Xbox 360 Fanboy

Microsoft (cutting it rather close to their December 21st deadline) just sent out the promised LIVE is 5IVE 500 Microsoft point gift to Xbox Live subscribers who've been subscribed since 2002. If you registered for your gift last month and are a legit member of the Xbox Live class of 2002 then check your inbox, because your 500 Microsoft point code should be there. And as an added bonus, Microsoft also threw in a special "Founding Member" LIVE is 5IVE gamer picture download code as well. Spend your 500 Microsoft points wisely, sport your new gamer picture with pride and take comfort in knowing that your five year, $250 total subscription hasn't gone un-noticed.

[Thanks, xenocidic]

We know some of our fellow fanboys have been Xbox Live subscribers since the service launched in 2002 and, per the LIVE at 5IVE festivities, they can request their free 500 Microsoft points. But Microsoft (ever so conveniently) didn't really outline a way or make it clear on how to obtain the free goody bag of Microsoft points. Greedy monkeys! But thanks to TeamXbox, they stumbled across the online form and we thought we'd share.

If you've been an Xbox Live subscriber since 2002, make your way to the registration website and fill it out. Once completed, submit that bad boy and wait patiently by your inbox. Then, by December 21st, those who "qualify" for their free 500 points will be emailed a redemption code. It's that simple. Oh, and if you try to beat the system and fill out the form knowing that you haven't been a Live subscriber since 2002 then Microsoft will delete your gamertag and wipe out your entire Gamerscore*. Don't mess with Microsoft

*Just kidding ... or so we think we are.

[Via TeamXbox]

In celebration of the ongoing LIVE a 5IVE birthday fun, Microsoft sent out a limited number of presents to select members of the media. The present is a box containing orange paper fluff, an Xbox Live information sheet and a sparkly orange LIVE at 5IVE branded wireless controller of sleek and sexiness. Suh-weet! Just look at the way the light shimmers off its orange casing and how the metallic flakes glisten in the fluorescent rays. She's beautiful. And we're sure our orange controller got held up thanks to the unreliable mail service, because Microsoft wouldn't have forgotten to send a controller to everyone's favorite Xbox 360 community fansite ... would they?

[Via Gamerscore Blog]

The LIVE is 5IVE branding is far from over with the Microsoft marketing team releasing a set of six free dashboard themes to the XBLM.

The free themes include Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Mech Assault, Halo 2, Ghost Recon 2, Gears of War and an Xbox LIVE is 5IVE branded theme. But as with anything free, the production quality on a few of these is lacking, especially the LIVE is 5IVE and Wolfenstein themes. Watch out for their guide backgrounds ... eesh! Though, we must say that both the Halo 2 and Gears themes are actually quite enjoyable. Anyhoo, all your free theme'age is listed under the "Xbox LIVE is 5IVE" heading on the Marketplace, so go and get your download on.

Unless you've been living under a small mobile home for the past few days, then you should know that Xbox Live is celebrating its 5th birthday on Thursday. Hooray! And we figured you'd like to know exactly what's planned and what's scheduled to go down. That's where bullet lists come in. Check out all of Thursday's Xbox is 5IVE birthday fun:

• Game with Fame: Lots of developers, playing lots of games with you on Xbox Live
• Play and Win: Pre-register to win oodles and oodles of Xbox 360 goodies.
• All-Nighter: You've been summoned to play old school Wolfenstein until you pass out.
• FREE Carcassonne! It's your birthday gift.
• FREE Microsoft points! 500 points if you're an '02 alum.
• Frag Doll Friday: Play GRAW with those fragging chicks.

We hope these event will make your Xbox Live birthday celebration all the more memorable and get you pumped to game the day away. HAPPY BIRTHDAY XBOX LIVE!

November 15th, 2002 holds a special place in our hearts, because it was the day Xbox Live launched in North America and the day gaming, life and humanity as a whole changed for the better. Fast forward to the year 2007 and you'll see that organic foods and saving the trees is all the rage, but you'll also see that Xbox Live is a huge success and the best online gaming service on any platform.

So, Xbox Live is 5IVE and its North American birthday is coming next Thursday and it'll be partying hard ... online, of course. The Frag Dolls will be online playing some old-school GRAW and others are being being asked to dust off their copy of Return to Castle Wolfenstein and game all night. As you can tell, it's going to be a mellow affair, but Xbox Live isn't all that old yet and we're just glad we didn't have to throw a Barney themed party. But just you wait Xbox Live until your 21st, because we'll be hitting the streets with controllers in hand and Frag Dolls on each arm ... just wait.