8 Simple Ways to Improve Xbox Live

[MarketTantrik]

8 Simple Ways to Improve Xbox Live

by Dakota Grabowski

 

From: http://www.planetxbox360.com/article_4397/...prove_Xbox_Live

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Being included among the 12 million Xbox Live members and counting, I can attest to the frustrations that come with Xbox Live every so often. With that said, let’s jump right into a few areas where Microsoft should focus their time on improving. Here are eight steps to help elevate Xbox Live to a place that Sony or Nintendo will find it hard to reach.

 

1. Clan Blade:

First off, let’s begin with what a lot of fans of the first-person shooter genre have been begging for: A clan blade. The simple introduction of a clan blade that allows players to have a message board, a friend list, stats and updates on recent activity (matches played) would be simple enough to appease those who are dying for the clan blade. Gamers want to have clan battles through their favorite titles and this makes the navigation that much easier for them.

 

2. Internet Browser:

This is another ‘gimme’ as Sony and Nintendo already offer the ability for their gamers to search the internet via a browser. Granted, neither browser works well enough to my satisfaction, but with Microsoft already have a browser in their back pocket – the infamous Internet Explorer – what better to incorporate another Microsoft service into Xbox Live (Windows Live Messenger being an example).

 

Already having seen the arguments against the addition of a browser (too slow, no one wants to search the web on their television, etc.), it’s easy to see why people wouldn’t want one. But we must stop there and realize that there are a small percentage of Xbox Live members who may want to view their favorite social networking site and Microsoft should cater to that group even if it is niche.

 

3. Channels:

If Microsoft doesn’t want to take their time in developing a way for Internet Explorer to work with Xbox Live on the 360, then maybe Microsoft should invest in the luxury of offering corporations that ability to have their own channel on the Xbox Live service. What are the benefits of channels as such? Well first off, Microsoft could gain money for licensing out the ‘channel space’ to companies such as: ESPN for their sports coverage, the Weather Channel for their up-to-date weather advisories, and others. Microsoft already has a news channel in the books with MSNBC, so its inclusion could be relatively easy.

 

4. Xbox Live Anywhere:

Next up is Microsoft’s fabled Xbox Live Anywhere initiative. Having sat in a meeting at E3 2006 regarding Microsoft’s plans for Xbox Live Anywhere, I was quite eager to see how the platform would work out. But now, two years later, Microsoft still hasn’t released or revealed too much more on this huge project and I am left scratching my head when it’ll go into full effect.

 

Surely, Microsoft can see that with Nintendo’s introduction of the balance board that developers like to have new technology (or peripherals for that matter) to incorporate into their video games. With Xbox Live Anywhere, Microsoft has a goldmine they could potentially dig. But at this current time, they aren’t sharing the details on the status of Xbox Live Anywhere. While there are gamers already experiencing the connectivity between Windows PCs and the Xbox 360, Microsoft still has the to bring Windows Mobile into the fold. Outside of that, the Zune needs to be taken full advantage of and that leads to the next step Microsoft should take.

 

5. Zune Marketplace:

Microsoft has unlimited potential with bringing Zune to the forefront of every Xbox Live gamer with adding a blade for the Zune Marketplace. What’s so special about the Zune Marketplace that the Xbox Live Marketplace doesn’t offer? Music would be the clear cut answer to that question.

 

If Microsoft was to put up the Zune Marketplace on Xbox Live for gamers to download their music on their Xbox 360 to listen to and transfer them to your Zune on the go, it would help tremendously to market the Zune to a wider audience. Knowing only a handful of Zune owners, it may not be a huge feature right off the bat, but over time it could grow into something big. No other service provided by the competitors has even mentioned the accessibility to download music on their consoles, so Microsoft should jump at the chance of introducing the Zune Marketplace – which consists of over 3 million songs – to Xbox 360 gamers.

 

6. Game with Fame:

It may be a silly selling point, but Microsoft needs to seriously start marketing Game with Fame better. Sure, playing video games with a D-list celebrity or a rock band is fun, but how about providing gamers with the chance to enter into a video chat with these celebrities and talk to them “face to face.” I don’t know about you, but I’d love to enter into a video chat with Jessica Alba; it sure would make Game with Fame a lot more entertaining.

 

7. Xbox Live Originals:

Even with this service already in place, not too Xbox Live members know about it. Microsoft needs to get their butt in gear and get the ball rolling as only having one to two titles a month release is not cutting it. To send it on the right path, Microsoft should commit to releasing their Xbox catalogue throughout the rest of the year to start getting publishers interested. Here’s a quick listing of all the titles Microsoft has to release that would fit ideally on the service: Halo 2, Conker: Live & Reloaded, MechAssault 1 and 2, Voodoo Vince, Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders and Heroes, Blinx 1 and 2, Midtown Madness 3, Oddworld: Munch’s Odyssey, Phantom Dust, and many others.

 

8. Xbox Live Arcade:

The last advice we have for Microsoft is to try and get more classic titles for the Xbox Live Arcade. We almost had GoldenEye 007 and there’s a high demand for The Simpsons’ Arcade game from Konami, so it’s not that complicated to see that gamers love their nostalgia. What games are a perfect fit for the Xbox Live? Well here are five games within a few genres that I’m heavily interested in seeing brought to the Xbox Live Arcade.

 

* Beat ‘Em Ups / Hack ‘N Slash: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time, River City Ransom, Streets of Rage 3, Final Fight, Diablo

* Platformers: Earthworm Jim, Earthworm Jim 2, Ghouls ‘n Ghosts, Mega Man 1-8, Strider

* Fighting Games: Killer Instinct 1, Killer Instinct 2, Tekken, Guilty Gear series, Marvel vs. Capcom 2

* Sports & Racing Games: Daytona USA, Mutant League Football, NBA Jam, Outrun, Tecmo Super Bowl

* Role-playing games: Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy series, Shining Force, Dragon Quest series, Tactics Ogre

 

Having said all that, I hope Microsoft can push forward and keep Xbox Live on top as the best online service for any of the consoles. It’s evident to see that Microsoft still has a lot of room to improve and with the new Xbox Live experience coming this fall, maybe Microsoft has already spent time in researching many of the items brought forth today.

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[SchizoidFreud]

All I want is an internet browser explorer

[Doobz]

i dont really mind the price if i can get all tat even just getting an internet explorer and youtube support