Insignia (Xbox)

Last updated
Insignia
Initial releaseJuly 2022 (Private Alpha) [1]
November 2022 (Public Beta) [2]
Platform Microsoft Xbox
Predecessor Xbox Live
Website https://insignia.live

Insignia is a free, non-commercial server that has restored the functionality of Xbox Live for the original Xbox. [3] [4] Insignia was created via closed-source reverse engineering of the original Live server software, hosted on Insignia's own servers, and its aim is to support every game that had Xbox Live support. Insignia is currently in public beta. Some games are either not supported yet or are supported on a limited basis. Games published by Electronic Arts used their own servers that were not based on Xbox Live and cannot currently be supported. These will be supported at a later date. [5] [6]

Insignia can work on both unmodified and modified consoles, as well as Xbox emulators. To work on Insignia, a console has to be registered to Insignia's servers via the registration tool; the user can create an Xbox Live account similar to how it would have originally been done. Insignia is completely free-of-charge and has no monthly fee or initial signup price, though requires an email to register an account. [7]

Insignia currently supports most features that worked on Xbox Live, such as matchmaking, leaderboards, friends support, game invites, clans, user generated content, voice chat along with game updates and DLC downloads for some games.

By January 2025 Insignia has over 21,000 users registered and supports 198 of 339 games that uses Xbox Live features. [8]

History

Insignia was started in 2019 by two developers, Luke Usher and Billy, who decided to work together trying to make an Xbox Live replacement. Billy worked previously on replacement services for the Wii U and 3DS, and Luke was the lead developer of an open source Xbox emulator. [6] Insignia was publicly announced in May 2020 and was planned to go live later that year. [9] In July 2022, a closed alpha test was started. [10] Insignia went into an open beta that November and supported 25 games at release; public signups had been open for one month before the beta.

By November 2022 around 7,000 people has signed up for the waiting list, [11] [12] and by December, 3,500 people were approved and 40 games were supported. [4] By November 2023 it had reached up to 150 games and over 8,000 users. [13] by December 2024, there were over 20,000 registered users [14]

Multiplayer servers for Halo 2 were launched in March 2024. Certain Affinity founder and Halo 2 map designer Max Hoberman was positive to its launch. [15]

Shows a user signed into the Insignia server on the message of the day page InsigniaMOTDPage.png
Shows a user signed into the Insignia server on the message of the day page

References

  1. ↑ "Insignia". 2022-07-13. Archived from the original on 2022-07-13. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
  2. ↑ Gilbert, Fraser (2022-10-24). "Xbox Live 1.0 Is Coming Back, And Signups Are Now Available". Pure Xbox. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
  3. ↑ Hall, Alexandra (2020-05-22). "Insignia Project Aims To Resurrect Xbox Live For The Original Xbox". Kotaku. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
  4. 1 2 Xbox, Pure (2022-12-21). "Xbox Live 1.0 Replacement Adds More Supported Titles, 40 Games Now Playable". Pure Xbox. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
  5. ↑ Lyles, Taylor (2024-03-15). "Halo 2's Original Xbox Live Multiplayer Servers Are Coming Back Online Today Thanks to Fan Project". IGN. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  6. 1 2 "The OG Xbox Live Is Back From The Dead--This Is The Team Making It Happen". GameSpot. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
  7. ↑ "Insignia - Connect". insignia.live. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
  8. ↑ "Insignia". insignia.live. Retrieved 2025-02-15.
  9. ↑ "Insignia Fan Project Looks To Bring Back First-Gen Xbox Live In Late 2020". GameSpot. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
  10. ↑ Extension, Time (2022-07-22). "Insignia Is Bringing OG Xbox Live Back From The Dead". Time Extension. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
  11. ↑ Xbox, Pure (2022-11-03). "The New Version Of Xbox Live 1.0 Will Now Support 25 Games At Launch". Pure Xbox. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
  12. ↑ Xbox, Pure (2022-10-24). "Xbox Live 1.0 Is Coming Back, And Signups Are Now Available". Pure Xbox. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
  13. ↑ Xbox, Pure (2023-11-16). "Xbox Live 1.0 Replacement 'Insignia' Now Supports 150 Games". Pure Xbox. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
  14. ↑ "Insignia". web.archive.org. 2024-12-26. Retrieved 2025-02-15.
  15. ↑ Lyles, Taylor (2024-03-15). "Halo 2's Original Xbox Live Multiplayer Servers Are Coming Back Online Today Thanks to Fan Project". IGN. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
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