Microsoft's New Xbox Experience Earlybird Gift

Microsoft has announced that every single Xbox 360 owner who signed up for its New Xbox Experience (NXE) preview program (and didn't stuff it up) is getting in early.

Microsoft's Larry 'Major Nelson' Hryb reports on his blog, "Instead of adding another 10,000 people to the preview program like we did last week, we've decided to do something a little different: everyone who successfully applied to the preview program (and submitted a valid console ID) will be getting the New Xbox Experience sometime within the next few hours.

"That’s right…we’re hooking everyone else up with NXE a bit early. If you signed up and are not prompted, that means you did not enter your console ID properly and you'll have to wait until Wednesday."

The preview program was kicked off last month with sign-ups, but not everyone who applied was admitted in the first wave. Since then two further waves of users have been given an early taste of NXE prior to it being sent out to all preview applicants.

SPOnG can't help but wonder if, following the weekend's Xbox Live hiccups, Microsoft is trying to alleviate the burden on the network tomorrow when NXE is launched as a worldwide update.

NXE will include a massive overhaul of the 360's blade interface, avatars and the ability to install games to the console's HDD.

^{Source: Major Nelson}