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Xbox Live hits record 2 million concurrent users

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 launch pushes Microsoft's online service to new high-water mark for simultaneous online gamers.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 largely lived up to sales expectations upon its launch for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC earlier this week. Yesterday, Activision formally crowned Modern Warfare 2 the title of biggest launch of any entertainment product ever, selling 4.7 million units to the tune of $310 million in day one sales for the North American and UK regions.

The Modern Warfare 2 army was well represented on Xbox Live yesterday.

The Modern Warfare 2 army was well represented on Xbox Live yesterday.

As it turns out, more than a few who picked up the Xbox 360 edition of the game took it online to check out the game's heralded multiplayer component through Xbox Live. In a post to his Twitter feed, Xbox Live director of programming Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb said that more than 2 million people were connected to the Xbox 360's online service on Wednesday, setting a new record for most concurrent users for the service.

Notably, the record comes on the heels of Microsoft's ban of a reported 1 million users from Xbox Live, on the suspicion that the gamers were using modded Xbox 360 consoles to play pirated games. According to Microsoft's most recent census, Xbox Live has a user base of more than 20 million worldwide.

For more on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, check out GameSpot's launch center.

359 Comments

  • CR10RC

    Posted Nov 19, 2009 3:36 pm GMT

    not bad

  • KillerWabbit23

    Posted Nov 18, 2009 3:50 pm GMT

    Probably from kids with "M1W1", the new swine flu. Seriously though, almost everybody is playing that game. It makes me feel sad... yeah i dont have it.

  • GOR_TAK

    Posted Nov 18, 2009 11:53 am GMT

    In related news ... Xbox users who have been affected by MicroSoft's recent over reaching Xbox bannings please add your experience to the civil suit investigation going on here... http://www.abingtonlaw.com/Xbox-Live-class-action.html

  • grootelaar

    Posted Nov 18, 2009 9:14 am GMT

    MICROSOFT WHAT ABOUT FREE ONLINE

  • Soapweed

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 11:08 pm GMT

    @nintendokid

    Does it sound like these guys have social lives? Probably not. Guess what nimrod, I'm half Korean. I'm ashamed to look at MBC (that's a a korean broadcasting company that shows off Starcraft matches) tournaments. They're trying to make gaming cool by throwing money at it and making idiots with no real skills besides mashing buttons and snorting crack to enhance their ADD. Gaming was fine to begin with. Pro leagues is making us all look like complete tools that take our hobbies way too seriously.

  • nintendokid

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 10:40 pm GMT

    @Soapweed

    "MLG is a complete joke."

    Tom Taylor, the player known as Tsquared, has a contract of over $200,000 with MLG. In addition, he has the potential to win over $100,000 in prize money winning the tournaments. His face was on Dr. Pepper bottles at one time to promote MLG. When was the last time anyone recognized your sorry face?

    That's nothing compared to Starcraft (in Korea). It's pretty common for the top players to receive contracts of over $500,000 and that's not including the potential prize money pool. Professional matches are broadcasted live on two major TV networks throughout the year.

    Doesn't sound like a joke anymore, does it?

    Why don't you just admit that you still believe in the distorted and false stereotype that brands all gamers as fat (or skinny), lazy, living with parents, smelly losers without a speck of social life.

  • Commisar123

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 8:04 pm GMT

    @ ChamomileBaths seriosuly? Give me a break that game hardly promotes apirport violence I would agree with you if you said the scene was unecassary or really graphic but don;t say something like it promotes aiport violence thats jsut stupid

  • Heshertonfist

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 7:52 pm GMT

    I wonder how many of these users went online to see if they survived the ban wave...

  • ChamomileBaths

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 5:37 pm GMT

    @ shakensparco
    Halo still pretty much sets the bar... But yea, hopefully a game that promotes airport violence in minors doesn't keep breaking the record.

  • shakensparco

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 4:59 pm GMT

    Ah, I still remember the day when the Halo games were breaking those records... ah well. Soon Call of Duty will be crowned by another game. As the industry grows, and more people grow up playing videogames, this milestone will change every couple of years.

