Xbox Live in Contemporary Society
February 12, 2009Xbox Live in Contemporary Society
By Herman Braitch
#301093258
Tech114
1. Describe the technology you have selected. Is it a personal technology or device, an online service, or part of a media infrastructure? What does it do? How is it used?
Ah, Xbox live, an addicting social network that has claimed more lives than it has saved. Xbox live is an online multiplayer gaming sensation and digital media social network created and operated by the one and only Microsoft. Microsoft’s growing social network on the Xbox 360 was originally created in 2002 with the release of the original Xbox (that time its features were very limited). This online service is given with a monthly fee, and allows all Xbox 360 owners to connect to one another. With this ability to connect and create your own friends list, users can have a party chat up to 8 people, play games together, video chat one another, talk with others on msn, and even download and create content on the Xbox live marketplace.
2. Find at least one research, news or magazine article that describes a social, cultural or political effect that has been brought about by your technology.
http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2008/11/27/xbox-live-the-shift-to-social-networks/
3. Briefly summarize the main (or relevant) ideas in the article(s).
Xbox lives community has grown to approximately 14 million by the end of November 2008. Other digital dealers have also seen increased sales, and subscriptions, due to the current evolving digital era. The way entertainment is distributing around the world is changing. Digital means of employment is increasing, because since the first time Xbox lives was launched in 2002 it has already produced over a billion dollars with its sales on the Xbox live Marketplace. Microsoft is trying to make a more engrossing social network with its multiplayer gaming options and to create new entertainments methods for the users. In the near update people will be able to make their own avatars to represent themselves in this growing social network, and also be able to stream a vast collection of movies if you have an existing Netflix account. With the success of Nintendo’s Mii’s and sales of the Wii, Microsoft wants to get more into casual gaming in order to create a better entertainment bundle. Lastly Microsoft believes they are the leaders in interactive entertainment, due the success of Xbox live.
4. Do you feel that this effect is positive or negative? Why?
I believe this effect is positive and negative in both respects. In the positive side Xbox live is bringing in more and more digital distributions for the consumers to enjoy. Users have the option to buy old Xbox original games digitally and play new arcade games and demos every week. In positive respect Xbox live is trying to become the only entertainment network people need, by giving the players more and more features too use, for example in you can rent movies for 24 hours or so on it, or stream any one of the available movies that Netflix has to offer. Microsoft is just trying to create face book on a gaming community. On the negative side the most problematic thing is getting your Xbox live gamer tag hacked (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/933/933332p1.html). With all this content being digitally distributed there must be a way to purchase it. People have to buy Microsoft points with either a credit card or buy cards at a store. In either way you basically have money in your account. Someone able to hack your account and steal your personal information is very easy thanks to Microsoft’s very pathetic customer service. In all honestly with a couple of calls to customer service you could easily pry information from the reps loose mouth. In conclusion Xbox live needs better security if it keeps pouring content on the marketplace. Another negative effect would be an addiction to the new services and features to an extent where people will barely leave their house. Xbox live could very much be a drug for innocent victims.
5. Try to think of a plausible way that this effect could be reversed or overcome by another technology or social trend.
For a new social trend technology to replace Xbox live would be very difficult because of its increasingly growing community and user base. The only other services that might have a slight chance of overcoming this social network would have to be the Play station 3 and the Nintendo Wii. The play station 3 has a built in blue ray player, some of the same features of Xbox live like movie renting, and the soon to be releasing Home might create a brand new social phenomenon in the community. On the other side Nintendo Wii has already sold over 40,000,000 worldwide. With this huge community behind Nintendo could easily overcome Xbox live, by creating extensive online services for an all in one entertainment source.
References
Xbox Live. (2009, February 10). In Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopaedia. Retrieved 04:28, February 12, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Xbox_Live&oldid=269854639
Hacked on Xbox 360: A Victim’s Tale. (November 24, 2008). In IGN. Retrieved from http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/933/933332p1.html
Xbox Live – The Shift to Social Networks. (November 27th, 2008). In Inside Social Games. Retrieved from http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2008/11/27/xbox-live-the-shift-to-social-networks/
