop and look at the upcoming releases lists they have. The PS3's list is just as big as the 360's. You like lists, there are your lists. Now come on back with "NUH UH" and looks into your crystal ball. I have a crystal ball too! It says "I'll still be playing great games for years to come on my system of choice." Also, it says "today will be an average day. Practice normal habits."

WHOA , ps3 ppl try to make other feel bad? Did u guys read the entire posts, who were the ones who said that ps3 owners are losers who wasted their money? Who were the ones that laughed when they compared the game libraries? Who said the ps3 fanboys are annoying and stupid cz they arent satisfied with the pruchases? Well I think the fanboys are all the same, they just diss others to promote their consoles.

Yes. You are the winner, RadTad :)

Ape_Escape, you make fun of fanboys but that's all I get from your postings. Why should I tell you "why it's giving me great service?" It is - I'm not going to clog the forums with lists just so some fanboy can come in and say "NUH-UH" in a humorless wit-intentioned way. My PS3 is great - deal with it. ------------------------------------------------- Again you mention "lists" Do these lists actually exist? Are they just a myth? The only reason I make fun of fanboys is because of posts like yours. You say your console is amazing but fail to back it up with any real evidence of why. You just claim the lists are too long to count and/or other stupid excuses, and then try to direct me to a place where they have these "lists". I've had enough of this war. I'm going to go play wii so I don't feel like I'm participating in this console "war". Its more of a massacre, the PS3 being the loser.

so i wouldn't get into all this my system is better than yours crap i just bought a 360 and a ps3 i buy 360 exclusives for 360 but i play everything else on ps3 so in the end i am the real winner

Yeah... 'war' is a bit OTT, devil :P However, it is annoying that PS3 owners come on here just to merely attempt to degrade the 360 console. Both consoles offer various and unique perks. Also, I'm with you, skirlnik on your 'cross-console' dream - would be awesome to take Devil's 'war' onto Call of Duty 4! ;)

basics

Ape_Escape, you make fun of fanboys but that's all I get from your postings. Why should I tell you "why it's giving me great service?" It is - I'm not going to clog the forums with lists just so some fanboy can come in and say "NUH-UH" in a humorless wit-intentioned way. My PS3 is great - deal with it.

Let's just face it. Half the PS3 fanboys on this website are happy about their purchases and try to make other console owners feel bad by telling how their console rules and the others suck. The other half aren't pleased with their purchases and just argue over the PS3 to make themselves feel better about wasting all that money.

this issue with Live being on-again, off-again better get solved soon. i want compensation for the hours of Halo 3 that i couldn't play in ranked matches. i think a free XBL Arcade Game would be nice.

@Ape_Escape_1Fan: Because the service has been available for 5 years. And the console that is its trojan horse has been out for a year longer than the PS3. That would be 4 years lead time. Seems like a valid enough reason. PS2 is doing better than next-gen console? You mean the 360? And the PS3? Yeah, sure seems like it. Where's that money going... oh yeah! It's going into the service my already-awesome PS3 provides me! Another non-point, ape_escape! Also, who said PS3 fans want war? I want to play games, and if I could play cross-console with my MS friends I would be on cloud 9. Ign'nance -------------------------------------------------------- HAHAHA! You still fail to name any games coming to your console. You just dodge around the question to say the exact same "my PS3 is giving great service although I will not say why" arguement.

glhx1rush: McAllen, TX is my hometown. how freakin' wierd that IF my 360 ever goes down all i have to do is drive a few minutes and kick some as in person. i shouldn't be surprised that the repair center is in The Valley (a region that includes 4 counties along the Rio Grande River) as over 150 of the Fortune 500 companies are either based in the area or 10 minutes away in Reynosa. while almost every region in N.America is suffering because of the economy; my home(McAllen, Rio Grande Valley) is actually thriving. i know i got off topic. wait, what is the topic?

[This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

@Ape_Escape_1Fan: Because the service has been available for 5 years. And the console that is its trojan horse has been out for a year longer than the PS3. That would be 4 years lead time. Seems like a valid enough reason. PS2 is doing better than next-gen console? You mean the 360? And the PS3? Yeah, sure seems like it. Where's that money going... oh yeah! It's going into the service my already-awesome PS3 provides me! Another non-point, ape_escape! Also, who said PS3 fans want war? I want to play games, and if I could play cross-console with my MS friends I would be on cloud 9. Ign'nance. Finally, the list of PS3 exclusives confirmed for release during the next year is right around 125+. I won't list them - there are a bajillion fan postings in this and other forums if you really want laundry lists. "No games" doesn't wash.

Add 1 Million new users overnight and things will go burp. Then MS turned around and gave everyone a free week in return. As for all the coments about why do people pay for this stuff...it it was not for XBL we would probably all still be siting here listening to Sony and Nintendo saying console owners don't want online play.