We’re Back! (Almost)
Xbox.com is back and we're sure glad to see you! My Xbox and Forums will be back in about 24 hours, but in the meantime there’s a lot you can check out on Xbox.com.
At Xbox, keeping your family safe has always been a top priority. Providing a safe, secure environment and age-appropriate content for all consumers has been a part of the Xbox® story from the very beginning and it's a responsibility we continue to take very seriously.
When My Xbox comes back up, look for more robust Family Settings features that will enable you to decide what sort of online communication and content is right for your child. Kids will be able to have their own accounts on My Xbox, but Family Settings give parents or guardians complete control over who their child interacts with in any way on Xbox Live.
It's all part of our ongoing effort to create and build in safety measures that enable parents and caregivers to choose the right play and viewing settings for their family.
This fall Microsoft, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and Best Buy Co., Inc. will launch a campaign to inform parents about the Family Settings feature in Xbox 360™ and introduce other resources to help parents and caregivers protect their children. The name of the campaign is, "Safety is no game. Is your family set?" in reference to the Xbox 360 Family Settings, and you can read more about it here.
As for the maintenance that’s ongoing, we know you've got more questions, so here are some answers:
Q: Is this a Dashboard update?
A: Nope.
Q: So what's going to happen exactly? What's it going to look like for me?
A: The vast majority of Xbox.com is fully functional. However, if you try to connect to My Xbox on Xbox.com, you will see "Page Not Available." Try to visit the Forums, and you'll be redirected to the home page. Don't freak. It's not your account, your computer, your browser, or your ISP. It's us.
Q: What the heck am I going to do if I can't troll the forums ?
A: We're glad you asked. Aside from reading all the great articles on Xbox.com, here’s a few other things to do while we update our My Xbox service:
Make your holiday wish list. HD DVD anyone? How about the Wireless Headset and Wireless Racing Wheel? How about that cool new Zune thingamagig and the cool accessories to go with it? Don't forget Gears of War®, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent™, and Viva Piñata!
Go shopping! We've had a boatload of great games and accessories release in the last few weeks. Check out LEGO® Star Wars II®: The Original Trilogy, Xbox Live Vision Camera, Test Drive® Unlimited, and lots of other great stuff. Make your local retailer very happy.
Boost your gamerscore. Get gaming and impress your friends.
Bust out your original Xbox. There are still awesome games coming out for Xbox®. In fact Destroy All Humans!™ 2 just came out. That's pretty good timing.
Nominate a friend for the Gamer Spotlight. Drop TriXie a line at
xlmail@microsoft.com and tell her who you think needs some attention on Xbox.com.
Check out TriXie's blog from Monza. TriXie is in Italy for the World Cyber Games Finals, so watch out for her updates and be sure to check out what she had for breakfast.
Listen to our Artist of the Month. Get yourself the latest CD from Augustana.
Visit Gamer Dad. He's our new personality and a must-read for all parents.
Get ready for Zune. Go see what our friends are up to at zuneinsider.com.
Where in the world is Major Nelson? He's out and about somewhere. Major, please phone home.