Xbox Live, the online service that allows players of Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox video game machine to compete against each other over the Internet, reached 1 million users, the world's largest software maker said on Thursday.
Microsoft said in a statement that it reached the 1 million mark for Xbox Live users three times faster than other subscription services, such as Time Warner Inc.'s AOL and TiVo Inc.
Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft, which launched its Xbox video game console in 2001 to compete against Sony Corp.'s PlayStation game machines, has long touted the Internet capability of its $149 Xbox as an advantage over its larger rival.
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Sony's $149 PlayStation 2 now comes with an ethernet adapter for connecting to the Internet, although previously the connector was an add-one. Microsoft launched its Xbox Live service in 2002.
Microsoft said more than 100 game titles can be played over Xbox Live, and it expects to see about 150 titles by the end of this year.
Microsoft and the world's largest video game publisher, Electronic Arts Inc., put aside long-standing differences over online video gaming earlier this year, with EA agreeing to release nearly all of its line-up of market-leading sports games for Xbox Live, along with other titles.
Microsoft has added new features to Xbox Live this year, including the ability to store data on the network, create online competitive tournaments and swap messages with other Xbox Live users.
