Microsoft is again having difficulty keeping its servers working as Xbox Live is reported to be down the third time in a week. The problems range in type and are not affecting all players now, with issues mainly relating to multiplayer matchmaking and certain social features. In a recent tweet, Xbox Support has indicated that they are aware of the problems and currently working on a fix with updates to come as they unfold.
The problems appear to be caused primarily by the added stress placed on Xbox Live’s core infrastructure for online play. As more and more people remain at home to help limit the spread of Covid-19, the number of players using their Xbox One consoles rises as well to levels that are typically unseen.
After some of the first outages were reported earlier in the week, Phil Spencer, the head of the Xbox brand and person in charge of the global creative and engineering teams responsible for gaming at Microsoft, was asked about the status of overall usage that Microsoft was facing during this time. On March 15, Spencer indicated that these issues were being examined closely and were under control.
Clearly, Microsoft has more work to do in reinforcing its infrastructure, especially as it appears that social distancing measures will remain in place for some time. With that in mind, the release of DOOM Eternal and the surprising popularity of the new Call of Duty: Warzone may have pushed Microsoft beyond what it expected, even with the amount of people staying home.
Meanwhile, Sony has handled the situation far better with its PlayStation Network, facing no real interruption of service but boasting a consumer base twice as large as Microsoft. If these types of interruptions continue to happen, it would not be surprising to see more players choose their PlayStation 4s over Xbox Ones.
These challenges in maintaining the infrastructure necessary to accommodate the unexpected surge in users is a perfect example of what lies ahead for other organizations in the coming months. While no one can predict exactly what will happen with Covid-19, we may have only a few months of social distancing, or waves of infection over the next year.
As research continues on a vaccine to prevent the spread of the disease, people will continue to remain at home and use the resources at their disposal, so Microsoft may need to examine how it will prop up its infrastructure in the future, because three interruptions in a week does not bode well for the coming months.