<s>
Online	B-Application
console	I-Application
gaming	I-Application
involves	O
connecting	O
a	O
console	O
to	O
a	O
network	B-Architecture
over	O
the	O
Internet	O
for	O
services	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
three	O
most	O
common	O
networks	O
now	O
are	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
Xbox	B-Application
network	I-Application
,	O
Sony	O
's	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
Online	I-Application
and	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Network	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
an	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
cannot	O
download	B-Application
an	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
game	O
,	O
unless	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
part	O
of	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
to	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
backwards	O
compatibility	O
program	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Additional	O
services	O
provided	O
by	O
these	O
networks	O
include	O
the	O
capability	O
of	O
buying	O
additional	O
games	O
,	O
online	O
chatting	O
,	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
,	O
and	O
game	O
demos	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
some	O
consoles	O
,	O
Dial-Up	O
internet	O
connectivity	O
was	O
made	O
available	O
through	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
special	O
cartridges	B-Protocol
,	O
along	O
with	O
an	O
adapter	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
GameLine	B-Application
for	O
the	O
Atari	B-General_Concept
2600	I-General_Concept
and	O
the	O
PlayCable	B-Device
for	O
the	O
Intellivision	B-Operating_System
are	O
two	O
notable	O
examples	O
of	O
this	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Services	O
like	O
these	O
did	O
not	O
have	O
multiplayer	O
online	B-Application
gaming	I-Application
capability	O
,	O
but	O
did	O
allow	O
users	O
to	O
download	B-Application
games	O
from	O
a	O
central	O
server	O
and	O
play	O
them	O
,	O
usually	O
requiring	O
a	O
fee	O
for	O
continued	O
access	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
neither	O
the	O
GameLine	B-Application
or	O
PlayCable	B-Device
attained	O
mainstream	O
popularity	O
and	O
both	O
services	O
were	O
shut	O
down	O
during	O
the	O
1983	O
video	O
game	O
crash	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
1990s	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
online	B-Application
gaming	I-Application
networks	O
were	O
introduced	O
for	O
home	O
consoles	O
,	O
but	O
due	O
to	O
a	O
multitude	O
of	O
problems	O
they	O
failed	O
to	O
make	O
a	O
significant	O
impact	O
on	O
the	O
console	O
gaming	O
industry	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
November	O
1996	O
interview	O
,	O
Shigeru	O
Miyamoto	O
remarked	O
that	O
online	O
multiplayer	O
gaming	O
had	O
not	O
achieved	O
mainstream	O
success	O
,	O
and	O
would	O
not	O
for	O
a	O
long	O
while	O
yet	O
,	O
because	O
the	O
technology	O
of	O
the	O
time	O
could	O
not	O
provide	O
the	O
quick-and-easy	O
startup	O
that	O
general	O
consumers	O
would	O
want	O
from	O
a	O
"	O
plug	B-Device
and	I-Device
play	I-Device
"	O
console	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
online	O
initiative	O
by	O
Nintendo	O
was	O
the	O
Family	B-Device
Computer	I-Device
Network	I-Device
System	I-Device
for	O
the	O
Famicom	O
,	O
only	O
released	O
for	O
Japan	O
in	O
1988	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
device	O
allowed	O
users	O
to	O
access	O
things	O
such	O
as	O
game	O
cheats	O
,	O
stock	O
trades	O
,	O
weather	O
reports	O
,	O
and	O
some	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
for	O
their	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Sega	B-Application
Net	I-Application
Work	I-Application
System	I-Application
(	O
Sega	B-Application
Meganet	I-Application
)	O
was	O
a	O
network	B-Architecture
service	O
in	O
Japan	O
for	O
people	O
using	O
the	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Mega	I-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Debuting	O
in	O
1990	O
,	O
this	O
service	O
worked	O
with	O
the	O
Game	O
Toshokan	O
(	O
literally	O
meaning	O
"	O
Game	O
Library	O
"	O
)	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
to	O
download	B-Application
games	O
on	O
the	O
console	O
(	O
meaning	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
have	O
to	O
be	O
re-downloaded	O
each	O
time	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
attached	O
a	O
Mega	B-Application
Modem	I-Application
(	O
modem	B-Application
,	O
with	O
a	O
speed	O
of	O
1,600	O
to	O
2,400	O
bit/s	O
)	O
to	O
the	O
"	O
EXT	O
"	O
DE-9	O
port	O
on	O
the	O
back	O
of	O
the	O
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
used	O
it	O
to	O
dial	O
up	O
other	O
players	O
to	O
play	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
then	O
brought	O
a	O
similar	O
online	O
service	O
to	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Application
Channel	I-Application
,	O
debuted	O
in	O
December	O
1994	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	B-Application
