GAMEFEST 08: New 360 UI widens the market and creates more developer opportunity, says Microsoft CTO
Microsoft’s games division CTO Chris Sachell told the attendees of his Gamefest keynote that the firm’s new 360 dashboard, which launches later this year, effectively reboots the console for a wider audience – and presents more chances for developers to monetise their creations.
Last week at E3 Microsoft unveiled the new Xbox 360 experience dashboard – a streamlined, simple interface that also includes elements like player Avatars and deeper detail on games content.
“What this does is reinvent the Xbox,” said Satchell. “I don’t think any one has ever done this before – transformed a console during its lifecycle.”
And developers should care about the change to the consumer-facing element of the console, he said.
“This will bring more people in. The new UI is more approachable and as we broaden our market it is important for reaching new gamers. And there’s also lots of ways to merchandise your content.”
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The new guide, which launches this autumn, is “way more approachable for the average person than the current blades system.”
He said that although Microsoft was a format-holder and hardware manufacturer, the firm was continually “reinventing ourselves through software” and that the firm was now offering “much more visceral ways to interact” with games that would keep them engaged in developers creations for much longer.
Hopefully they do a better job with this system upgrade compared to the Zune upgrade that pretty much destroyed my collection 20% of my music is now under wrong titles some music disappeared completely so hope for the best prepare for the worst!!!
ake a look at the blades on this interface - they're a joke! They don't even look remotely like the ones they're replacing.
You still have to go through the new dashboard to get to the blades via the guide button.
The blades are about one quarter of the size they currently are now and sit in the middle of the screen. The new dashboard is clearly visible behind the blades. The blades no longer support gamerpics and themes. When they say they are still supported they mean the new dashboard supports them, kind of. The blades are also a very dull plain gray color as well. They're horrid.
How come every time a Micro$ucks lacky says "Calm down, you don't even have to use the new interface" they never submit a picture of what the new blades look like.
Micro$sucks is full of crap and I'll be getting rid of my Xbox 360's this fall when that abomination of an interface is crammed down our throats!
And yes, regardless of what they say (lies anyway) the update is mandatory. How else can they force you into buying more DLC (Netflix) that you don't even want. The new dashboard isn't an interface it's a storefront!
Will this reinvention complete BACKWARD COMPATIBILITY?
the new dashboard is awsome what a way to reinvent the console xbmc has it smart thinking good job keep it up. I like it who cares what anybody says.
THE XBOX 360 TO ME IS JUST ANTHOER CONSOLE U GUYS IVENTED TO WERE THE XBOX 1 ISTHE SAME THING SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS FORGET 720 U GUYS R WORKING WRIGHT NOW N LETS MAKE A XBOX 2 THE 360 TO ME IS NOT XBOX 2 SONY MADE THE PS2 N 3 WHY NOT XBOX 2 HOW ABOUT SOME REAL COMPITION.
i hope ms would forget making the next 360 and just release a very limited edition (as in 1k consoles/yr only and jack the price up to no less than the cost of the currently priced high end pc). here's why it should be done like this:
1) ms will not only make tons of money for the ultimate console game ever made but it will also give the REAL gamers all the ability of the high-end pc in terms of gfx and modularity but still won't force ppl to buy it. only those who really want to should.
2) since the xbox's software and it's components are basically a safer pc version, w/o the damn web browser support- this feature should never be added to a console ever coz it's that ****ty, they can just make the 1 console but with modular capability of the pc i.e. let the gamers upgrade the cpu, gpu, ram, hd and best of all the dvd drive to a dvd burner or w/e burner they want. of course, this is where ms and it's partners will rake in the cash. by doing this they can force those willing to buy this console to only buy all the aforementioned upgradeable components to buy only their stuff coz they will make sure that the pc version wouldn't work for this particular console. console parts for console only not interchangeable w/the pc parts. can't use console gpu or the pc or vice versa. caching!
3) ultimate future proofing of the xbox360, no need for the next xbox, who gives a **** about the other consoles next system, cost effective for ms, and truckloads of cash will be dumped in their laps.
if they ever make a modular version of the 360 soon, i'll give them all my cash no matter what; no questions asked. here's my money and give me 4 of those. then my damn cousins, nephews and my bro wouldn't have to fooking visit and trash my flat every weakend. hell i already own shares of ms and have sold and repurchased their shares for profit several times already but not rich, just comfortable enough to do what i want for the most part. muaahahaha
Great, yeah that's definitely going to make more people buy faulty Xboxes. Man, I liked the blades and the relative originality that the 360 had, until they said, "Okay, let's destroy any dignity and intuitiveness we have and rip off Nintendo."
