New Xbox Experience Hands-On

  • By James_Yu, GameSpot
  • Posted Oct 29, 2008 9:52 am PT

We've seen the New Xbox Experience twice this year, at E3 2008 where Microsoft first announced the update and later at a press briefing in San Francisco. We got the opportunity to install the New Xbox Experience on a console here in the GameSpot offices three weeks before the update's official...

We've seen the New Xbox Experience twice this year, at E3 2008 where Microsoft first announced the update and later at a press briefing in San Francisco. We got the opportunity to install the New Xbox Experience on a console here in the GameSpot offices three weeks before the update's official launch on November 19. We've already written about most of the new features in past previews but we can now post screenshots of everything now that Microsoft PR isn't controlling the flow of pictures.

The new dashboard interface expands out to take advantage of high-resolution displays, and menus now display more information through graphics rather than through text.

Movies

Detail movie view

Games and movies show up with full box cover art instead of nondescript text listings.

Xbox Guide

The new menu system is a little disorienting at first when we tried to overcome years of trained menu navigation, but we got accustomed to the new menus after a few sessions. It also helped that the new Xbox Guide is a miniaturized version of the old bladed menus. Whenever we got lost, we pulled up the Guide like a trusted map.

Achievements

It might take some exploration, but you'll find everything eventually.

Avatar selection screen

Players can select and customize their own virtual avatars. The system randomly generates several starting models to choose from, and you can further customize your avatar from there.

Avatar nose adjustment in progress

Character customization options include physical features such as height, weight, hairstyle, and hair color. Adjustable facial features include eyes, eyebrows, mouth, lips, facial hair, and even make-up.

Accessorize!

The customization menu offers several clothing and accessory options and you can also save several outfits to make it easier to swap looks.

Hit the LB to trigger an emotive response.

Take a gamer pic of your avatar after you finish. Use the analog sticks and left bumper to strike a pose.

3D background models in Themes 2.0

We didn't have access to the fancy 2.0 Themes we've seen in past screenshots, but the default Xbox 360 theme looks pretty nice.

Xbox Live party invite

Microsoft also wants to make it easier for players to socialize with friends on the console. Xbox Live parties allow players to join up to 7 of their friends in a group with shared chat.

Shaun's E3 2008 experience

Groups can participate in activities such as a Photo Party where party members can upload photos in real time for everyone to enjoy.

Community games

Detail community game view

The update also includes the debut of the Community Games channel where Xbox Live users can download games developed by the XNA developer community. We only saw three games in the channel this week: Culture, Netters, and Net Rumble but we expect that list to grow rapidly at launch.

Install to hard drive

Installation progress bar

Our preview build allowed us to download games to the console hard disk. The transfer process took less than 10 minutes for The Orange Box. The primary benefits are decreased load times and less noise from the optical drive.

Netflix Instant Queue

The Netflix channel was also fully functional in the update. The channel allows Xbox Live Gold subscribers that also have Netflix subscriptions to stream Netflix video content directly to the Xbox 360. The available content is limited to whatever is saved in your "instant queue," so you won't be able to watch regular DVD movies or television shows unless they have a streaming instant play option in Netflix.

We found the free Netflix application in the video marketplace. During the installation process, the program generated an activation code that we entered into the Netflix Website to associate our Netflix rental account with the Xbox Live profile. The channel will display all the items you have in you instant queue on the Netflix Website. New items added to the list from the Web page show up in the Xbox 360 channel seconds later.

Heroes screencap from the Netflix channel

We were pleasantly surprised by how much content was actually available in the Netflix instant watch catalog, particularly current television shows. Older movies such as Bad Boys were only available in standard definition, but newer television shows such as Heroes and 30 Rock both streamed in HD, or as high-definition as streaming Netflix content can get. The frame rates in HD were satisfactory, but we did notice some choppiness and ghosting artifacts in scenes with fast-moving action.

Overall the New Xbox Experience looks polished and we look forward to its official November 19 launch. The Primetime channel won't be ready then, but it should appear as an update in 2009.

583 Comments

  • swordsweep1

    Posted Jul 1, 2009 6:13 pm PT

    i got the new up date and it is asome and works good for the xbox and looks good. Works good for xbox live

  • welshy023

    Posted Feb 9, 2009 2:35 am PT

    Great update, Xbox fanboys can finally back up Xbox Live next time they're in a console war over which online is better.

  • soulcold

    Posted Jan 12, 2009 6:27 pm PT

    Plainelmo this is not place to start console wars. Besides this IS xbox360 feature. So keep ur ps3 rambling shut

  • plainelmo

    Posted Jan 9, 2009 7:58 pm PT

    I don't think it's all bad, but definitely no honorable mentions here. The Ps3's is still more elegant in it's design.

