Xbox 360 Gets MSN Messenger

Microsoft has announced the launch of Windows Live Messenger on its gaming console, Xbox 360, to connect owners of Microsoft Windows-based PCs and Windows Mobile-powered devices with Xbox 360 owners. With this update to Xbox 360, Microsoft aims to connect friends and families via direct chat from their television using Windows Live Messenger, within a network of more 260 million active accounts.

Beginning the week of May 7, 2007, the Xbox 360 Spring Update will provide Xbox 360 owners worldwide with access to Windows Live Messenger features, in an attempt to broaden the communication options on the Xbox Live social network. Members of the Xbox Live community currently send more than 2 million text and voice messages a day and can now use Windows Live Messenger to text chat with up to six people on their contact list at one time, while playing games, listening to music or watching movies. Text chat adds to the variety of options friends and families already have to communicate with on Xbox Live, including voice and video chat.

Jerry Johnson, product unit manager of Xbox Live at Microsoft said, "Bringing the largest IM community in the world, Windows Live Messenger, to Xbox 360 makes sense, as Xbox Live has really become the largest social network on television. For our growing community of 6 million on Xbox Live, using Xbox 360 is a very social, connected experience. They are using Xbox 360 to play games, music and movies while simultaneously communicating with one another through video, voice and text chat. With this announcement we are simultaneously expanding the access of Xbox Live users to existing friends and family while introducing Windows Live Messenger users to the benefits of Xbox 360."

Users of Windows Live Messenger on Xbox 360 will be able to text chat using the virtual keyboard accessible on Xbox 360, or by connecting a USB keyboard to the console. This summer Microsoft will launch a QWERTY text-input device, a new accessory that will connect directly to the Xbox 360 controller to support text and instant messaging.

Apart from Windows Live Messenger, the Spring Update for Xbox 360 includes hundreds of new features and enhancements such as a richer Achievement notification pop-up, enhanced family settings for video chat and voice chat and a new Xbox Live Marketplace.

Also, Updates to Xbox Live Arcade will allow owners to see which Xbox Live Arcade games their friends are playing and join in the fun. Xbox Live members can also compare progress of leader board scores and achievements directly with all friends on their friends list.

A new option in Auto Downloads provides faster access to the entire collection of free, trial-version Xbox Live Arcade games, while new progressive download controls provide easy access to optimal viewing options by letting people fast-forward, rewind, pause and resume as their video is downloaded from Xbox Live Marketplace. Extension of the background download functionality will allow owners to set their Xbox 360 console to turn off automatically after downloads are complete.

The Spring Update is free beginning the week of May 7 and is easily accessible to every Xbox 360 owner through Xbox Live or on Xbox.com.