Microsoft has done well. After releasing a batch of pre-Christmas Xbox 360 titles, lead by Gears Of War, the Xbox Live US service has seen broadband growth of about 80%, showing the true power of what a good quality game can have.

After two weeks, Gears Of War sold in over 1 million units, said network specialist Sandvine. "The effect Gears of War and other games are having on networks indicates to service providers that online gaming is not just a craze," said Dave Caputo, CEO of Sandvine.