Sharing the Family Xbox 360

Solitary, lone wolf gamers have no idea what it's like to live in a house where you have to share. Where your time on your game console isn't necessarily your own, but is divided between various family members, all of whom often have different ideas of fun. Fortunately, that's hardly a problem on Xbox 360™.

Sharing Settings
Parents don't need to worry about younger family members going online or offline thanks to the in-depth Family Settings options. Not only can you adjust the controls on the console itself to allow only the games that you approve for your kids, you can also create Xbox Live® accounts for your youngster with built-in safeguards that ensure your child's safety online.

Help your family share with Family Settings.

Faceplates and Games for Everyone
By now you've probably heard about Xbox 360 faceplates, those removable and customizable add-ons to your console that personalize it however you like. A great way to share time with the family Xbox 360 is to let each family member choose a faceplate that he or she can snap on to the console when it's time to be "in charge" of the gaming.

The library of Xbox 360 games features different titles for everyone in the house—and many games that all family members can enjoy together. Games like Project Gotham Racing® 3, for example, let up to four players race in glorious high definition, all on the same console.

Individual digital IDs: One way to make sure everyone in the family has his or her own way to play is the Xbox 360 Memory Unit. Each one holds up to 64 MB of data, including Xbox Live accounts (so you can use them on a friend's Xbox 360), saved games, images, and music.

Thanks to Family Settings, every gamer in the house can have his or her own Xbox Live account and display achievements and skills online. Xbox 360 gamer pictures and mottos are just a couple of the features that let you personalize each and every account.

Entertainment for all
Even if your whole family isn't made up of hardcore gamers, Xbox 360 will have a central place in your home entertainment station (what many folks like to call a "living room.") DVDs, MP3s, CDs, and the Windows Media Center Extender mean you'll get plenty of use out of your Xbox 360 even when you're not gaming.

It's Good to Share
With well-built Family Settings that make gaming easy for all ages, a library of new games for every taste, customizable Xbox Live accounts for everyone, and a host of digital entertainment uses, Xbox 360 makes it easy for families to share in the entertainment, share in the gaming, and share in all of the fun.

Article by Danny Chihdo

• Console family settings.
• Xbox Live family settings.
• ESRB game rating info.