Xbox Ambassadors - How it works

Greetings readers! This is a quick post to explain a bit about the Xbox Live Ambassador program. I applied to become a member of the Ambassador team well over a year ago and I recently received word that my application had been accepted and that I was invited to join the initiative.

I was of course surprised and delighted, and accepted the invitation instantly. In the section below, I'll explain a little bit about what Xbox Ambassadors do, and how you can get involved.

What's it all about?

Being an Xbox Ambassador is primarily about helping other Xbox users and passing on the bits of knowledge that you have gained since being a LIVE member.

Users will often have issues when using Xbox LIVE, Xbox Kinect, Software or even technical aspects like sound and vision. These sorts of problem can severely inhibit a players enjoyment of the games that they are playing or even the LIVE service that they have spent their hard earned cash on. These issues will some times be easy to resolve (reboot and try again), but more often than not, problems can be quite complex and for newer users, these can be a bit daunting. 

It's an Ambassadors job to gather all the information on an issue and work with the user to resolve it through a series of solutions. 

How do users get in contact with Ambassadors?

Users can get in contact with an Ambassador through:

• The Official Xbox.com forums 
• On Xbox Ambassador Chat 
• Or playing on Xbox LIVE (if you know their Gamertag)

For those that are unfamiliar with Xbox Ambassador Chat, this is a live chat that takes place through MSN messenger, connecting you directly to one of the Ambassadors that are 'on duty' at the time. Ambassador Chat is the preferred option for users as it is often the quickest way to get an issue resolved.

What if you don't know the answers?

Being an Ambassador does not mean that you are expected to know everything about the world's greatest console. However, the veteran members of the team work really hard to pull together FAQs and lessons learned, which all of the Ambassadors can access. There is also a weekly bulletin highlighting common issues that have arisen and problem trends.

I've found all of this invaluable as a new member and it's great to have a community to fall back on when you are stumped.

What are the rewards for Ambassadors?

Apart from the warm fuzzy feeling that comes from helping fellow Xbox lovers, Ambassadors can earn several rewards for their dedication to the program. These include MSP (Microsoft money!), exclusive avatar items, access to the private Ambassador forums on Xbox.com and a stats tracker on the official Ambassador Leaderboards.

Want to join?

If you love Xbox and enjoy helping others, why not apply to join the Ambassador program? You can apply here, and when the next round of recruitment takes place, you should get an email to say how you got on.

Best of luck and if you have any questions about being an Ambassador, please don't hesitate to ask!

Skyrim - Dawnguard

Bethesda has officially revealed the name of the first piece of DLC for Skyrim. An image posted on  Bethesda's blog, states that the new DLC will be titled "Dawnguard" and will launch on Xbox 360 this summer.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Skyrim - Dawnguard (Credit Bethesda)

Bethesda also announced, the Skyrim DLC will be an Xbox 360 exclusive for at least 30 days. 

No other information has been revealed on upcoming expansion but with E3 just a few weeks away, you can be sure that Dawnguard will make an appearance. Rude not to, right?

In other news, Skyrim's Kinect integration is now live (see the video below). If you haven't had a chance to try it yet, it's well worth a look. There's nothing quite like shouting random Dovahkiin words at the tv when under attack. My neighbours must hate it! FUS RO DAH!!