E3: Xbox Live hits 7 million users

Membership of Microsoft's Xbox Live service has grown to over seven million users, the company has revealed.

And Microsoft now intends to ramp up the number of users with the hope of attracting 10 million punters by this time next year.

"Last year we said Xbox Live would grow to six million members. I'm happy to announce we've eclipsed the seven million mark," said Jeff Bell, on stage at the company's pre-E3 conference at the Santa Monica High School.

Bell boasted that the service is attracting one new Live member every 8 seconds.

"Before next year's E3, we're forecasting we will cross the 10 million mark," he said.

With a total of 45 million game downloads to date, the format-holder has also promised a total of 100 Xbox Live Arcade titles by the end of the year.

New titles on show during a demo reel at the event in included War World from Ubisoft, Hexic 2, and Codemasters' Sensible World of Soccer.