Xbox Live passes one million members @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on July 17, 2004

News: Faster than America Online, HBO and TiVO.

Microsoft proudly announced last week that their Xbox Live subscription service reached one million members. And they crowed that this was three times faster than other subscription services America Online, HBO and TiVO.

They were also happy to pass along a few facts about the service, so if you're into that thing you'll probably like to know that Xbox Live...

Players in 24 countries have spent more than 160 million hours (or 20,000 years) playing Xbox Live.

Members are playing an average of 265,549 hours every day.

More than 100 game titles from a host of top publishers including Electronic Arts Inc., Microsoft Game Studios, THQ and Ubisoft

Entertainment are playable on Xbox Live, and the number is expected to rise to 150 by the end of the calendar year.

Players have logged more than 220 million online sessions, an average of 10.5 million sessions per month.

More than 200 pieces of downloadable content are currently available to expand and enhance already great games, including new levels, new characters, new multiplayer modes and updated sports rosters.

The top 15 cities worldwide boasting the most Xbox Live members are Tokyo; London; Houston; Chicago; Toronto; San Diego; New York; Brooklyn, N.Y.; Los Angeles; Miami; Seattle; Calgary, Alberta, Canada; San Antonio; Las Vegas; and Seoul, Korea.

"Consumers are clearly choosing Xbox Live online video games as the new digital entertainment nirvana," said Microsoft Senior Vice President of the Home and Entertainment Division and Chief Xbox Officer Robbie Bach. "Our community has reached a million members in record time, and we've got hot new games and expanded features that will continue to feed our customer's almost insatiable appetite for online play."