Xbox Live Friend Limit Will Be Raised in the Future

Online services are some of the most important pieces of software for any console in this generation of platforms. From Xbox Live to the PlayStation Network or WiiWare, every such service is vital for gamers to stay in touch with their friends and family and entertain themselves.

But even though Xbox Live is the most popular of the three services, it doesn't mean that it is without its flaws, and one thing that has been hampering the experience of many gamers is the limit of friends that one account can have, which is currently set at 100.
This means that if you lead an active online life and play a lot of multiplayer games, those places might be taken rather quickly. Don't think that Microsoft doesn't know your pain, as the company has revealed, through the voice of Steve Willet, that the company will raise the limit in the near future. He didn't give a concrete time frame, but it's nice to see that at least the development team is thinking about it.
“It is absolutely a continued focus and I am not a technical architect that you could tell you why it's capped there,” he says, “but I will say it continues to come up, it is something that will not be forever, but I can't give you a real time horizon on when it's going to change.”
Sadly this statement doesn't really indicate that the issue is on top of Microsoft's to-do list, but considering the fact that services like Games on Demand and support for Facebook, Twitter or Last.fm will soon make their appearance for Xbox Live, the company has a lot of work to do.
Has the 100-friend limit ever caused you serious problems or do you think that currently it is enough for almost any type of gamer? Leave us a comment to this article with your opinion about Xbox Live and its restrictions.

Xbox 360 Boasts 'Exclusive Partnership' with Netflix

Netflix is one of the biggest new features that have appeared on Microsoft's Xbox Live service, virtually transforming the Xbox 360 into a full-fledged media hub that can provide entertainment not only in terms of games but also as regards movies and TV shows.

Now, with the most recent dashboard update, the console will be getting even more functionalities, the likes of Movie Parties and enhanced playback features but also the ability to manage your Netflix queue. Here are all of the features that are now available for Xbox Live and Netflix subscribers:
Movie Parties – Xbox LIVE Gold members can sit together in a virtual theater with up to seven friends no matter where they are while your Avatars watch a movie, flirt or even throw popcorn at each other.
Manage Your Queue – Browse the Netflix Instant Watch video catalogue, choose from the most popular movies and genres and add to your queue all from the comfort of your couch – no computer required.
Enhanced Playback Experience – Enjoy a smooth viewing experience when your internet bandwidth fluctuates.
Friends Info – Richer information is now displayed in the Friends channel and in the Guide showing what you and your friends are doing.
But more interestingly, the Xbox.com website tells about an exclusive partnership between the service and the Xbox 360 console. “This exclusive partnership offers you the ability to instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix to the television via Xbox 360. Xbox 360 will be the only game console to offer this movie-watching experience, available to Xbox LIVE Gold members who are also Netflix unlimited plan subscribers, at no additional cost.”
Don't forget that rumors about Netflix partnering up with other consoles, specifically the Wii, have existed for quite some time, meaning that Xbox 360 users would certainly feel betrayed. It seems that this statement is there to assure everyone that, for the time being, Netflix will be making its home on the Xbox 360 console.
Hopefully we will hear more about this partnership from Microsoft or Netflix.

PlayStation 3 Will Catch Up to the Xbox 360 in 2011

One of the big Internet feuds of the moment is that between the fans of the PlayStation 3 from Sony and those of the Xbox 360 from Microsoft. Both home gaming consoles are thoroughly beaten in sales numbers each month by the Nintendo Wii but the loyal followers of the two hardware devices are locked into a titanic battle related to who will gain the second spot of the current generation of gaming consoles.

Now, those who favor the PlayStation 3 can apparently add one new weapon to their arsenal as the site TotalVideoGame projects that the PS3 will catch up to the sales numbers of the Xbox 360 in 2011 and will then surpass the Microsoft product to reach a total sales number close to 100 million units. The consoles will have pretty much equal install bases in January 2011, then the PS3 will speed ahead.
The projections made by the site are based on the current sales trends and point out that the Xbox 360 has a year of sales advantage over the PS3 at the moment. Sony is saying that, currently, there are 24.6 million of its consoles sold and Microsoft is talking about an install base of 30.2 million for the Xbox 360. Sony was quick to underline the TotalVideoGames estimates as proof of its superiority.
The only problem with the estimates is that they practically assume that the current trends will continue unchanged for the upcoming two years.
The site admits that the launch of new technology, like the rumored PS3 Slim and Project Natal, will change the dynamics but another problem is that, as time goes by, the sales curve for all consoles tend to become flatter as early adopters are phased out and as more and more people become interested in getting games for the device they already own rather than picking up a new one.