Microsoft"s Zone gaming site appeared to be recovering Wednesday, a day after numerous consumers were shut out by glitches related to the site"s switchover to the software giant"s Passport identity-authentication service.
In a notice posted on the Zone home page, Microsoft had informed people that they must sign up for the Passport online identification service, a controversial element of the company"s .Net online services push. "The Zone is now a Microsoft .Net Passport site!" the notice read. "Your existing Zone account still works, but you must first sign in to .Net Passport or register for a new .Net Passport account."
The Zone is a part of Microsoft"s MSN online empire. It includes hundreds of games, ranging from role-playing fantasies to card games, where people compete with one other online. Some games, such as the popular role-playing game "Asheron"s Call," require monthly subscription fees.
Under the Passport switch, all Zone users have to link their Zone accounts to an existing or newly created Passport account.