  • cjj123

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 3:07 pm GMT

    @Predalien3000 It won't work

  • Predalien3000

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 1:14 pm GMT

    sturd880 wrote:
    The game is better on the 360, so is the online play. While I agree the PS3 is slowly becoming the better system as games are developed more towards it, the fact is the Call of Duty engine is a few years old and still designed around the 360. If you have the choice then get the 360 version.

    MW2 is barely better on the 360. The game engine for all CODs since COD3 have been developed around both systems (COD2 built around PC/360), so it isn't necessarily designed for the 360. The PS3 version has minor FPS problems in campaign, but other than that, they play the exact same, so it doesn't matter which system you get it for.

  • SocomZipper

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 9:51 am GMT

    @-Celeste-

    "Nothing is free in this world"- True but you are forgetting that Live is offering nothing that the internet already is. And since you already pay for the internet and get facebook, twitter and Netflix for no additional cost. Why then pay for it again through Xbox Live?

    But okay. If you think these things justify the fee for Live then that's fine by me. But when it comes to online gaming, it should be free and since you agree with me that PSN and Live is basically the same in this aspect why should you pay for it then when PSN and PC can offer it for free. How about we compromise. We leave the gaming section of Xbox Live free of charge but the rest we have to pay for if we want it. That way we (the gamers) can play our games for free and the rest that wants to use Xbox Live's other features have to pay for it and so Microsoft can continue to offer the best services. This sounds pretty fair, doesn't it?

  • sturd880

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 8:37 am GMT

    The game is better on the 360, so is the online play. While I agree the PS3 is slowly becoming the better system as games are developed more towards it, the fact is the Call of Duty engine is a few years old and still designed around the 360. If you have the choice then get the 360 version.

  • mackey12345

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 10:43 pm GMT

    Go left, go right, you can't really loose with either system. One system has a few quirks apart from the other, but doesn't really change the fact that they're just systems you can use to play games. One looks different apart from the other, one does things in a rather roundabout way than the other.

  • enkhbattsenguun

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 9:40 pm GMT

    ps 3 better than xbox 360

  • Flint247

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 7:55 pm GMT

    For people thinking XBL and PSN are the same, I disagree.

  • Predalien3000

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 6:36 pm GMT

    @cjj123

    ["quote="NAME" "] message ["/quote"]

    The person's name must be in quotes, not the quote tags.

  • cjj123

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 6:18 pm GMT

    @Predalien3000
    How do you do the thing when it quotes someone?

  • Predalien3000

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 4:40 pm GMT

    -Celeste- wrote:
    If you honestly can't see the difference between XBL and PSN and really think they are the same, then you don't have both systems, you don't constantly play both systems, and you're just using second hand information.

    I know the differences. I have both systems and used their respective services. But in all reality, the only thing the $50 a year gives you that's worth it is the guarantee that your brand new, highly anticipated game's servers won't crash, but that may not apply to every other game (MW2's PS3 servers had problems, so I guess Microsoft takes really good care of the 360 servers?). Otherwise, they are really similar. Both perform fine, but Live is a bit easer to use than PSN, and connection problems aren't just caused by the services themselves.

  • Soapweed

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 3:23 pm GMT

    @nintendokid

    MLG is a complete joke. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hruby/071008 Read it and ask yourself if you really want to be associated with the inferior race known as a Pro gamer.

  • -Celeste-

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 1:43 pm GMT

    @SocomZipper

    Because nothing in this world is free, and you're naive if you think that. It would be one thing if MS charged 50$ a month an offered the crap that PSN offers. Yes, I do have a PS3, I am on the PSN, I can even give you my handle if you want.

    Fact remains, PS3 is constantly updated through the fireware patchs. These patchs are in essence PSN updates since you can't use the service without the update. Content is generally provided at a slower pace, Hello Netflix streaming, Twitter, and Facebook (Yea I know, who really cares, but it's where the money goes).

    Short of playing multiplayer games, the cross chat in XBL is also free. My and my friends usually play different games and still manage to talk to each other. When you have friends that are into various genres, it's a fun plus to be able to communicate to them without having to be on the same game. Short of the online play, PSN and XBL are basically the same. The difference is that you pay 4$ to get matchmaking and multi-player support, that in itself, is above and beyond the support PSN gets.

