xbox.com

Microsoft's Xbox.com site to get more social

Microsoft is planning a major revamp of its Xbox.com gaming site this week to boost its social-networking features and give certain areas a new Metro-based paint job.

As detailed in an Xbox blog post last night, Microsoft is replacing the current "My Xbox" section on the site with a new area simply called "Social." The new Social section will let gamers see what their friends are doing and tap into a new Beacons feature that will be available in the next update to the Xbox 360 dashboard. Beacons will allow people to mark the games … Read more

Microsoft to fold Windows games site into Xbox.com

Microsoft is merging its Games for Windows Marketplace with its Xbox.com site, a move that will allow gamers to buy and download any title at a single site.

Touting the merger on its Games for Windows Marketplace site, Microsoft said that "now you can get all of your gaming needs in one place. It's convenient, it's concentrated, and it's a whole lot of great games."

Offering games designed for Windows, the Games for Windows Marketplace went through a revamp last year in an attempt by Microsoft to make the online store more robust and … Read more

Major refresh coming to Xbox.com

Xbox.com will get a major overhaul tomorrow that will deliver several new features, Microsoft announced today.

The updated site will offer a browser-based avatar-editing tool that lets users create virtual characters and preview their design before purchasing it. In addition, Microsoft plans to combine "messages, friend, and game requests" into a single pane to make it easier for folks to see what's happening in their gaming network.

The new Xbox.com will feature Web-based games that users can play with their Xbox Live friends, Microsoft said. The site will also include reports featuring information on what … Read more

Billing problems hit Xbox.com

Technical problems have been plaguing Xbox.com on Thursday morning, affecting users' account management and access to the Xbox Marketplace.

According to the official Xbox Live status page, "Users may experience difficulties with account recovery, account management, Marketplace functions, and/or making purchases. We are aware of the problem and (are) working to resolve the technical issues."

And on Twitter, Xbox Live's director of programming, Larry Hryb (otherwise known as Major Nelson) has been posting updates.

"As some of you may already be aware, we've been having billing issues for the last few hours," … Read more

The Xbox Live Marketplace: Now in your browser

As mentioned early last month by my colleague Daniel Terdiman, Microsoft is giving users the option to browse and purchase Xbox Live Marketplace content within the browser. The new storefront, which is slated to go live early Wednesday morning, is already beginning to appear on Xbox.com, albeit in incomplete form.

The new system gives Web users the same catalog to browse through and purchase as they get on the Xbox 360, including themes, gamer pictures, demos, and downloadable games. Once players turn on their system at home, all the purchased items are queued up and begin downloading right away.… Read more