Source: Xbox LIVE Costa Rica Facebook
Technology and software giant Microsoft has a lot riding on its Xbox video game ecosystem. The company?s Xbox LIVE online multiplayer service runs across several platforms, from the Xbox 360 console to just about every version of Windows from XP onward. The Xbox LIVE global network has about 40 million subscribers, and many of them live in Costa Rica.
Tico gamers who log in to the Xbox LIVE network for the first time are often disheartened to find out that Costa Rica is missing from the Microsoft map. In fact, most of Latin America is sorely missing from the Xbox LIVE countries and regions. Although the network uses the Internet Protocol (IP) to connect gamers around the world, the country and regional services are vital to gamer culture -not only because of language but also due to the fact that cultural affinity enhances the video gaming experience.
In an ideal Xbox LIVE world, Mexican and Tico gamers could recreate a football match between the National Football Teams of Costa Rica and Mexico on the FIFA video game franchises. A Tico Halo clan could shoot it out against a clan from Nicaragua in a game of capture-the-flag, thereby settling the border conflict in a virtual and amicable matter. Such gameplay, however, is currently off-limits in Costa Rica.
The World According to Microsoft
The current map of Xbox LIVE countries and regions seems like a G20 or OECD meeting of industrialized nations. It is predominantly anglophone and Western -although hardcore Japanese gamers make up a good portion of the network. Many games designed for competitive online play have unique features that are only available to Xbox LIVE countries and regions, and Costa Rica is not on the list. In Latin America, only Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico are on the list.
The reasons Costa Rica and the rest of Central America are not part of the world according to Microsoft are: market interest and piracy. The latter reason is quite sensitive for the tech giant, and it is the reason China is not one of Xbox LIVE?s countries -but the Russian Federation is. With regard to market interest, it could be argued that Ticos would be quite happy to purchase online digital content, judging by the popularity of mobile devices and apps among the population.
The Xbox LIVE experience is not free. Tico gamers have to pay a subscription fee to play, and in the end they can?t access the premium services such as ESPN, Netflix, Zune, and others. The Xbox LIVE Marketplace has terabytes of digital content that gamers in Costa Rica would love to download and purchase, but they can?t since they essentially do not exist. How can Tico gamers join Xbox LIVE if they are not on the network?s map of countries and regions?
The Petition from Tico Gamers
Gamers in Costa Rica must resort to a series of workarounds to access the Xbox LIVE network. Some of these circumventions involve using proxies, Virtual Private Networks (VPN), foreign bank accounts and credit cards, etc. The Costa Rica Star has previously written about the use of proxies, but in the case of Xbox LIVE it could be considered a violation of their Terms of Use.
A more nefarious workaround involves the use of ?flashed? video game consoles and pirated video games. Flashing an Xbox 360 console can be a risky affair that nullifies the manufacturers? warranty, and pirated games are not guaranteed to play properly.
Tico gamers are not happy with the Xbox LIVE status quo in Costa Rica, and to that extent they have approached a marketing representative from Microsoft in Central America and questioned him about the matter. The gamers want to see Costa Rica on the map, and the Microsoft rep has suggested that they put together a list of 750 to 1000 active ?Gamertags? (as Xbox LIVE IDs are called) with their respective IP addresses. These Gamertags would then be subject to monitoring from Microsoft to ensure that they are not violating Terms of Use or infringing upon copyright, and ostensibly to see if they are indeed purchasing digital content.
The VJCR online community of Tico gamers is leading this effort, although they are currently short of their goal. This is the same community that hosts the Nintendo StreetPass 3DS group that The Costa Rica Star has previously written about. If you are an Xbox gamer living in Costa Rica interested in joining this petition, please visit the following links:
IMPORTANT UPDATE: There is a piece of incorrect content above, the efforts for allowing XBox live to be available in Costa Rica were founded by Samuel Torres L?pez 3 years ago when he realized that XBox Live was not available regionally. He got in touch with XBox Customer Service and found out that they need to signup 1500 IP addresses/Gamertags for Microsoft to allow XBox Live availability in Costa Rica. He set out on the mission and in the process recently met with Marco Chinchilla, then both of them founded the XBoxLiveCR Facebook page as they continue their journey to get Costa Rica added to the XBox network regionally. The Nintendo StreetPass 3DS group also has no relation to these same people, though they are connected through the love of gaming.
In closing, it is very apparent that gaming and video game culture are alive and well in Costa Rica, and we can all work together to help one another to enjoy a better gaming experience with the community of Costa Rica.
The Costa Rica Star thanks everyone for their emails and phone calls in clarifying this matter, and we appreciate your patience.
billy the kid neville neville george lucas numerology the game new hampshire primary
No comments:
Post a Comment