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Spotify may finally make the leap to Xbox One this fall (updated)
Sony and Spotify have been pretty cozy for the past few years on PlayStation, but it looks like the streaming service is going to show Xbox fans some love soon too. Reddit's unblinking eyes spotted Xbox's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb using the app on Xbox Live. The Verge independently confirmed with its off the record sources that an app for the Swedish music service was being tested internally, with a wide roll-out planned before the Xbox One X's launch November 7th. Now to speculate whether Microsoft will abandon Groove Music for Spotify the way that Sony did its Music Unlimited service.
Xbox Live update makes co-op live streams a reality
Xbox Live keeps adding and updating features in response to its multiplayer community. Last year, the service added support for "clubs" along with improved friend-finding options. According to Xbox Live's Major Nelson, Live users will get a host of new tweaks today as Microsoft's gaming division adds quite a few new features to its console and mobile apps, including custom Gamerpics, the ability to stream your games with up to three friends and a way to tie a single controller to your login to make it easier to sign in and play. The Xbox mobile apps get a few additions as well, including new ways to look for groups and to browse the titles in your Game Pass subscription, and users can now create their own Killer Instinct tournaments.
Xbox One starts testing support for Dolby Atmos audio
If you both have a state-of-the-art surround sound setup and are in the Xbox One Preview Program, this week should sound pretty great. That's because the update adding support for Dolby Atmos is rolling out to the Xbox One and Xbox One S, according to Microsoft's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb. It's via Bitstream pass-through and was originally promised back in October. The feature is under Blu-ray disc options and says "let my receiver decode audio (beta)." It isn't clear when this will make its way to everyone's console, however, so your dreams of marrying next-gen audio with your video format of choice might take a bit longer to materialize.
Xbox Live now supports high-quality PC Twitch streaming
If you want to use the Xbox Live network to tell followers you're streaming Xbox One games on Twitch, there's just one way: Stream from the console's Twitch app. The problem is that the quality and options are very limited, since the Xbox One isn't exactly a TV production studio. However, Microsoft and Twitch have teamed up to make it possible to use Xbox Live when you're streaming from a PC using a capture card -- all you need to do is link your Xbox Live and Twitch accounts.
Xbox One update increases party chat to 12 of your friends
Who says big companies never listen? Based on user feedback, Microsoft has increased the number of people in a local Xbox One party chat from the current eight. "Garnering over 2,200 votes on Xbox Feedback, we are expanding party chat to include 12 people," said Microsoft's Major Nelson (Larry Hryb). The new feature has rolled out to all Xbox One and Windows 10 Xbox app users, though it's not something visible, as Hryb said it's "all server side." The extra comms will be especially handy during Xbox One FIFA parties when 11 separate players are on the pitch per team.
Xbox 360 cloud saves prep you for Xbox One backwards compatibility
Microsoft has done right by Xbox 360 users lately, making their games backwards-compatible on Xbox One consoles and introducing Windows 10 game streaming. A new update gives users of the last-gen console cloud storage, albeit a tiny amount -- 2GB. Still, the idea is to give you enough to port your Xbox 360 game saves over to an Xbox One for any compatible titles you decide to port over. The new feature is a good sign that backwards compatibility is coming out of preview soon, so you may want to get the update and upload your game saves forthwith.
Xbox One's upcoming overhaul has an opt-in beta
That new Windows 10 Xbox One update sounds pretty great, right? Well, how it works is a little different than folks in the console's Dashboard Preview Program are used to. Previous updates were pushed out automatically and you had no choice over installing them, but here you can choose as to whether or not jump into this massive overhaul. Xbox spokesperson Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb says that Preview members will get a message in their system's inbox and you'll need to register and opt-in from there. But if you're not quite sure about being even more of a guinea pig that's totally okay: You can choose to not participate in the double preview and still get the regular dashboard updates ahead of the general public.
Xbox One's next update makes it easier to keep up with friends, and play Blu-ray 3D
A new lower price alone may not have moved the Xbox One past the PS4 on the sales chart, but Microsoft is still keeping up with its quick update cycle. The August update preview is arriving for testers, and one of the areas getting a lot of attention is the friends list. Right on the home screen, gamers will be able to see what their friends have been playing and a Gamerscore leaderboard, and in the activity feed you can finally like or comment on activity. It seemed like an obvious feature for the feed from the beginning, so it's good to see it's here now. Also, after an update to the app it will be able to handle Blu-ray 3D -- something we asked Phil Spencer about, 5,644 of you requested, and something the PS4 still can't do. Check after the break to see what else is changing, plus a video demo of the new features.
