Video: New Xbox GUI "Tailored to the Living Room"
Can anybody hear the ghost of J Allard.
Microsoft has confirmed that it will be rolling out the upgrade to the Xbox 360's graphical user interface (GUI) this Autumn and that it will be "tailored to the living room."
From the images we've got here, it also looks as if the GUI will be tailored very much to the Wii-loving, Microsoft Vista (or Apple iTunes)-owner. Rare has been designing cute-looking, rather elongated avatars for you to choose from and modify. Although rather more elongated and slimmer the avatars bear more than a striking similarity to Nintendo's Miis.
You can see them in the video at the bottom of this story.
It's not just the living room that Microsoft wants to retain its foothold in though. With Sony's ever-forthcoming Home for PlayStation (essentially a huge PlayStation Network overhaul) looming on the horizon, Microsoft is keen to let the market know that it has substantial offerings online.
Before the offerings, of course, come the numbers. Xbox LIVE is apparently "the world’s fastest-growing online social network on TV". So the company's (breathe in) corporate vice president of Interactive Entertainment LIVE, Software and Services Business (and out) says John Schappert.
We don't entirely know what means, even when Schappert tells us that, "We doubled our global membership the past two years, growing from 3 million to 6 million, and then from 6 million to 12 million.
"And today, we are adding a new member every five seconds. With the best and broadest social entertainment experiences launching this autumn, the future is limitless."
It's the "on TV" bit that foxes us. Don Mattrick, Microsoft's senior vice president for the Interactive Entertainment Business, explains. "The new Xbox experience offers more content than you can find from any device that connects to the television.
"That convergence of entertainment and gaming will bring new people and more families to the category, driving a record year for the games industry."
This must make old-stager. J Allard, very happy given that back in November 2001 he said, "I want an Xbox next to every television. To put an Xbox next to every TV means your experience has to be better than the competition. More compelling than Friends, ER or Third Rock from the Sun."
Who says video games is a fast-moving world, eh?
Talking of Mr Allard - who has long since faded into the depths of the Entertainment and Devices Division (he is Chief Experience Officer and Chief Technology Officer) - Robert J 'Robbie' Bach was a notable no-show at Microsoft's press briefing last night; and he is the president of the Entertainment & Devices Division.
You can see the new GUI in the trailer below...
From the images we've got here, it also looks as if the GUI will be tailored very much to the Wii-loving, Microsoft Vista (or Apple iTunes)-owner. Rare has been designing cute-looking, rather elongated avatars for you to choose from and modify. Although rather more elongated and slimmer the avatars bear more than a striking similarity to Nintendo's Miis.
You can see them in the video at the bottom of this story.
It's not just the living room that Microsoft wants to retain its foothold in though. With Sony's ever-forthcoming Home for PlayStation (essentially a huge PlayStation Network overhaul) looming on the horizon, Microsoft is keen to let the market know that it has substantial offerings online.
Before the offerings, of course, come the numbers. Xbox LIVE is apparently "the world’s fastest-growing online social network on TV". So the company's (breathe in) corporate vice president of Interactive Entertainment LIVE, Software and Services Business (and out) says John Schappert.
We don't entirely know what means, even when Schappert tells us that, "We doubled our global membership the past two years, growing from 3 million to 6 million, and then from 6 million to 12 million.
"And today, we are adding a new member every five seconds. With the best and broadest social entertainment experiences launching this autumn, the future is limitless."
It's the "on TV" bit that foxes us. Don Mattrick, Microsoft's senior vice president for the Interactive Entertainment Business, explains. "The new Xbox experience offers more content than you can find from any device that connects to the television.
"That convergence of entertainment and gaming will bring new people and more families to the category, driving a record year for the games industry."
This must make old-stager. J Allard, very happy given that back in November 2001 he said, "I want an Xbox next to every television. To put an Xbox next to every TV means your experience has to be better than the competition. More compelling than Friends, ER or Third Rock from the Sun."
Who says video games is a fast-moving world, eh?
Talking of Mr Allard - who has long since faded into the depths of the Entertainment and Devices Division (he is Chief Experience Officer and Chief Technology Officer) - Robert J 'Robbie' Bach was a notable no-show at Microsoft's press briefing last night; and he is the president of the Entertainment & Devices Division.
You can see the new GUI in the trailer below...
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Comments
deleted 15 Jul 2008 10:58
1/4
i would like some more info on this like how older games work along side the new windows/boxes look and also hwo the interface of live/guide will work within games itself, will will still have the blade within games or will we get a new fresh look?,
but this is deffo a git towarsd the casual gamer, and who can blame them, i can see alot of hardcore put off by this but overall if it doesnt affect the game sthemselfs then its ok by me. cant wait to see FFXIIIin that box where lego batman is :0)
but this is deffo a git towarsd the casual gamer, and who can blame them, i can see alot of hardcore put off by this but overall if it doesnt affect the game sthemselfs then its ok by me. cant wait to see FFXIIIin that box where lego batman is :0)
SuperSaiyan4 15 Jul 2008 11:15
2/4
I cant wait for this!
Its a whole new fresh look and its just the interface doesnt effect the games at all.
The current dashboard is now boring and this will be amazing!
Its a whole new fresh look and its just the interface doesnt effect the games at all.
The current dashboard is now boring and this will be amazing!
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tyrion 15 Jul 2008 13:15
3/4
haritori wrote:
but this is deffo a git towarsd the casual gamer,
Agreed! That video was so lifestyle my teeth hurt!
config 15 Jul 2008 15:15
4/4
Oh my.
It looks like Microsoft just can't decide if it wants to embrace Sony's Home or Nintendo's Miis, while dilly-dallying between Apple's Coverflow and the PS3's photo album interface.
As for "the world’s fastest-growing online social network on TV". Knobs.
It looks like Microsoft just can't decide if it wants to embrace Sony's Home or Nintendo's Miis, while dilly-dallying between Apple's Coverflow and the PS3's photo album interface.
As for "the world’s fastest-growing online social network on TV". Knobs.