Major Nelson announced that this afternoon Microsoft rolled an update that enables access to those three services by minors, provided they have parental approval. Minors in the U.S. will get access - again, assuming parental approval - on Dec. 15.

The Major reminds: Be sure to set Automatically log in or Remember me when setting up the application for the first time, otherwise you will be prompted for parental permission every time you launch the application

Twitter, Facebook and Last.FM updates for those <18 [Major Nelson]

Last week Microsoft launched a string of Xbox Live console bans on Xbox 360s that had been modified to play pirated software, which naturally cause an uproar among people who have modified their Xbox 360 consoles to play pirated software. Go figure. Major Nelson explains that it's all for the sake of the community members that actively spend money on games.

As you may have read online, we've been actively banning consoles from Xbox LIVE that have been modified to play pirated games. Our commitment to combat piracy and support safer and more secure gameplay for the more than 20 million members of our Xbox LIVE community remains a top priority. All consumers should know that piracy is illegal, and that modifying their Xbox 360 console to play pirated discs, violates the Xbox LIVE terms of use, will void their warranty and result in a ban from Xbox LIVE. The health of the video game business depends on customers paying for the genuine products and services they receive from manufacturers, retailers, and the third parties that support them.

It's all common sense, really, but then the Major raises a very important point.

This would also be a good time to remind you that the warranty on an Xbox 360 console is not transferrable and if you purchase a used console that has been previously banned, you will not be able to connect to Xbox LIVE.

Since most game retailers don't check to see if a 360 can connect to Xbox Live prior to taking it in used, you very well could wind up with a system that is unable to connect to Xbox Live at all. Luckily most retailers return used consoles without much hassle. Just make sure you check your Xbox Live connection within the return period and you should be fine.

Xbox 360 Console Bans [Major Nelson]

"I find the in-game uses, OK, may be interesting, the out-of-game, hey, it's a camera, use it to connect to Facebook or whatever - I don't find that at all interesting," says Neustadter. "Don't we all have phones that do that? Why do we need our gaming device to do that?"

Yeah. Good question. Why would anyone integrate Facebook with a gaming platform, anyway?

To be fair, maybe Neustadter meant just a gaming handhheld, not a console. To be more fair, hey, at least he's being an honest gamer. And earlier, Neustadter and security boss Stephen Toulouse said they were gaming more on their phones than their DSi, which is where one might also be more likely to use a Facebook mobile app.

But I think I did detect a semipregnant pause from The Major after e piped up (31:30 of the podcast). Like "Oh man, someone's gonna stick this on a blog." And, I guess someone just did.

Show #337: DJ Hero, MUA2, Lego Rock Band and MW2 [Major Nelson, thanks elektrixxx]

Thanks, Morgonzo Dos!

Says Major Nelson, the Xbox Live community guru:

When Preview Program members start receiving the Xbox 360 system update next week, one of the changes is that unauthorized Memory Units will no longer work with the Xbox 360. If you've moved your profile or saved games onto one to "back it up," you'd better move it back onto an authorized Xbox 360 storage device prior to taking the update. If you continue to use an unauthorized Memory Unit after the update, you will not be able to access your stored profile or saved games.

One way to be sure you have an authorized storage device is to check it against this list.

Note: Unauthorized does not necessarily mean "third party." This link identifies the brands featured on third party products - including memory units - that are authorized.

Don't Use Unauthorized Xbox 360 Storage Devices [Major Nelson, via Gamers Reports]

But give the Major his due, the Xbox Live community guru Larry "Major Nelson" Hyrb has tweeted that he's going to pick up Uncharted 2. If the context of this story escapes you and you also live under a rock, the game is a PlayStation 3 exclusive. And it speaks to the overall excellence of a game when your No. 1 competitor's public face says he's paying retail for it. Tweeteth the Major:

I'll have to pick up UnCharted 2 this week. It's being very well received. Congrats to @Naughty_Dog on a job well done!

Very nice gesture, but let's not make a compliment of Microsoft into something greater than the credit Naughty Dog and Sony are due. Uncharted 2 is legitimately such a great game that it can be said everyone's buying it.