  • pakcikkantin

    Posted Dec 25, 2008 7:42 pm PT

    Sometimes hang the interface hang for a moment, when on slow connection

  • eyofirsttrumpet

    Posted Dec 15, 2008 2:23 pm PT

    Looks like XMB to me.

  • secondshooter

    Posted Nov 27, 2008 5:22 pm PT

    Personally, I don't see the benefit in taking up seven gigs for a game just to decrease the load times a little.

  • NickZCoolZ

    Posted Nov 27, 2008 2:00 am PT

    can any body tell me how can i install nxe without xbox live and pen drive....

  • Strife2381

    Posted Nov 26, 2008 12:47 pm PT

    @ demonic x

    No you can't just rent a game or buy it and return it because you download it to the hard drive. you still have to have the disc to play the game after you download it, it just makes the load times faster and the system more quiet.

    I don't understand why everybody is saying that Microsoft is ripping off Sony. Technically , Sony will be ripping of Microsoft (and they both are ripping off Wii) considering that Sony has YET to even bring any sort of avatar to their system. I'm already past tired of waiting for Home to come out. I could care less if Home ever comes out at this point. It's been drug out so long that it's old news.

  • Luv-Bunneh

    Posted Nov 23, 2008 11:20 pm PT

    Nobody hates the avatars (at least I think)..

    They're just complaining that Microsoft pretty much took the idea straight from the Wii's Miis.

    Still cool though. Can't wait to get my 360, it's going next to my PS3.

  • maverick_76

    Posted Nov 23, 2008 3:43 pm PT

    I personally like the new menu system, it looks cool to me and since I am a PS3 owner I never really got attached to the blades system. Overall I like the direction the 360 is going, perhaps I will purchase one at some point.

  • ali-009

    Posted Nov 23, 2008 4:08 am PT

    red0548 i like ps3 too i mean why pay 50$ every year to play online,but the ps3 makes it free to play online,but the new features may make me change my mind,i liked the avatar and how you can jump from game to game it is awsome,but i still want to buy ps3,for bluray disc movies an HD games,and the exclusive games are awsome,so iagree with you.

  • ali-009

    Posted Nov 23, 2008 3:58 am PT

    excellent but can the Xbox work the new Xbox experince in 60GB,and i think sony should upgrade thier playstation network,this should be awsome but i'm waiting for playstation home it looks better than the Xbox new experince,and microsoft did an excellent job.

  • OmegaCookie7

    Posted Nov 22, 2008 8:48 pm PT

    Looks fairly decent I suppose.

  • fd10956

    Posted Nov 22, 2008 8:22 pm PT

    Microsoft is trying to hard to be like PS3 and Wii

  • brendanhunt1

    Posted Nov 21, 2008 10:55 am PT

    ps3 already had all of this

  • DEMON1C_X

    Posted Nov 20, 2008 7:35 am PT

    longhorn... lol.

    Thats awesom how u can download full games to ur console, its kind of a scam tho, u can just rent a bunch of games from wherever you can rent games, and keep them on ur console permanatly... or buy games from gamestop and download, and return for price

  • lemmeplay96

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 10:19 pm PT

    mine doesnt have some of these features!!!

  • Daemon728

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 7:50 pm PT

    Holy crap this sucks! I've tried it finding your friends takes forever and the whole thing just reeks of nightmare! DON'T DOWNLOAD IT!!!!!!!

  • longhorn7

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 1:35 pm PT

    so the xmb and wii interface met at a frat party one night and this is what happened? not bad

  • oskuuu

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 11:30 am PT

    i dont want avatars, i like my current gamertag pic x( what time its coming out!?

  • Kebab117

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 10:47 am PT

    the new menus are nice... but the avatars are just lame

  • GandJ

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 3:22 am PT

    do you need the disk once you download to the hard drive. cuz if you dont and rent a game you could just download to the hard drive right??

  • youngprince3

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 12:12 am PT

    im wondering the same thing.. its kind of a let down u have to be a netflicks subscriber to watch the movies on your xbox

  • AC_Grizzle

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 12:07 am PT

    um... where is it? I could have sworn this is the 19th. does anyone know what time it comes out?

  • youngprince3

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 11:53 pm PT

    are the movies free to stream or do they cost microsoft points

  • tajirinere

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 12:32 pm PT

    it's just too bad it's only available for XBL users would have really liked a direct link

  • red0584 posted Nov 17, 2008 2:14 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    red0584

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 2:14 pm PT (hide)

    I'll probably get bad replies for this, but I still like PS3 better.

  • Bucharifique

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 12:58 am PT

    Looks good! Some thing that will be fresh for a couple!


    If they made classic 360 games download able, for a decent price it would be work!

