Xbox Live: The Silver Age

Xbox 360™ and the new Xbox Live® feature two levels of membership, the premium Gold service and the free—yes, free—Silver status that is available to all Xbox 360 owners (if you purchase the Core system you will need an additional memory unit or hard drive). All you need to do is plug in to your broadband Internet connection, register for Xbox Live Silver (accepting the Terms of Use), and you're online with Xbox Live Silver.

Easy to Try
Silver-level access is free of charge for all Xbox 360 owners (except those who have previously been banned from Xbox Live and Korean users under the age of 14)—there's no reason not to try it, even if you're just the slightest bit curious. It's an instant membership that's only a few clicks away. (Note that there is a limit to the number of Silver level signups per console.)

Xbox Live Arcade and Marketplace
You'll find the the Xbox Live Arcade in the Marketplace, where you can purchase great casual arcade games like the classic Galaga or the smash hit Bejeweled. Just download them to Xbox 360, and they're yours to play again and again. They're perfect for casual gamers or anyone who loves great game play.

Try Xbox Live Marketplace free with Silver!

Besides arcade games, other goodies are all available in the Xbox Live Marketplace, and even Silver-level members can jump right in and start shopping. You don't even need a credit card, because Xbox Live offer gift cards at retail stores and other locations. Upgrade to Xbox Live Gold and you’ll also have access to exclusive Gold member content.

Online Community
Voice chat, text messaging, and Friends Lists are ready to go—and because you're always just a click away with the new Xbox Live, you're always ready to communicate with other Xbox 360 users.

Silver members begin by picking a gamertag, an online "handle," and building a gamer profile, just like Gold subscribers. That means you get to choose a gamer picture to distinguish yourself from the crowd, put up your personal motto, choose a Gamer Zone.

Of course, Xbox Live is primarily an online multiplayer service, and you need an Xbox Live Gold Membership to do that. When you upgrade to Xbox Live Gold, enhance your gamer profile with access to online multiplayer games, plus services like TrueSkill™ Matchmaking, and a personalized gamerscore and reputation.

Silver membership is available to everyone with broadband Internet service, and it's the perfect introduction to the new Xbox Live and everything it has to offer. After all, more than two million members can't be wrong. Once you see what's online, you won't believe what you've been missing. Even if you've never tried going online with Xbox Live before, it's never been easier to start.

Article by Ben Barker