Connect with top gaming leaders in Los Angeles at GamesBeat Summit 2023 this May 22-23. Register here.


We’re about to start 2015, but Xbox Live is still dealing with some problems that started over Christmas.

A significant number of gamers are reporting on social media that some functionality on Xbox Live is not working. This includes party chat and the Friends app for the Xbox One console. These problems are preventing people from seeing what their buddies are playing, and it is making it so that gamers in a group cannot hear one another. Microsoft’s online service collapsed on Christmas as the result of a cyberattack, and it’s possible that these continuing problems are the lingering effects of that assault.

We’ve contacted Microsoft and asked for an update. We’ll post any new information.

Event

GamesBeat Summit 2023

Join the GamesBeat community for our virtual day and on-demand content! You’ll hear from the brightest minds within the gaming industry to share their updates on the latest developments.


Register Here

While some of the social features of Xbox One are not working, gameplay appears unaffected. This means that, unlike Christmas Day, you can hop online and play Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare or Far Cry 4.

On Thursday, a distribute denial-of-service attack, which overwhelms a service with junk data, hit both Microsoft’s and Sony’s online gaming services. This prevented people from logging into their accounts, which made many games unplayable. The cyberattack group Lizard Squad took responsibility, and now the FBI is investigating the matter.

GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it. Discover our Briefings.