An Xbox 360 Live membership allows you to take advantage of all the content on the Xbox website, as well as your game console. Without a membership, you can’t shop on the Marketplace or chat with other players, and you can’t download free content offered to members.

Every Xbox system comes with a free Silver membership. You can activate this by connecting your Xbox to a broadband Internet connection, going to the Xbox website, and downloading a software update. Follow the instructions that will guide you through creating your free account, and you’ll be ready to explore all the options and choices you have with your Xbox 360 Live membership.

Once you have activated your membership, you can start playing and start chatting with friends and making new ones. Explore game add-ons and games on demand, download some arcade games, style your avatar, try voice and text chat, and enjoy free game demos. That sounds a lot more fun than the old non-interactive game systems!

You may want to upgrade your membership to Gold for even more benefits. A Gold membership allows you, if you’re a Netflix member, to access Netflix’s vast library of movies and TV shows right on your game console. You’ll also be able to video chat, share your photos, play games with people from all over the world, invite your friends (both offline and online) to Xbox Live parties, and get access to exclusive content and downloads.

While Silver membership gives you the basics that make your game more enjoyable, Gold lets you enjoy the full Xbox experience. An annual membership costs less than $50, or about $4.15 per month. You’ll spend more than that on a gaming magazine! Gold membership is also available on a monthly or quarterly basis, but yearly is the cheapest.

Activating your Xbox 360 Live membership gives you access to some of the most intense gaming experiences available today, plus lots of extras and access to the global gaming community!