How to Unlock My XBox 360 Arcade

One major feature Microsoft implements in the Xbox 360 is the Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA), which contains short, small games for a fraction of the price of full retail games. You may have noticed, upon creating a new Xbox 360 profile, that you do not have access to the Game Marketplace, where you can access the XBLA. In order to unlock this feature, you must sign up for the Xbox Live service. Whether you choose a Silver (free) or Gold (paid) membership does not affect your access to the XBLA.

Instructions

1. Turn on your Xbox 360. Press the big, green power button on the console.

2. Navigate the menu to "My Xbox" and move to the right once to select your avatar. Press the "A" button on your joypad.

3. Press "A" on your controller to activate the "Join Xbox Live" menu option.

4. Follow the instructions as indicated on-screen. This includes choosing a nickname or "gamertag", your membership type, providing your email and establishing a password. Completing this process opens the Game Marketplace and, in turn, XBLA.

References

• "Xbox 360 Manual"; Microsoft; 2010
• Xbox: Join Xbox Live