One thing that kept Xbox 360 ahead of the curve throughout its lifecycle was Microsoft’s willingness to dramatically change the user experience in the years after launch. The Xbox 360 wasn’t just a home console — it was a platform to build off of, and the Xbox One isn’t any different.
On Thursday, Microsoft took to the Xbox Wire to go into detail about the upcoming New Xbox One Experience that will begin rolling out this holiday, alongside a huge slate of new games.
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There will be countless changes to the Xbox One interface when the update hits, but these are a few of the ones Microsoft wants to highlight before Preview members start getting their hands on the update in the coming weeks:
- Backward compatibility will allow Xbox One owners to play Xbox 360 games on their new consoles. You’ll be able to use Xbox One exclusive features like taking screenshots, and you can even play the 360 games online. Over 100 games will be playable on day one, but more will be added every month.
- The new Guide will help you get to the action faster. Simply double tap the Xbox button on your controller and the guide will appear, giving you quick access to Friends, Parties, Messages, Settings and more without having to scroll through multiple screens.
- The Home menu has been completely revamped. As you can see in the header image, your Xbox One is going to be basically unrecognizable when you power it on after the update.
- A new Community section will make the Xbox One more social. Microsoft was the pioneer when it came to online console gaming, but the Xbox One has had to overcome a few hurdles. Hopefully the new Community section will be a step in the right direction.
- The Store is going to be easier to navigate. Although I don’t have many major issues with the current Xbox One UI, the Store is a complete mess. Microsoft says the “new and improved Store” will have vertical galleries and intuitive categories to make it easier to sort through the catalog.
These are just a few of the highlights, but there will be plenty more to explore when the New Xbox One Experience begins to roll out to consumers in November.