    If you honestly can't see the difference between XBL and PSN and really think they are the same, then you don't have both systems, you don't constantly play both systems, and you're just using second hand information.

    I want a ferarri, go start a petition to have ferarri sell their cars for 25k$ because they are ******* all the car owners over by charging 350k+ for their cars.

  • sleepnsurf

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 1:31 pm GMT

    @Sorik120 It is called a free 3 year warranty. It really works! Last time I checked the Ps3 does not have one with the YLOD!

  • eyeseller posted Nov 16, 2009 1:22 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    eyeseller

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 1:22 pm GMT (hide)

    eyeseller

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 9:21 pm GMT

    Whats wrong Sony online? It's free,and has multiplayer servers that work flawlessly, plus its commercial free ads. Unlike MS which is full of paid advertisement that the user has to pay for, therefore MS gets paid by the advertisement company's then gets an addition $400,000,000.00 a year from the users that subscribe to the yearly fees.

  • eyeseller

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 1:21 pm GMT

    Whats wrong online? It's free,and has multiplayer servers that work flawlessly, plus its commercial free ads. Unlike MS which is full of paid advertisement that the user has to pay for, therefore MS gets paid by the advertisement company's then gets an addition $400,000,000.00 a year from the users that subscribe to the yearly fees.

  • Avenger1324

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 1:19 pm GMT

    Quite an achievement to have so many online at once, but if any game was going to do it it was going to be the launch of a huge game like MW2.

  • undefined420

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 1:03 pm GMT

    sony online service is atrocious!! There's a reason why it said 360 2 million users online and not sony.. sony online sucks, and I speak this from exp.

  • eyeseller

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 1:02 pm GMT

    I would say if you complain about spending $50 a year for something that should be free, you are a pretty wise person and know the value of a dollar. spend wisely, invest, and enjoy the profits.

  • EYE0NE

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 12:52 pm GMT

    @ Predalien3000

    Because you wouldn't blame MS if the tables were turned??

  • Predalien3000

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 12:46 pm GMT

    You get what you pay for, eh?

    Remember, the MW2 server issues were caused by IW's servers, NOT PSN servers. Apparently Microsoft takes better care of their servers than IW's PS3 servers, so don't blame Sony for that issue.

  • undefined420

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 12:42 pm GMT

    Rangaa..

    I have a 360 and ps3 both bought on the day of release. funny thing is, it was my ps3 that broke down and 360 still going on strong.

  • undefined420

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 12:40 pm GMT

    Rann I know actually 3 ppl including myself ps3's broke down. It's not as common but still happens. don't be ignorant bud!!

    If someone owns both systems, prolly a 95% chance they'll get it on a 360 vs a ps3. 360 is designed for fps games. and that's a fact

  • skunkpants

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 12:34 pm GMT

    Those who see $50 a year is a lot to spend should either get a job or stop whining about being poor and get a job!

  • NuKkU

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 12:23 pm GMT

    and i bet more then half those users were playing MW2

  • rann89

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 12:21 pm GMT

    Wow, record 2 million. So when they purged up to a million accounts, that wasn't nearly as small as everyone thought. Here everyone was talking like Live had like 8 million users. That was very well 1/3rd of their userbase. They sure have some balls.

    And it's funny you say that, Rangeraa, since I don't know anyone who's PS3s have died yet I can't count on both my hands how many whose 360s have died. Although I can count on one hand how many people have gotten the red ring only days after their purchase. It's not a ventilation issue, it's a hardware design issue, which is why that's possible. Learn facts.

  • efunk25

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 12:20 pm GMT

    Sweet. COD is such a great game I'll be interested to see what the total number on both consoles end up being. Could we end up seeing 4 or 5 million people playing online? Hope the servers can handle it!

