Xbox Live is 5!

Yup; how time flies! The online community that now covers 26 countries, 9 languages and has over 8,000,000 members turns 5 years old tomorrow (15th November).

Microsoft states that Xbox LIVE has grown from a small community of gamers in two countries, playing a handful of games online with their friends, to a “worldwide social entertainment network” with online access to gaming, music and video entertainment.

To mark this occassion, Microsoft will give members the opportunity to download a free Xbox LIVE Arcade game, between 08:01 a.m. on 15th November and 7:59 a.m. on 17th November.

In addition to this, every active Gold member who joined the service at launch will receive 500 MS Points for free!

And, as if that wasn’t enough; from 4th December, all Xbox LIVE members will receive a system update with a host of new features and enhancements.  This update will be the launch of the “Xbox Originals,” which, for the first time ever, will enable gamers to download and own full Xbox games such as Halo, Psychonauts, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge and Fable among others, directly to their Xbox 360, for 1200 MS Points per game.