Microsoft is tired of answering this question: when can I have more than 100 friends on Xbox Live?
The answer is soon. Microsoft made the most significant move in this direction yet, announcing the dismantling of the original Xbox Live servers. On one hand, unless Microsoft develops an interesting alternative (say, a downloadable version), Halo 2 will no longer be playable over Xbox Live. On the other hand, it removes the tech obstacle preventing Microsoft from lifting the annoying friends cap.
Microsoft hasn't made this announcement officially yet, but I reported on the Halo 2 problem last year and I'm told old Xbox Live remains the issue preventing this from moving forward.
The company mentioned the impact of Halo 2 in a statement this morning.
"There’s no greater example of the power of the Xbox LIVE community than the Halo franchise," said Xbox Live general manager Marc Whitten on the Gamerscore blog. "Halo 2 has had an amazing run on LIVE, with a dedicated community more than five years after launch and well into the next generation of consoles. It has fundamentally changed the way we play video games."
I last pressed Microsoft on this point at CES earlier this year.
"Phew," sighed Xbox group product manager Aaron Greenberg. "God, I've been answering this question for so long. It's something that the team's looking at. It's more complicated than you would think. I know you have actually covered yourself in some detail and I think it is something that we're hoping to address. Exactly when that happens I can't say because there's some technical requirements tied to it. But I can tell you that, just like consumers, I share the same frustration and I, too, want more than 100 friends, and so know that we all want that and that we are working on getting that fixed."
Whitten promised to share "more details soon." One of those details will be the ability to -- finally -- stop unfairly removing friends from your Xbox Live friends list in order to make room for more.
Finally.
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Assyria
I have 100 friends. Thing is, i only talk to half of them, the rest I just know, or should delete because I don't play with them often enough. Anyway, why should they sacrifice the old XBL servers to have 100+ friends? any why can't the company that created the xbox in general, let alone live not be able to get past this 'problem'?
The main reason i have that many friends is because I play quite often, but unkike people who winge about it.... i have a life... and see the poeple in person often.
Adampro123
I wonder what the cap will be raised to this time if there is any cap at all.
I'm glad they finally raised the cap.
burningstrength
Why is there a need for this? It would just make that "unlock sound" less rewarding considering you would be hearing it all the damn time when playing. C'mon admit it. You know you get a small rush when you hear that noise.
Able
Ok, i got to say that Im Able, and im the only me. So whats all this about other ppl being me and having up to 100 friends on Xbox live. Well i dont own a Xbox360,and why would i pay for live for 100 friends i dont even know.
Its just freaky that ppl want to be me to get 100 friends on xbox live.
JOem316
What exactly is this online stuff I hear about. What are friends?
Redd75
...and just like FB and Twitter, you'll only actually talk to five of them.
OozyGorilla
The one thing that is wrong is the old Xbox Live isn't the reason for the friends list limit. (see http://www.examiner.com/examin er/x-6894-Video-Game-News-Exam iner~y2009m8d17-Microsoft-deni es-Halo-2-friend-lists-limit-r umors and the actual podcast http://majornelson.com/archive /2009/08/16/show-328-system-up date-bigs-2-and-trials-hd.aspx )
That aside. I sure hope there are bigger reasons than just wanting more that 100 friends which only applies to those in the industry and other high profile people. If not, what is the point?
In the mean time, I'm playing Halo 2 for the next ten weeks and finally switching to Halo 2 Vista.
blueboykc
ok heres a serious question for those of you that have lets say 30 or friends on your friends list...can you honestly remember the majority of those ppl and what games you played with them?
Socalmic47
I'm kinda stoked on the increase. I don't know about 100, but the increase is nice because I have been playing with a ton of cool people on MW2... unlike Halo. ;-)
stricking spider
i belive that mcdonalds is better than most people think!
NonstopSURFBUM
Yes it is a small issue but an issue . I have a few friends that have to purge there friends list to make room for new ones. In this day and age you should not have to do that.
NonstopSURFBUM
id like to say "ITS ABOUT TIME" having to go threw my friends list and delete one just to add another sucks.
Tmidiman
So can someone tell me why I need to be able to see over 100 friends? I can just imagine over 100 names popping up when I start up my 360.
This souunds like a whiner request.
BladeofOnyx
One guy out of eighteen posters (phoenixrage) with a positive comment on the topic. Hmmmmmm. Could it be most folks consider this a non-issue?
BladeofOnyx
I'm sorry Patrick, but as when you reported about this last year and again discussed this only last week it seems, no one but industry folks care. Who really has that many friends on xbox live? Who would want to? Given that the most you can play with at one time is about sixteen.
phoenixrage
finally! For real life friends, there aren't many on my list, but I am part of a few message boards, and there's probably about 150 xbox players on there playing various games on a regular basis. I've had to weed out by only having people within 1 hour of my time zone and how often they log on and play the same games that I do.
DreamingDarklyRobin
This really only affects celebrities. Not many other people have or want that many friends.
JNR713
I dont even have 20 friends.
SiK
Halo 2 will be missed :(
GatsuBlackSword
Let Me Get This Story Straight because it's all over the internet. There will be no more XBL support for Xbox 1 Games After April 15th. But it will not Effect the function of Just Playing Xbox Games on the 360 or will it?
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