XBOX-HQ.COM - Live Re-enabled

The latest Live update brings new toys and a plate-load of promises.

You may not have noticed any drastic changes in Xbox Live lately, but recently and with little fanfare, M$ rolled out the beginning of Xbox Live's latest update. You may remember some earlier news that I posted on this update, which was codenamed "Tsunami" (http://www.xbox-hq.com/html/article857.html).

Game developers must now implement many of the forthcoming improvements and additions, such as support for user-created content, in-game voice messaging, and support for teams and clans, thus we wont' start seeing them until later this year.

For instance, the ESPN sports games will all support leagues and Far Cry Instincs, due out this holiday season, will offer a map editor for you to create your own custom multiplayer levels.

What is up and running now, though, is:
1) Voice Messaging
2) MSN Messenger integration

The former lets you attach a 15 second voice message to a friend request. For instance, if you've just played a great round of Links 2004 with someone but they've left the room before you've had a chance to ask if you can add them to your Friends List, this new feature will let you send him a voice mail such as, "Hey, we just played a great round of golf in Links earlier tonight. Want to be on my Freinds List?" You can also center an invitation around a particular game, asking people to join you on that title.

The latter addition lets you use your MSN Mesenger account to view your Friends List. So if you're surfing the Internet or checking your e-mail and you see that one of your pals just fired up Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow, you'll now be alerted to that so you can drop whatever you're doing and get on Xbox Live.Live Details from Xbox Official Magazine.