Microsoft Launches Xbox LIVE in India.

Xbox LIVE, Microsoft's popular online gaming service, finally comes to India. Beginning the 5th of November, gamers in India can go online using their Xbox 360 consoles to play multiplayer games and arcade games, download games, demos and media content, and engage with the online Xbox community.

According to Microsoft's official press releaseu “Xbox LIVE®, the premier service for online console gaming arrives in India today, 5th November 2007. Whether you want casual, fast-paced arcade action, new game content or multiplayer frag-fests, Xbox LIVE will have something for everyone. Users will be able to log on not only to enjoy casual, fast-paced arcade action, new game content or multiplayer frag-fests but also never seen before, exclusive local Bollywood movie trailers of “Hanuman returns” to begin with. A tie-up with UTV ensures that users will have access to other already released but popular Bollywood content of UTV films. Xbox LIVE® will also make available content related to Love Story 2050 – Harman Baweja’s debut film opposite Priyanka Chopra - a perfect fit for Xbox LIVE® and its users.”

For those unfamiliar with the service, here is a quick summary :

• Online Multiplayer Matches – through Xbox LIVE, gamers can go online and play with or against each other on their favourite Xbox titles, like HALO 3, Gears of War, or Forza Motorsport.

• Xbox Live Arcade – where gamers can play retro arcade games, smaller games and casual games on their consoles.

• Xbox Live Marketplace – where gamers can download free and paid content that includes games, game demos, videos and the like.

• Chat and community – chat and instant messaging features, a buddy list, video chat and voice chat.

There are two kinds of memberships to the service. The Silver membership is free for anyone who owns an Xbox 360 console, and entitles members to play game demos, and to download free and paid content on the marketplace.

But the Gold membership is where the action is, giving users access to online multiplayer games, the TrueSkill matchmaking system which helps players find matches that would be suitable for their skill levels, voice and video chat features, and a host of multiplayer-only achievements. At Rs.2,200/- for a whole year, the Gold membership is a must-have for anyone who can afford an Xbox 360 in the first place – greatly enhancing the Xbox experience for just about any kind of gamer, from casual to hardcore. For those that are still unsure, a one-month subscription for Rs.350, and a three-month subscription for Rs.880/- are also available.

The classics and casual games available through Xbox LIVE Arcade should also appeal to a broad spectrum of newbie and casual gamers in India. Sources in Microsoft have also revealed plans for introducing educational content for the Xbox in India, a first anywhere in the world. This content may also be available over LIVE for download.

Luckily for those of us without a credit card, memberships to Xbox live, as well as the Xbox LIVE points needed to purchase items on the marketplace, can be bought as pre-paid cards at retail outlets that stock the console.

Microsoft doesn't reveal country-specific sales figures as a matter of policy, but Mohit Anand,Country Manager, Microsoft Entertainment & Devices Division, mentioned recently at the NASSCOM Animation and Gaming event in Mumbai that HALO 3 had sales of well over 10,000 on day one. This augurs well for Indian gamers hoping to compete with some of their own online – the numbers should ensure that there's always some competition to be found on LIVE.

Microsoft is also launching a range of accessories to facilitate the LIVE experience. Off the bat, the most appealing should be the wired / wireless headsets (Rs.1020 and Rs.2620) , the camera (Rs.2040), and the neat text input device(Rs.1600) that fits snugly into the controller. Anyone who fancies spending reasonable amounts of time in multiplayer matches must at the very least get a headset to facilitate the strategic planning / trash talking that is such an essential part of the multiplayer experience.

Xbox LIVE should go a long way towards delivering a world class gaming experience to gamers in India. Now that it has been launched, I'll be keenly watching what Microsoft does next, by way of promotions and events. With the right kind of promotion, it could prove to be a strong factor in driving Xbox 360 sales in the country, as well as creating a connected community of Indian gamers, which could only prove beneficial to Microsoft in particular, and the gaming industry in general.