  • rangeraa

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 12:10 pm GMT

    I've never RRoD'd before and my xbox is over 3 years old and is constantly left on for extended periods. I have also never done anything to improve its ventallation. It has sat stuffed in the closed in entertainment unit under my tv since i bought it(other than when i take it to friends houses which is also quite common). And for the record I know 3 people whose ps3's have died on them...and only 1 who has RRoD'd and pretty well everyone i know has at least a 360...most of them first generation.

  • EYE0NE

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 12:02 pm GMT

    @ Sorik120

    This is another thing I don't understand. I own an Xbox. And, yes, it had red ringed. Twice actually. So how many Xboxs have I purchased? ONE. The number of people that buy a new Xbox because theirs broke is incredibly small since E74 and RRoD is repaird my MS free of charge. You people act like there are only 2 million 360 owners that have all bought 16 Xboxs.

  • Sorik120 posted Nov 16, 2009 11:37 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Sorik120

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 11:37 am GMT (hide)

    lol pretty sure it has nothing to do with the $50 bucks a year but the extra $300 everytime their xboxs bite it. I'd say one of the main reasons xbox has sold so many more consoles is because the average xbox user has probably had to buy 3-5 of them x_x

  • eyeseller

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 11:35 am GMT

    I see a lot of good arguments for the PS3 and XB360, i personally prefer the PS3 for it robust ability to play many different file types like a PC can, and i injoy not paying the $50 a year for Multiplayer options. However, I have been looking into the XB360, because almost every game can be pirated, and therefore cutting my cost in buying games. Overall PC is the way to go.

  • dieasgrey

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 11:22 am GMT

    People are still whining about $50 bucks a year?

  • p2250

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 11:22 am GMT

    You think that a company/console that has given so many of its users problems (think RROD) would provide a free service.

    PSN is great, it only does everything just like the console itself.

  • xanisk89

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 11:08 am GMT

    @martyr2k6

    Cool story bro.

  • martyr2k6

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 11:05 am GMT

    And before someone beats me to it, yes I know you have to pay for monthly internet access to enjoy online multiplayer on all gaming mediums. That's a no brainer... I am a full time student for game design and programming, a full time father of 2, full time husband, and full time employee of a local Best Buy... Yet I still have time to enjoy my games, and put up with the whining from all the children who can't afford to do something they want to do...

  • supermex2109

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 11:04 am GMT

    xbox live is the best $50 i spend all year..........by far

  • martyr2k6

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 11:03 am GMT

    So in closing, I add that XBL has a worth-while cost to their online features for gold members. With a yearly subscription (truley the better route over monthly or tri-monthly) players can throw in as many games that have multiplayer (or not) and stay in touch with their friends and family while doing so. They can rest assured knowing that most problems are solved in a timely manner by XBL and Developers while still enjoying the service they are paying for. Sure, for what I have payed for XBL over the past 8 years (which totals to about $450) I could have bought a PS3 and played for free online, but I don't feel I would have gotten my true money's worth. I am getting a PS3 when we hit bonus for christmas (if I am lucky) and probably a PSP Go. I play all types of games (except sports), all platforms, and I put my hard-earned money into my gaming addiction. Either way, it's money towards entertainment. If you have a complaint about paying for something to do something, go get a job. No one here is wrong, no one here is right. Everyone here is a gamer, and if you want to play those games, you need to pay the man at one point or another. //end rant.

  • martyr2k6

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 10:56 am GMT

    For PSN vs. XBL...

    Again, $50 (or less) a year is no skin off most gamer's noses... You bought a console (PS3 or 360) that is intended to last the average life of 5 years for about $300 or more. So you already have made a more cost-effective choice to game on Console rather than PC. Sure you can't customize games and put mario in Unreal Tournament 3 (on XBox) with common knowledge, but who wants to join a server and then have to wait 5-10 minutes or more to download the server-specific content to enjoy said gameplay?

    PSN is great because it offers a free multiplayer option, yet like XBL you have to pay for DLC most times. What you don't get is the ability to talk to friends in and out of games that you are playing whilst they are playing a different game or watching something. Each experience is different on the games because they are based on "support" from each game's developer. This is not as prevalent on the 360. Sure we can and have experienced server downtime for either updates or server overload (GTA and COD4) but than can happen across both platforms. //Continue rant...

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