Channel	I-Application
provided	O
users	O
the	O
opportunity	O
to	O
download	B-Application
new	O
games	O
straight	O
to	O
their	O
consoles	O
with	O
the	O
purchase	O
of	O
a	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
similar	O
sold	O
through	O
General	O
Instruments	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
service	O
cost	O
$15	O
(	O
USD	O
)	O
per	O
month	O
and	O
at	O
one	O
point	O
had	O
over	O
250,000	O
American	O
subscribers	O
while	O
also	O
building	O
a	O
following	O
overseas	O
but	O
Sega	O
decided	O
to	O
halt	O
the	O
project	O
and	O
provide	O
an	O
online	O
portal	O
in	O
their	O
new	O
console	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
AT&T	O
unveiled	O
the	O
Edge-16	O
,	O
an	O
online	B-Application
gaming	I-Application
peripheral	O
which	O
featured	O
simultaneous	O
voice	O
and	O
data	O
transmission	O
,	O
at	O
the	O
1993	O
Consumer	O
Electronics	O
Show	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
AT&T	O
cancelled	O
it	O
in	O
1994	O
,	O
having	O
decided	O
that	O
its	O
$150	O
(	O
USD	O
)	O
price	O
tag	O
and	O
lack	O
of	O
a	O
match-up	O
service	O
(	O
meaning	O
players	O
would	O
have	O
to	O
find	O
someone	O
to	O
play	O
with	O
on	O
the	O
network	B-Architecture
themselves	O
)	O
would	O
prevent	O
it	O
from	O
achieving	O
any	O
popularity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1994	O
an	O
American	O
company	O
,	O
Catapult	O
Entertainment	O
,	O
developed	O
the	O
XBAND	B-Application
,	O
a	O
3rd	O
party	O
peripheral	O
which	O
provided	O
customers	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
connect	O
with	O
other	O
users	O
and	O
play	O
games	O
through	O
network	B-Architecture
connections	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
XBAND	B-Application
supported	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
and	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Genesis	I-Operating_System
consoles	O
and	O
received	O
a	O
mushrooming	O
installed	O
base	O
(	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
users	O
quadrupled	O
over	O
the	O
second	O
half	O
of	O
1995	O
)	O
,	O
but	O
once	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
and	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Genesis	I-Operating_System
's	O
popularity	O
faded	O
the	O
peripheral	O
was	O
discontinued	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Satellaview	B-Device
was	O
launched	O
in	O
mid-1995	O
for	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
Famicom	I-Application
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
access	O
provided	O
downloadable	B-Application
versions	O
of	O
hit	O
games	O
free	O
to	O
the	O
user	O
but	O
required	O
the	O
user	O
to	O
download	B-Application
the	O
games	O
only	O
at	O
certain	O
times	O
through	O
a	O
TV	O
antenna	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
fashion	O
similar	O
to	O
recording	O
a	O
TV	O
show	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
NET	B-Application
Link	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
provided	O
users	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
surf	O
the	O
web	O
,	O
check	O
email	O
,	O
and	O
play	O
multiplayer	O
games	B-Application
online	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Released	O
in	O
1996	O
,	O
the	O
modem	B-Application
peripheral	O
cost	O
$199	O
(	O
USD	O
)	O
and	O
came	O
with	O
a	O
web	O
browser	O
program	O
and	O
a	O
free	O
month	O
of	O
access	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
the	O
device	O
's	O
low	O
price	O
,	O
strong	O
functionality	O
,	O
and	O
prominent	O
marketing	O
,	O
less	O
than	O
1%	O
of	O
Saturn	B-Device
owners	O
purchased	O
the	O
NetLink	B-Application
in	O
1996	O
,	O
an	O
outcome	O
cited	O
as	O
evidence	O
that	O
the	O
idea	O
of	O
online	B-Application
console	I-Application
gaming	I-Application
had	O
not	O
yet	O
achieved	O
widespread	O
interest	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Phil	O
Harrison	O
of	O
Sony	O
Computer	O
Entertainment	O
commented	O
on	O
the	O
issue	O
of	O
online	B-Application
console	I-Application
gaming	I-Application
during	O
a	O
1997	O
round	O
table	O
discussion	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
home	O
console	O
with	O
built-in	O
internet	O
connection	O
,	O
the	O
Apple	B-Device
Pippin	I-Device
,	O
was	O
launched	O
in	O
1996	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
its	O
$599	O
price	O
tag	O
kept	O
it	O
from	O
effectively	O
competing	O
with	O
other	O
internet	B-Application
gaming	I-Application
options	O
(	O
by	O
comparison	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
and	O
its	O
separately	O
sold	O
Netlink	B-Application
device	O
combined	O
cost	O
less	O
than	O
$400	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Philips	B-Device
CD-i	I-Device
and	O
its	O
CD-Online	O
service	O
(	O
released	O
in	O
1996	O
)	O
also	O
rang	O
up	O
at	O
less	O
than	O
the	O
Pippin	O
,	O
but	O
suffered	O
from	O
mediocre	O
functionality	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1999	O
Nintendo	O
decided	O
to	O
take	O
another	O
shot	O