Xbox's Major Nelson To Buy PS3's Uncharted 2 [Hot Blooded Gaming]

"Human error" is blamed. It covers singleplayer. It covers multiplayer. It covers Trueskill leaderboards. It covers all matchmaking data. Gone. Says the Major:

This was human error related to Xbox LIVE servers. It is not a broader service issue and will not impact other titles or Xbox LIVE experiences. The Xbox LIVE team is investigating the cause to prevent this from occurring in the future.

Larry goes on to apologize, on behalf of Xbox Live ...

"for the incident and any frustration Halo Wars players have experienced in having their statistics disappear from the Leaderboards. You can rest assured that we're putting processes in place to prevent this from happening in the future.

Halo Wars Leaderboards [Major Nelson, thanks Brian B.]

So that's two Xbox rumors before the morning's out. I have emailed Larry to see if he wants to say anything to his adoring public about it.

Update: Major Nelson has indeed replied! Here's his clarification, verbatim:

Regarding that entry on my Gamercard, that's something we're testing as part of the next dashboard release (nope...not ready to announce a date yet!.) If you remember at E3, we announced avatar marketplace, and the ability for games to award avatar items. We're testing that infrastructure.

Xbox 360 Beta Leaderboard [Thanks Dodge Story, Carlos V. and Duncan D.]

Some of you have taken issue with the slow speed of the New Xbox Experience, and Major Nelson and the rest of the Xbox Live team have taken notice. In his latest podcast, the Major promises that the next major dash update will see a much faster guide. Just don't call it a performance enhancement, whatever you do.

"The team has done some really good stuff around making performance enhancements. 'Performance enhancements' doesn't sound right because it sounds like we're going to give the guide a little blue pill, and we're not doing that. Whatever we call it (and it's not going to be called the NNXE), but whatever the next version of the dashboard is called, it's better with a lot of very cool new features. That update will be out later this year"

Thank goodness, because if the Xbox Live team had released a dashboard update that was worse in every way, they'd be Vista team, and they keep the two separate for a reason.

Show #323: E3 2009 and Iraq [Major Nelson via CVG]

While you won't be able to actually see and hear the secret things Major Nelson and his crew will be discussing, they'll have a large screen in front of them with your Twitter comments rolling across it live for the whole team to see. The meeting takes place between 3pm and 5pm Pacific time, which gives you a good two and a half hours from the time this post goes live to think up something wise, witty, or potentially despicable to say. Simply Twitter your comments with the hashtag #heyxboxlive at the beginning of your post, and internet fairies will carry your message to the Xbox Live Team's screen.

If you've nothing to say, you can always just follow the thread directly, hoping for hilarity to ensue.

Be a part of the Xbox LIVE team meeting [Major Nelson]

Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb has official status on the well-being of Live, writing on his blog that "Xbox LIVE members may experience issues related to billing." That means you're not the only one with difficulties with account recovery, account management, Xbox Live Marketplace functions and making purchases.

This doesn't affect matchmaking, friends lists and Live messaging; just the nightmare of not being able to turn cash into precious Microsoft Points. We wish the billing functions a full and speedy recovery.

Update: Mr. Nelson says... "FIXED!"

Xbox LIVE Billing Issues [Xbox Live's Major Nelson]

In the final post, published yesterday at 5 p.m., Gamerscore said that internal housekeeping had organized community outreach into several channels, making Gamerscore a little redundant, making its closure appropriate.

The content it usually offered or pointed readers to can now be found elsewhere:

• Behind-the-scenes content, interviews, and featured game videos are on the console's Inside Xbox Channel.
• Microsoft's Xbox blogging corps can be still be read on Xbox.com's Voices page, and, of course, Major Nelson will continue his blogging and podcasting.
• If you're looking for the latest news and press releases, go to Xbox.com's Press site.
• Finally, you can sign up for email newsletters or go to xbox.mobi from your phone, if you want to keep up that way.

"We had a blast being part of Gamerscore blog, and we want to thank you for your support, but as you can see from the list above, there is no shortage of methods to snag the latest word from all of us at Xbox," they write.

Gamerscore Blog Changes [Gamerscore Blog]

Tune in to hear Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb talk about the year in Xbox 360, his confidence of Xbox Live stability during this year's new adopter holiday crunch and the bet I more than likely lost.

