Microsoft announced two new features to be added to its two-million-member Internet Gaming Zone.
The first feature, dubbed ZoneFriends, will download to gamers' PCs automatically and will enable members to see when friends enter and leave IGZ. ZoneFriends will also allow gamers to message each other.
The second feature is the expansion of rated rooms on the service that keep track of the wins and losses of any member in a particular room. New rooms containing backgammon, cribbage, checkers, hearts, reversi, and spades have been added alongside current rated rooms running chess and Age of Empires.