Xbox has confirmed some major changes are coming to consoles, with potentially game-changing implications. Starting today, some Xbox Insiders will be able to access a preview of the new console experiences coming to the Xbox family of consoles. Changes include expanded Gamertags, updated game cards with Xbox 360 achievements, the ability to play games while they update, and streamlined wish listing features.
As Xbox undergoes a major shake-up to its brand, this update comes as a clear indicator of the direction the platform is taking toward usability. Xbox has recommitted to its console exclusive plans, confirming that games like Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution won’t be coming to PS5. Game Pass has also taken steps to become more accessible as part of this shift in direction under new CEO Asha Sharma, reducing the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $29.99 a month to $22.99 a month.
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Xbox Consoles are Getting Some Huge Quality-of-Life Updates
Xbox Insiders in the Alpha Skip-Ahead can access a preview of these Xbox changes starting today. Included in this update is an expansion to Gamertags, allowing unique Gamertags to include up to 15 characters, an increase from the 12 previously allowed. This Xbox update also features the ability to play games while they update via the cloud. Game hub cards are also getting new features, such as the ability to display Xbox 360 game achievements and wish list games directly from the game card.
What’s That Weapon?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
Players won’t have to worry about waiting for their games to update before jumping into them with this new update. If a game included with Game Pass needs an update, players can use their Game Pass membership to stream the game via the Xbox Cloud while the update downloads. The option to launch the game’s cloud version directly through the game card will also be available when an update is downloading.
A big draw of modern Xbox consoles is their backwards compatibility with Xbox 360 games. This backwards compatibility is getting even better after this new update since game cards for Xbox 360 games will include information like achievements progress, captures, and other useful information. This change should make achievement hunting for older Xbox 360 games much smoother for players willing to undertake the challenge.
Players will now also be able to wish list both released and upcoming Xbox games directly from the game’s card. A previous Xbox update recently overhauled its wish list feature with a streamlined personalization setting by separating Home and My Games & Apps into separate sections. With this new wish listing feature, Xbox users will have access to all the games they’ve saved for later, all in one convenient location. This should make discovering upcoming titles much easier.
Xbox has a lot of big titles on the horizon, such as Fable, Gears of War: E-Day, Clockwork Revolution, and Halo: Campaign Evolved, so these improvements to the usability of consoles should help prepare players for these games. Players interested in checking out early previews of these updates in the future should join Xbox’s Insiders program by downloading the Xbox Insider Hub for their Xbox console.
Source: Xbox Wire