Don't forget to check out our other Holiday podcasts:
A Very Special Kotaku Holiday Podcast
Media Molecule Talks LittleBigPlanet Moderation, New Pitches and How The Found Out About That Recall
Resistance 2 Podcast: Multiplayer Tweaks Coming
Call of Duty: World at War: Balancing Historic Realism With Fun

Watch Video Podcast - Castle Crashers with Larry "Major Nelson: Hyrb on your iPod or Zune!
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Subscribe to our Kotaku Video podcast on iTunes and the Zune Marketplace.

In a recent Major Nelson podcast, Xbox Live’s director of programming, Larry Hryb said, "I'm here to tell you on behalf of the community, I want — we need — another Crackdown... That’s all I'm going to say, so you don’t have to confirm for deny anything. I'm just saying we want it."

To which Microsoft Game Studios boss Phil Spencer replied, "Yes, Crackdown's one of my favorites. I'll leave it at that.”

Does this really surprise anyone? Does it? It shouldn't.

Show #301: Phil Spencer, Keiichi Yano, Jerry Johnson and Seth Killian [Major Nelson via VG247]

In our our continued effort to keep gameplay safe and secure for our community of more than 14 million members, Microsoft has taken action against a small percentage of Xbox 360 consoles that have been illegally modified in order to play pirated games. You should know that modifying your Xbox 360 console is also a violation of the Xbox LIVE terms of use, will void your warranty and result in a ban from Xbox LIVE. The health of the video game business depends on customers paying for the genuine products and services they receive, both from manufacturers and the local companies that support them. We will continue to employ and bolster anti-piracy security measures to counter piracy in the gaming industry and improve security in the Xbox LIVE community.

This isn't the first time Microsoft has banned modders from LIVE, and it won't be the last time. This will continue and continue and continue and continue some more. And then after that, it'll continue again in what the cool kids these day call an "endless cycle."

Xbox 360 Console banning [Major Nelson]

Xbox Live's Larry Hryb hinteth on his latest podcast "Keep an eye on my blog next week. If you want to get your hands on [the NXE] early. That's all I'm going to say." Further teases instruct that visiting MajorNelson.com would be in your best interest.

We look forward to being rid of these hideous blades forever! Bring on the Avatars!

Show #297: TGS, EndWar, Dead Space and Age of Booty [Major Nelson via GamePlay Unlimited]

Teh before:

Teh aftar:

New Xbox Experience: Games Marketplace [Major Nelson's Blog, via Game Stooge (pic)]

The maps are converted singleplayer levels from the game’s campaign mode, tuned up for conquest mode, Gordon says.

The rest of the zunecast "blogcast" deals with the GTA IV Live Weekend (about to expire) and about 30 minutes of major Zune pimpage, including a not-so-arch remark about how well it works with the 360 and how "other devices" don't because they "changed their protocol." Who knows, maybe all this cross-marketing is Microsoft tipping its hand toward bringing Zune Marketplace to Xbox Live. Remember, both services are down at the same time, beginning at 12:01 a.m. PDT tomorrow.

Show #294 [Major Nelson, thanks Nathaniel V.]

Seems the Xbox Live programming director left himself signed in and his wife got a hold of the game under his tag. He popped in the door to find her in full gambling-problem mode, which is to say distant, uncommunicative, unconcerned and four figures to the bad, on his account.

He writes a humorous anecdote but it reeks of poetic license. All three games are conveniently mentioned, and the dialogue has a sort of canned soft-drink testimonial feel. And, here's the escape hatch, you can transfer your gold to your character when you get the game, but nothing says you have to transfer your debts. In fact, you'd be quite foolish to do so. Or you can just delete the gamesave and start over without paying the debt. So if you're playing this, keep all of that in mind.

Still, I like the idea of Major Nelson, stubble-faced and bleary-eyed and facing a heap of flaming cards in Fortune's Tower and eventually ranting like Albert Brooks in Lost in America. "Say it! Say it! Say 'I lost the nest egg.' Go on, say it!"

I am Playing the Fable II Pub Games ... but I Have a Little Problem [Xbox Live's Major Nelson]

EA has hooked the Major up with 25 pairs of tickets, which he will award randomly to folks who email him between now and 9AM Pacific time tomorrow. He'll notify winners tomorrow afternoon, giving you a good four days to figure out how the hell you're going to make it to Pasadena in time. PROTIP - If you live in Pasadena, don't move.

I've got your tickets to the Maddenpalooza event in Pasadena [Xbox Live's Major Nelson]