Xbox Live is becoming an increasingly popular service as online, multiplayer games have grown in popularity. Almost everyone is playing with other people over the internet, even on consoles like the Xbox or Playstation.
Have your kids come to you asking if they can get Xbox Live so they can play with their friends online? If you don’t know what Xbox Live, or you’re uncomfortable with the idea of your kids playing games online, then you’ve come to the right place.
We’re here to help explain just what is Xbox Live and what you can expect your kids to encounter through it.
Xbox Live Explained
Xbox live is the service provided by Microsoft that allows your Xbox to connect online. It is automatically included with your Xbox, so it doesn’t cost a dime. This service allows you to buy and download games from the online game store.
You get access to Xbox Live by creating an Xbox Account. From there, users can access and edit their avatars, gamertag, settings as well as find friends like on social media. The friend system allows them to see what games they are playing as well as chat and send game clips.
It does not, however, allow users to play games online. That requires Xbox Live Gold.
The account also provides tools for parents of minors who want to play. If you have an account, and download the Xbox Family Settings App, available on iOS and Android, you can add your children’s accounts and apply restrictions to their accounts, limiting their gameplay.
Parental Controls in Xbox Live
With your Xbox Live account and the Xbox Family Settings App on your phone, it’s really easy to apply restrictions to your child’s account. You can set up Screen Time schedules, locking out certain time periods and limiting the amount of time they can play.
You can also look at activity reports to see how much time you kids are spending on the Xbox and what games they’re spending it in. Content Rating Restrictions are another convenient factor.
Some of the most important settings are the Purchase Restrictions. You can set it up so that you are sent a request anytime your child tries to purchase something, or you can arrange for purchases to be disabled entirely. You are also able to monitor the funds in your child’s account and add to it if you want.
There are other settings and restrictions you can play around with if you want to, but these are the main ones.
Xbox Live Gold
Xbox Live Gold is the paid version of Xbox Live. It provides all the same features with the addition of two new ones. The first is the ability to play multiplayer games online. While there are some games that you can play online without the Gold subscription, most games require you to pay to play.
The other feature of Xbox Live Gold is two free games a month, as well as significant discounts on other games.
What Does Playing Online Mean?
When playing online multiplayer games, players have access to different features like voice and text chats for communicating with the people you’re playing with. This is great if your child is playing with well-known friends, but it can be a little uncomfortable if they’re with strangers that the game paired them with. You have no way of knowing what is being said to your child in this environment.
Thankfully, you can restrict who they are able to chat with in the Family Settings app with the Parental Controls.
Can I Disable Online Play?
There’s no easy way to stop your child from playing with strangers unless you want to disable all online play, which would prevent them from playing with their friends too. Most games require other players.
Take Fortnite as an example; you are placed on a map with 99 other players. Last man standing wins. If your child has friends, they can form a “party” or group to play together, either as a team or individually but in the same game. However, the game will fill the rest of the empty slots with other people that your child does not know.
However, not every game is like this. There are lots of games out there either have not online play or have the option to play solo. If you’e worried your child playing with strangers online, guide them towards games like this.
Is It Ok for My Kids to Use Xbox Live
Xbox Live is a pretty handy service. While users can still play some games online, it gives parents extensive control over their kids play. However, it’s important to remember that these are still only complimentary measures. They’re no substitute for your own presence when your kid is online.
Do you know any other handy features about Xbox Live? Let us know in the comments down below!