at	O
online	B-Application
gaming	I-Application
with	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Device
64DD	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
new	O
peripheral	O
was	O
delayed	O
often	O
and	O
only	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
it	O
provided	O
users	O
to	O
connect	O
with	O
each	O
other	O
and	O
share	O
in-game	O
art	O
and	O
designs	O
and	O
even	O
play	O
games	B-Application
online	I-Application
,	O
after	O
purchasing	O
the	O
peripheral	O
for	O
30,000	O
yen	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
64DD	B-Device
failed	O
to	O
impact	O
gamers	O
as	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
shortly	O
before	O
Nintendo	O
announced	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
its	O
new	O
console	O
,	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
,	O
and	O
only	O
nine	O
games	O
would	O
be	O
released	O
supporting	O
the	O
new	O
peripheral	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
SegaNet	O
became	O
a	O
short-lived	O
internet	O
service	O
operated	O
by	O
Sega	O
,	O
geared	O
for	O
dial-up	O
based	O
online	B-Application
gaming	I-Application
on	O
their	O
Dreamcast	B-Operating_System
game	B-Device
console	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
replacement	O
for	O
Sega	O
's	O
original	O
,	O
PC-only	O
online	B-Application
gaming	I-Application
service	O
,	O
Heat.net,	O
it	O
was	O
initially	O
quite	O
popular	O
when	O
launched	O
on	O
September	O
10	O
,	O
2000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
a	O
standard	O
ISP	O
,	O
game	B-Application
servers	I-Application
would	O
be	O
connected	O
directly	O
into	O
SegaNet	O
's	O
internal	O
network	B-Architecture
,	O
providing	O
very	O
low	O
connection	O
latency	O
between	O
the	O
consoles	O
and	O
servers	O
along	O
with	O
standard	O
Internet	O
access	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
ChuChu	B-Application
Rocket	I-Application
!	I-Application
</s>
<s>
was	O
the	O
first	O
online	O
multiplayer	O
game	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Xbox	B-Application
network	I-Application
,	O
originally	O
branded	O
as	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
,	O
is	O
an	O
online	O
multiplayer	O
gaming	O
and	O
digital	O
media	O
delivery	O
service	O
created	O
and	O
operated	O
by	O
Microsoft	O
Corporation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
first	O
made	O
available	O
to	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
system	O
in	O
2002	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
updated	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
service	O
became	O
available	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
console	O
at	O
that	O
system	O
's	O
launch	O
in	O
2005	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
service	O
was	O
extended	O
in	O
2007	O
on	O
the	O
Windows	B-Application
platform	O
,	O
named	O
Games	B-Application
for	I-Application
Windows	I-Application
–	I-Application
Live	I-Application
,	O
which	O
makes	O
most	O
aspects	O
of	O
the	O
system	O
available	O
on	O
Windows	B-Application
computers	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
has	O
announced	O
plans	O
to	O
extend	O
Live	O
to	O
other	O
platforms	O
such	O
as	O
handhelds	B-Application
and	O
mobile	O
phones	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
Live	B-Device
Anywhere	I-Device
initiative	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
Windows	B-Application
Phone	O
7	O
,	O
full	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
functionality	O
was	O
integrated	O
into	O
new	O
Windows	B-Application
Phones	O
that	O
launched	O
in	O
late	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
service	O
is	O
available	O
as	O
both	O
a	O
free	O
and	O
subscription-based	O
service	O
,	O
known	O
as	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
Free	I-Application
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
Gold	I-Application
respectively	O
,	O
with	O
several	O
features	O
such	O
as	O
online	B-Application
gaming	I-Application
restricted	O
to	O
the	O
Gold	O
service	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Prior	O
to	O
October	O
2010	O
,	O
the	O
free	O
service	O
was	O
known	O
as	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
Silver	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
announced	O
on	O
June	O
10	O
,	O
2011	O
that	O
the	O
service	O
would	O
be	O
fully	O
integrated	O
into	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
Windows	B-Application
8	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
continued	O
to	O
be	O
offered	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
future	O
consoles	O
,	O
the	B-Device
Xbox	I-Device
One	I-Device
and	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X	I-Device
and	I-Device
Series	I-Device
S	I-Device
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
with	O
integration	O
with	O
Windows	B-Operating_System
10	I-Operating_System
and	O
Windows	B-Application
11	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
Gold	I-Application
subscription	O
