“New Xbox One Experience” also overhauls dashboard interface.
Microsoft has announced the launch date of the next major update to the Xbox One console. Dubbed the “New Xbox Experience,” the update which integrates Windows 10 on the platform and brings backwards compatibility with Xbox 360 titles will arrive on November 12.
The titles available for backwards compatibility are rather limited, with the published list only containing 23 games so far, though Microsoft has claimed they are working to add hundreds more as time goes on. Xbox One features such as game recording and streaming will work with these legacy titles, and multiplayer enabled games will be playable with others regardless of which Xbox console (One or 360) they’re being played on.
Beyond playing old games, the console will be updated with the new user interface first shown at E3 earlier this year, promised to make using the console faster and easier. The dashboard will be expanded with “Game Hubs” (dedicated landing pages providing developer update information and shared user content), a new community area, and the return of customizable avatars. Social features have also been made more accessible by way of an in-game overlay, removing the need to dig through menus to interact with friends.
Not included in the update is previously announced support for Microsoft’s Cortana personal assistant software, which has been pushed back to next year.
Sources: Xbox.com, Major Nelson