  • dcmourner

    Posted Nov 16, 2008 11:25 pm PT

    It looks somewhat refreshing, hopefully Microsoft finds more reasons to use Xbox as a platform for all kinds of electronic innovations and Xbox 360 becomes a legitamitely cool gaming place

  • SUL6AN_THE_FOOL

    Posted Nov 16, 2008 4:13 am PT

    wow it cool i got it when i sign in but gamespot dont know that you can play games or change them with out going back to the dashbourd game to game and it take less than 3s to start it WOW

  • Accan2

    Posted Nov 13, 2008 3:00 pm PT

    wow that's awesome. 6 days left. will we not be able to play for a day? -Sacan2-

  • CosmoS73

    Posted Nov 9, 2008 3:46 pm PT

    I personally love what I have seen so far of the New XBOX Live Experience. What's not to love? I can't believe so many people posted that they hated the avatars. Face it, when you play games, you are in fact using an avatar (player character) anyway so why not use an avatar in XBOX live? People like visuals and they like the tangible easy to relate to graphics and Microsoft has delivered - and for FREE. It looks fresh, it looks like fun and the new features rock. Enough said.

  • krystalochoaism

    Posted Nov 8, 2008 3:44 pm PT

    this new update for the 360 looks better than ever im going to download it the first day

  • DrD3V1L

    Posted Nov 7, 2008 7:38 pm PT

    Looking really nice, only 2 weeks togo.

  • kingofqueen

    Posted Nov 6, 2008 9:54 am PT

    i want my Vista to look like this

  • Jouhargi

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 12:14 pm PT

    Does anyone know if this update will be available for download on Xbox.com, to update using a CD? All I've heard so far was that it will be available from Live. Links appreciated.

  • kaboubi504

    Posted Nov 4, 2008 3:22 pm PT

    are yall stupid, first of all the current experince is horrible and to dull, so y is ANYBODY complaining about this update. Microsoft isnt gonna waste thier time by making a update dat isnt better then it was before. So wait till u get the update be4 saying its a bad thing. You dumb mothaf**kas

  • Pixelbash

    Posted Nov 4, 2008 12:04 pm PT

    On the other hand, I will probably grow to like it, I'm like that...it's just change!!! Too much change!

  • Pixelbash posted Nov 4, 2008 12:00 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Pixelbash

    Posted Nov 4, 2008 12:00 pm PT (hide)

    Why why why? I think this is so so bad, its the end of a great Microsoft Xbox live experience as we know it. What a pile of turd, how s**t do those avatars look? I'll tell you... think of the ugliest person ever...ok now imagine seventy thousand red, puss filled spots on that persons face, got that? Now break the jaw, take out the teeth, and rub rabbit droppings through the hair. Picture that... you know have a taste of how ugly those avatars are. Give me the old dashboard, and avatar pictures that actually look half decent any day. Massive super large extra FAIL Microsoft, well done, congratulations.

  • drummerboychuk

    Posted Nov 4, 2008 10:31 am PT

    Theres no shame to Microsoft for having released this update. I'm looking forward to it and we shouldn't be haters against Microsoft for making the 360 more of a breathing, living console.

  • Shnipe

    Posted Nov 4, 2008 6:23 am PT

    i like the old one way better

  • HavQ-san

    Posted Nov 4, 2008 2:58 am PT

    Well, at least they don't look exactly like the Miis. Some 360 players might even like this, although it is considered a useless feature internetwide.

  • GlasgowMurphy

    Posted Nov 4, 2008 1:42 am PT

    "I'm I wrong, or this cute little avatar is a Nintendo Wii concept??" - msn messenger had that avatar maker years ago.

  • zobbas

    Posted Nov 3, 2008 5:59 pm PT

    You have to download it if you want to continue using Xbox Live.

  • homer261984

    Posted Nov 3, 2008 5:53 pm PT

    To all you idiots who don't like the new dash or don't want the new dash...don't download it.

  • WarThrash posted Nov 3, 2008 5:42 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    WarThrash

    Posted Nov 3, 2008 5:42 pm PT (hide)

    this new update FAILS!!!!!! HORRIBLE DEADLY FAILURE!!! DIE MEASLEY LITTLE AVATAR MIDGETS!!! DIE!!!! i like the old dashboard

  • David485 posted Nov 3, 2008 5:19 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    David485

    Posted Nov 3, 2008 5:19 pm PT (hide)

    Hey, I found a website that let's you get free video games by doing surveys... I tried it out and got Dead Space for free! If you wana try here's the link http://www.prizerebel.com/index.php?r=677594

  • JAIBOT

    Posted Nov 3, 2008 4:58 pm PT

    Stop complaining fellas!!
    Its free damn it. And better than nothing huh??
    DAMN

  • HellaChinese

    Posted Nov 3, 2008 4:47 pm PT

    Since this is going to be the new theme, can we still keep the old one though a setting option?

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