Watch this: Microsoft digs up long-buried E.T. games
This weekend, Microsoft's project to find E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial videogames buried in the desert succeeded. The video game crash of the early '80s spawned the legend of a movie-licensed game for the Atari 2600 -- developed in just five and a half weeks -- that was so bad its publisher decided to trash thousands of copies rather than try to sell them, and now things have come full circle. We'll have to wait for the AtarI: Game Over documentary on Xbox to get the full story, but there's a new five-minute video ready to take you through the crucial moments of the dig and the people behind it, including the game's designer, Howard Scott Warshaw.
The April Xbox One update is here, finally lets it notify you when friends come online
Ready for more new features on your Xbox One? Major Nelson just announced that the April software update Microsoft has been beta testing will start rolling out to all systems tonight. The big new feature is the return of notifications for when people on your favorites or friends lists come online, like it did on the Xbox 360. Other fixes are supposed to make Kinect's voice and gesture recognition better, and there are new UI tweaks to make sure you know the status of game saves as well as updates for your games and apps. GameDVR clips should be better looking, 50Hz Blu-ray discs will play at their native rate and yes, there is another update for controllers that addresses audio quality with third-party headsets using the adaptor. Finally, for any updates after this one the Xbox One will be able to reboot to standby silently instead of just turning off, and you'll be able to check manually for updates. That doesn't apply for this update though, so Xbox One owners can watch for a reboot while they keep an eye on tonight's eclipse, or wait for it to download over the next few days.
Getting to know Microsoft's new Xbox lead, Phil Spencer
When Phil Spencer was appointed the new head of Xbox following the departure of longtime lead Marc Whitten, he promised a re-focus on gaming across all Microsoft platforms. That wasn't a huge surprise, of course -- most folks know Spencer as the Microsoft Studios guy; the guy who makes game deals; the guy who speaks at E3 about games during Microsoft's keynote. While that's all accurate, Spencer is also a longtime Microsoft employee, starting as a programmer and working his way up. In an interview with Microsoft's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb, Spencer detailed that 26 year history and how it led him to the lofty position he's in today. Beyond the history lesson, Spencer teased out at least one juicy tidbit: "we've got a game we haven't announced yet, we're gonna show on stage at E3." Unannounced games at E3? Get right out! Joking aside, he said it's got a "fantastic setting" and a "soulful" feeling (comparisons were made to indie darlings Limbo and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons). Color us intrigued. Join us below for a bulleted list of quick facts about the man charged with running Microsoft's gaming division, and the full video interview from Microsoft.
Microsoft is hand-picking users to test Xbox One's next software update
Ahead of Xbox One's second spring update Microsoft is inviting a handful of gamers to test the patch's mutiplayer features. As Major Nelson tells it, the invite process starts today and if picked, you'll be first in line to try future updates as well. Lucky users will be notified via a Live message containing a download token within the next week (or maybe later); all Redmond asks in return is that you offer feedback about the new bells and whistles on a private forum. Microsoft has a storied history of letting users test its firmware updates, but, given the social focus of this one, we wish the Titanfall beta was still running.
Microsoft shows how to redeem an Xbox One download code in six seconds (video)
How quickly can you redeem an Xbox One download code? Quickly enough to fit the experience into a six-second Vine video, apparently. Microsoft's Major Nelson has just posted one of the looping clips (after the break) to prove that you can scan codes with the console's Kinect sensor in mere moments. It's doubtful that anyone will need to grab content quite that quickly, but the demo is a friendly reminder of the time we'll save by ditching old-fashioned keyboard input after November 22nd.
Xbox One Friends app gets detailed in video walkthrough
Are you a friend or a follower? In the world of the Xbox One, the distinction is based on reciprocation. Xbox sage Major Nelson has broken down the forthcoming console's Friends app, detailing the distinction between the two groups. As previously stated, friends are a finite resource on the app -- limited to a mere thousand -- while you can have as many followers as your heart desires. A follower becomes a friend when both parties sign on to follow each other, a process that unlocks additional information like when you're online, real-time achievements and other Xbox One related activities. As with social networks like Facebook, you'll be able to control what your followers see. Friends from the 360 will automatically be ported over, though the gaming luddites on that system will appear as grayed out, smaller icons. An activity feed on the right side of the screen, meanwhile, shows off precisely what your friends are up to in real-time. Check out a video break down of the app from the Major himself, just after the break.
Major Nelson: Xbox One won't support external storage at launch
We hope you weren't counting on using the Xbox One's USB ports for external storage from day one; as it turns out, you'll likely have to be patient. Speaking at the PAX Prime expo this weekend, Microsoft's Larry Hryb (aka Major Nelson) mentioned that external drive support wouldn't be available at launch because the Xbox team was "working on other things." It's not certain when the feature will arrive, Hryb says. We've reached out to Microsoft to verify the statement. If it's accurate, though, you'll want to be cautious when filling the Xbox One's built-in 500GB drive with Xbox Game Store downloads.
