Spring 08 Dashboard Update Info

[Nodz86]

Spring Update update

 

Next-gen.biz has an interview with Marc Whitten (who you know from my show as Notwen) who gives up details on what is up with the Spring Update and what you can expect over from LIVE over the next few months, including a change to our DRM policy. Give it a read and let me know what you think. When Marc drops by my office next time I’ll share your thoughts with him.

 

Last year Xbox 360 owners got a spring dashboard update in early May. It's now late May and you still haven't announced anything regarding this year's update. Should 360 owners be holding their breath for it?

 

We have taken a different approach this spring and spent a lot of our time and resources of building the proper infrastructure and scale for the service not just today but also into the future. So while most users will not notice any significant changes to the dashboard this spring, I can tell you that the team will be releasing a new digital rights management (DRM) tool next month that will allow you to better consolidate your licenses for downloaded content to a single Xbox and allow you the freedom to be able to play your content both online and offline.

 

You can read the full interview here, but in the interests of media-snacking or whatever name they have for it these days here's the main points that YOU need to KNOW NOW:

 

• There won't be a 'full' spring update, but a new Digital Rights Management tool will be launched soon that will make it easier to consolidate all your purchased content on a new console. more news on this soon.
  
• In the meantime the LIVE team is working to provide "the proper infrastructure and scale" for the service.
  
• underperforming XBLA titles will begin to be retired from the service - those that have been available for more than six months, scored less than 65 on Metacritic and have a demo to full game conversin rate of less than 6% will be up for the chop. This is to keep the choice of games on XBLA focussed and high quality.
  
• Microsoft Games Studios is opening a first-party XBLA studio.
  

From Major Nelson and AceyBongos

 

Basically there is not one this year but there is changes that will be released over the coming weeks and this thread will be updated with the info as it is released like the previous threads.

 

If you find any comfirmed info that isn't here post it and I'll add it to the main post thanks.

[Pherelas]

Quite glad there isn't one to be fair, nothing that they can do that I can think of that needs adding really expect maybe more personilastion.

 

+rep.

[t.]

^^ Sorry mate but there is ample room for improvement. Mainly in the media department.

 

I read this earlier, Im pleased about the DRM its far more useful (especially since I'm an RRoD victim). Would still like to see a dashboard update though.

[Pherelas]

^^ Sorry mate but there is ample room for improvement. Mainly in the media department.

 

What can they do to media? DivX isn't going to happen, music is fine imo. Maybe more internet options.

[t.]

DivX has already happened (.avi not sure about .divx). Fast forward and rewind for music would be nice. Video playlists. Audio encoding options bitrate etc. What you're watching instead of "watching a video". I know it's all minor but it would improve it for me, I watch a lot of stuff via my 360.