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Xfire
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Brief Description
Xfire is a freeware instant messaging service targeted toward gamers, that also serves as a game server browser. Its uniqueness lies in its ability to detect what video game a particular contact is running and allowing IMs to be sent and received from inside the game in question, eliminating the need to minimize the game window. It is currently available for Microsoft Windows only.
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Wiki description
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Description
Xfire is an instant messaging software which you can use for free but its main feature is the games channels.
System requirements
In order to run it on your PC you have to have 10 MB available hard drive space. Run your PC on Windows platforms:
- Windows 2000
- Windows XP
- Windows Vista
Internet Explorer 5 or higher
History
First released in 2003 by Ultimate Arena company, developed by Garret Blythe and Chris Kirmse. In 2006, April 25 it was purchased by Viacom with $102 million. In 13-th of June, 2007 the company was deported to work for venture capital firm, Benchmark Capital.
Features
On the main window you will have three tabs
In the friends tab you will have your buddies group as you want them. Each will have a status, but not the usual one (away, busy etc) but you will see which game are they playing and if you click them a little window will pop-up and you can see the server name, IP, Ping and so on.
The other tab you have grouped some servers. You can join the free chat rooms, see your recently visited ones, your favorites or your friends favorites.
On File tab you can ask for help, as the little window accompanies you, with their little search engine, you can view the most popular game downloads, the newest downloads, the most actives rooms. Also as you download your games, your games update on xfire or the patches of your games you can see your completed downloads. Also you can see the archive, videos and screenshots too.
You can talk with your friends through the instant messaging method, you can call them for free or invite your buddies to an audio conference for free. For each buddy you can see their blog as a preview in the little window or you can open a internet browser.
The log is saved so you can see history for each friend.
Also for each friend you can click to play some games with them or view their profile info.
Easter eggs
From the main little window, Xfire redirects you to your internet browser to join their forums. That makes the community active.
Also you can see from the main little window which friends are playing what and you can join them. There you will see your already downloaded games that you have on your computer.
As you enter a game from your PC when you are online on Xfire a notification will appear on the bottom of the screen like in the picture below:
You can create clans and guilds on their website and invite members. You will be able to see ranks, favorite games and the number of hours everyone has been playing. All this on the 1.63 version but they categorize them unusual, by putting them in a group in the top of the buddy list and they even show them when they are offline.
Events
They have reunions every month:
- chat sessions
- debates
- game tournaments
- machinima contests.
Un unusual event is the lawsuit between Yahoo and Xfire. Yahoo blamed Xfire to have use game server in connection with a messenger server. Also Xfire countersuit against Yahoo. In Juanry 31, 2006 the companies have settle down.
Competitors
'''JavuJavu instant chat messaging free software''' is also based on its games, but is not that advanced like Xfire.
Communities
Here you can join the official '''Xfire free chat forum''' Also you can find out more data about the '''Chats Messaging and Conferencing Applications on Iterating'''