Microsoft gushes for seven straight minutes over Xbox One controller changes (video)
It's better -- in fact, we've told you as much on a couple of occasions. But for those who seriously can't manage another day without listening to Microsoft's own blood wax poetic about the Xbox One controller, there's a seven-minute infomercial video waiting for you just after the break. Oh, and be sure to take notes; there might be a quiz at the end!
Take a look at one of the first Xbox One retail units (video)
There are still a few months until its November launch, but the Xbox One is already ready for primetime, apparently. One of the first Xbox One retail units -- among just 20 or so in existence -- made an appearance this morning in an unboxing video hosted by Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb, director of programming for Microsoft's Xbox division. In particular, the video features a limited edition "Day One" version of the console, which is more or less sold out at every major retailer (at least Amazon, GameStop, and Best Buy). It's just below the break.%Gallery-195690% If you were one of the lucky few (thousand) to get in on Day One Edition pre-orders, you'll be getting the same stuff as standard edition pre-order folks, albeit with some extra "Day One Edition" branding flair -- the gamepad says "Day One Edition" on it and has a chrome d-pad, and there's an achievement exclusive to DOE owners. Both the standard and Day One editions cost $500, and both now include a wired Xbox One headset -- something that was previously excluded from the retail box. Also of note, the video's subsequent blog post reveals that Xbox One gamepads recharge using microUSB rather than the proprietary cable used for charging Xbox 360 gamepads. Moreover, when the One's gamepad is plugged in, the internal wireless radio is turned off and it transmits data through the wire (which was not the case with the 360 gamepad). This has interesting implications for the One's gamepad in PC applications, which we'll assuredly explore more in the coming weeks as Gamescom returns to Cologne, Germany for another year of Euro-style game news. Update: We've added some official press photos of the headset that comes in the box. Enjoy!
Public beta registration now open for the Xbox 360's 2013 Live update
It's that time of the year again, and we're not talking about the long Independence Day weekend. Microsoft has opened up public beta registration for the 2013 Xbox Live update, and this time around you'll need to log your interest directly through an Xbox 360 console. Xbox owners in Japan will be missing out, although they'll have the same opportunity "at a later date." There should be a tile on the dashboard home screen entitled "Xbox Beta Program," and with limited spots available, we recommend you sign up immediately if you'd like to participate -- last year's spots were filled pretty quickly. There doesn't appear to be anything exciting included in the beta; Major Nelson cites "updates to improve overall performance" and the option to purchase content with actual money instead of MS points. There may be more details in the beta FAQ when it goes live later today, but if you get into the program and find anything juicy MS neglected to mention, it hopes you'll honor the NDA which you'll agree to as part of the registration process.
Major Nelson takes Xbox One questions, says banned users will 'absolutely not' lose games
E3 is over, but Microsoft still has a long way to go to answer questions from gamers about its new Xbox One console, particularly when it comes to the effects of DRM. Director of Programming of Xbox Live Larry Hryb aka Major Nelson takes on the most upvoted ones from posters in Reddit's games section in this video interview with Chloe Dykstra. One question that seems to have a clear answer is whether banned users will lose access to any games they've activated, as he stated "Absolutely not, you will always have access to the games you purchased." That goes against a previous response from the Xbox Support twitter account, although that may have been the result of confusion between the Xbox One and Xbox 360 policies. A question with no satisfying response yet however, is what gamers can expect years down the road if Xbox One's authentication servers are shut down. Major Nelson followed up with a response in the comment thread that "I'll get the real answer, I just don't know it yet." Interestingly, the question he wished more people would have asked is about the "family package" and, we assume game sharing with a single account, after previously bringing up its cloud library as one upside to the new DRM setup. Tracking back to the original debut's focus on the console's HDMI input and TV overlays he mentioned using snap mode to watch TV while gaming, or getting Xbox Live notifications and jumping "instantly" to a game while watching TV. A similar crowdsourced interview was planned with the PlayStation team, but cancelled. Major Nelson says he will address more questions leading up to launch and is planning an ask me anything session later, so keep your (many) inquiries at the ready.
Get your hands and eyes to LA and put them on Microsoft's Xbox One next week
Microsoft's Xbox spokesman Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb is giving fans a chance to take a very early hands-on look at the Xbox One's new gamepad next week. On Monday June 10th, just a day before the official kickoff of E3, Hryb is taking to Microsoft's Century City company store and allotting a solid 90 minutes for controller touching, as well as ogling of the new box and its always-on Kinect. Wouldn't you know it, that's right during Sony's PlayStation 4 press conference! As the event is both free and full of loosed next-gen hardware, Hryb suggests showing up well ahead of time -- we'll be on-hand, snapping your picture and distributing high fives. He also teases, "one or two other surprises" as well, which we're hoping isn't a free Kin for every person who gets in.
