Editing Xbox network (section)

===Gamerscore===
The Gamerscore (G) is an [[Achievement (video gaming)|achievements]] point accumulation system that reflects the number of achievements accumulated by a user on Xbox through the displaying of the number of points accumulated. These Achievement points are awarded for the completion of game-specific challenges, such as beating a [[level (computer and video games)|level]] or amassing a specified number of wins against other players in online matches and other various in game challenges.

Initially, retail Xbox 360 games offered up to 1,000G spread over a variable number of Achievements, while each [[Xbox Live Arcade]] title contained 12 Achievements totaling 200G. On February 1, 2007, [[Microsoft]] announced on their Gamerscore Blog some new policies that developers must follow related to Gamerscore and Achievements in future releases.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gamerscoreblog.com/team/archive/2007/02/01/540575.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100210173501/http://gamerscoreblog.com/team/archive/2007/02/01/540575.aspx |archive-date=February 10, 2010 |work=archive.org|title=Gamerscore Blog : Addicted to Achievements? }}</ref> All regular disc-based games must have 1,000 Gamerscore points in the base game; the title can ship with fewer than 1,000 points, but anything added later must be free.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}} [[Video game developer|Game developers]] also now have the option of adding up to 250 points via downloadable content every quarter after the first year of release (for a total of 1,750 points). Xbox Live Arcade titles also allowed players to obtain Gamerscore, initially up to 200 Gamerscore with additional points up to 50 Gamerscore via downloadable content (for a total of 250 points),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.411mania.com/games/columns/103556 |title=Xbox LIVE Achievement changes, ''411mania'' |publisher=411mania.com |access-date=August 29, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919165545/http://www.411mania.com/games/columns/103556 |archive-date=September 19, 2011 }}</ref> but some XBLA games now contain up to 400 Gamerscore without DLC.

On March 25, 2008, Microsoft cracked down on "Gamerscore cheaters" (those who used external tools to artificially inflate their Gamerscore), and reduced their Gamerscores to zero without the option to recover the scores that had been "earned", and branded the player by denoting on their Gamertag that they were a "Cheater".<ref>{{cite web |last=Grant |first=Christopher |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/cheaters-branded-on-xbox-live-gamerscore-reset |title=Cheaters Branded on Xbox Live, Gamerscore Reset, ''Joystiq'' |publisher=Joystiq.com |date=March 25, 2008 |access-date=August 29, 2011 |archive-date=June 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620063008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/cheaters-branded-on-xbox-live-gamerscore-reset/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The development of the Gamerscore system had created a new niche in the internet economy. Many websites  have been created to provide gamers with tips and tricks for getting achievement points. Some sites are solely devoted to these achievement guides, and some blogs provide gaming guides in addition to their other content.

On March 13, 2014, [[Ray Cox (gamer)|Ray Cox IV or "Stallion83"]] became the first player in history to reach 1 million Gamerscore.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.xbox.com/2014/05/01/xbox-stallion-83/|title=The Man with a Million Gamerscore: An Interview with Stallion83|first=Xbox Wire|last=Staff|date=May 2014|access-date=December 30, 2016|archive-date=November 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171120181419/http://news.xbox.com/2014/05/01/xbox-stallion-83/|url-status=live}}</ref>