Xbox Live first launched as an online service in 2002.
Microsoft released Xbox Live for the original Xbox on November 15, 2002, exactly one year after the console’s North American debut. The service allowed players to compete online, communicate with one another, and download additional content through a broadband internet connection.
Unlike many earlier console networking efforts, Xbox Live used a unified account system and supported a central friends list. A subscription model became a major part of the service, while the included voice-chat features helped distinguish it from competitors. Games such as MechAssault and Unreal Championship demonstrated the service’s online capabilities.
Xbox Live later expanded through the Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series generations. In 2021, Microsoft renamed the service Xbox Network, although “Xbox Live” remained widely used for years afterward.