was	O
also	O
bundled	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Pass	I-Application
Ultimate	I-Application
service	O
,	O
providing	O
both	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
services	O
and	O
the	O
library	O
of	O
games	O
offered	O
from	O
Xbox	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Pass	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
rebranded	O
the	O
service	O
as	O
simply	O
Xbox	B-Application
network	I-Application
in	O
March	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
January	O
2021	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
reported	O
that	O
there	O
were	O
more	O
than	O
100	O
million	O
Xbox	B-Application
network	I-Application
subscribers	O
(	O
including	O
those	O
through	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Pass	I-Application
subscription	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
,	O
often	O
abbreviated	O
as	O
PSN	B-Device
,	O
is	O
an	O
online	O
multiplayer	O
gaming	O
and	O
digital	O
media	O
delivery	O
service	O
provided/run	O
by	O
Sony	O
Computer	O
Entertainment	O
for	O
use	O
with	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
Portable	I-Operating_System
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Vita	I-Device
video	B-Device
game	I-Device
consoles	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
is	O
free	O
to	O
use	O
,	O
giving	O
the	O
user	O
an	O
identity	O
for	O
their	O
online	O
presence	O
and	O
to	O
earn	O
trophies	O
in	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
paid	O
subscription	O
atop	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
,	O
PlayStation	O
Plus	O
,	O
provides	O
additional	O
features	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
play	O
online	B-Application
games	I-Application
(	O
otherwise	O
not	O
offered	O
as	O
free-to-play	O
)	O
and	O
cloud	O
saving	O
for	O
supported	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Network	I-Application
is	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
second	O
online	O
service	O
after	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Wi-Fi	I-Application
Connection	I-Application
to	O
provide	O
online	B-Application
play	I-Application
for	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
and	O
Wii	B-Device
U	I-Device
compatible	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	O
's	O
president	O
Satoru	O
Iwata	O
said	O
,	O
"	O
Unlike	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Wi-Fi	I-Application
Connection	I-Application
,	O
which	O
has	O
been	O
focused	O
upon	O
specific	O
functionalities	O
and	O
concepts	O
,	O
we	O
are	O
aiming	O
to	O
establish	O
a	O
platform	O
where	O
various	O
services	O
available	O
through	O
the	O
network	B-Architecture
for	O
our	O
consumers	O
shall	O
be	O
connected	O
via	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Network	I-Application
service	O
so	O
that	O
the	O
company	O
can	O
make	O
comprehensive	O
proposals	O
to	O
consumers.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	O
's	O
plans	O
include	O
personal	O
accounts	O
for	O
Wii	B-Device
U	I-Device
,	O
digitally	O
distributed	O
packaged	O
software	O
,	O
and	O
paid	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Wii	O
console	O
is	O
able	O
to	O
connect	O
to	O
the	O
Internet	O
through	O
its	O
built-in	O
802.11b/g	O
Wi-Fi	O
or	O
through	O
a	O
USB-to-Ethernet	O
adapter	O
,	O
with	O
both	O
methods	O
allowing	O
players	O
to	O
access	O
the	O
established	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Wi-Fi	I-Application
Connection	I-Application
service	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wireless	B-Application
encryption	I-Application
by	O
WEP	B-Protocol
,	O
WPA	O
(	O
TKIP/RC4	O
)	O
and	O
WPA2	B-Protocol
(	O
CCMP/AES	O
)	O
are	O
supported	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
the	O
Wii	O
online	O
service	O
,	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
Online	I-Application
service	O
allows	O
users	O
of	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
to	O
play	O
various	O
multiplayer	O
games	B-Application
online	I-Application
(	O
outside	O
of	O
those	O
offered	O
as	O
free-to-play	O
titles	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
service	O
also	O
offers	O
access	O
to	O
a	O
selection	O
of	O
emulated	O
Nintendo	O
Entertainment	O
System	O
and	O
Super	B-Application
Nintendo	I-Application
Entertainment	I-Application
System	I-Application
games	O
for	O
free	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
other	O
free	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Tetris	B-Application
99	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
Expansion	O
Pass	O
,	O
added	O
in	O
October	O
2021	O
,	O
expanded	O
this	O
emulation	O
service	O
to	O
include	O
select	O
Nintendo	O
64	O
and	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Genesis	I-Operating_System
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	O
reported	O
by	O
September	O
2021	O
that	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
Online	I-Application
had	O
reached	O
32	O
million	O
subscribers	O
.	O
</s>
