EB Games teams with Xbox Live

Xbox Live has always been one of those things that has to be experienced firsthand to understand. Although the service has been commercially successful, many gamers are still scared to take the peer-to-peer plunge. As a result, they remain confined to their living rooms. Microsoft and EB Games are trying to change this, however.

The publisher and online retailer are teaming up to bring Xbox Live to the masses with 25 Live-enabled kiosks in stores across the country. Now, a shopper at an EB Games in Tampa, Florida, can throw down with a customer at an EB Games in San Diego, California.

"Xbox Live has revolutionized the online video game entertainment experience, and we're confident the kiosks will be a very popular attraction in our retail stores," said Debbie Mola, vice president of merchandising for EB Games.

Each participating store will have its own gamertag, and all the stores' gamertags will be linked via the Xbox Live friends list. The first game to be on display in the kiosk is the E for Everyone-rated Forza Motorsport, which lets up to eight gamers play simultaneously over Xbox Live.

Gamers looking to talk trash to gamers in other states will have to show proof of age. Because use of the headset throws the game's ESRB rating out the window, the Xbox Live communicator headset will only be distributed to those who meet the minimum age requirement of 13 years old. Anyone under 18 will need their parent's permission to use the device.

To find out which stores are participating in the "EB Games goes Xbox Live" program, check out the EB Games Web site.