Xbox Live hits 4 million users

Microsoft's Xbox Live online service reaches 4 million users; population expected to grow to 6 million by mid-2007.

Xbox Live has surpassed 4 million members worldwide, just shy of its sixth iteration, which launches "this fall." The service, which Microsoft describes as "the first and only unified online games and entertainment network," is available in 24 countries and the company expects it to surpass 6 million members by the summer of 2007.

Some great facts:

• More than 70 million pieces of content downloaded in Xbox Live Marketplace's first 11 months.
• Over 12 million Xbox Live Arcade downloads in that same period, with a trial-to-purchase ratio of 24 percent (Uno leads all Arcade titles with a 50 percent trial-to-purchase ratio)
• Time logged on Xbox Live playing games has surpassed two billion hours
• More than 9 million text and voice messages are sent over Xbox Live each week