New Xbox Experience FAQs: Parties
The party system in the New Xbox Experience lets you to keep in touch with your friends more easily than ever. Parties are like a beefed-up version of private chat, with the ability to host up to eight Xbox LIVE users into the same chat channel.
Say you're enjoying a little Fable II campaign, two of your friends are playing Gears of War 2 co-op, four of your other friends are playing Halo 3 multiplayer and your emo friend is watching some independent film on Netflix. Now, you can all get together to chat, and we will show you how!
Q: How do I host a party?
A: Hosting a party is quick and easy, and you can start one from anywhere. Whether you're in the dashboard, watching a DVD, or playing a game, simply bring up the guide and start a party. You can only be in one party a time.
- Press the Xbox Guide button
- Select Party
- Start a Party
Q: How do I invite players to a party?
A: No matter how much pizza you've eaten, it's not a party until there's more than one person there.
- Press the Xbox Guide button
- Select Party
- Select Invite Players to a Party
- Select a friend or enter a Gamertag
- Select Send Invite
Q: How do I make my party invite-only?
A: Sometimes you only want a select few in your party, and there's no more uncomfortable silence on Xbox LIVE than that which follows the words, "Uh … could you leave my party?" Avoid such scenarios by setting your party so that only those invited to your party can join.
- Press the Xbox Guide button
- Select Party
- Select Party Options
- Select Party Status
- Select Invite Only
Q: Can multiple profiles on the same console join a party?
A: If you're having a real party and have multiple Xbox LIVE Gold profiles signed into the same console, you can get them into your party too!
- Make sure each of the profiles is signed in. Those who want to talk will need their headset, but those without can still hear through the TV speakers.
- Press the Xbox Guide button, select Party, and then start the party. Everyone will be automatically signed in.
- After the party is already started, if someone leaves and another person wants to join, they need only plug in their controller and sign into their Xbox LIVE Gold membership.
Q: How do I boot someone from my party?
A: Sometimes, even an invite-only party can get out of hand. Your friend screaming bloody murder each time he rounds a corner in Dead Space is only funny for so long. Give him the boot!
- Press the Xbox Guide button
- Select Party
- Select the player's Gamertag
- Select Kick from Party
Q: How do I join a party in progress?
A: When you hop onto LIVE and want to get in on a party, there are a few methods at your disposal.
- Go to the Friends channel, select the Avatar of someone in a party and then select Join Party
- Press the Xbox Guide button, select Friends, select a friend in a party, then select Join Party
- If you receive an invite, accept the invite in your Messages list
Once in the party, you can invite friends and join local profiles to the party the same way the host would, as seen above.
Q: How do I invite everyone my party into the same game?
A: Inviting your friends to play a game is easier when you've already gathered together in a party. It saves you the trouble of having to invite people one-by-one, precious time that would be better spent kicking their butt!
- Join the party
- Start a multiplayer game
- In the game lobby, press the Xbox Guide button, select Party, Invite Party to Game and follow the directions on the screen.
