Xbox dash update in November - report

By Fred Dutton Published 29 September, 2011

PayPal memo leaks alleged release date.

The latest Xbox 360 dashboard makeover goes live on 15th November, according to a leaked PayPal memo.

Kotaku reported that the date was mentioned in an internal email to PayPal employees asking them to test the payment service on the revised system.

We'll update if Microsoft confirms or denies.

As detailed back in August, the update adds a host of new features, including voice and motion control, as well as giving the dash a visual makeover. Watch various Microsoft types talk it up in the clip below.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (43) Latest comment 5 months ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • -cerberus- #1 5 months ago

    Hope it brings the following as well:
    1) instead of storing title updates in the system cache, have them installed on the hard drive.
    2) no more obligatory title updates screwing up a perfect 1000GS because of DLC.
    3) the possibility to buy a marketplace item at the exact price it's being offered at instead of having to buy 600MSP for a 400MSP item.

  • wattsn26 #2 5 months ago

    PayPal?

  • Donaldthescotishtwin #3 5 months ago

    Does is count having an original 360 or is this only for 360 S?

  • MiniAmin #4 5 months ago

    Gah, why EG? Why include the video of the man who looks like a distorted, fatter, American David Mitchell!? It messes with my head!

    Anyway that asides, the dashboard does NOT need another update. I wish we had the option to choose sometimes.

  • FearCrads #5 5 months ago

    What about us folks without kinect?

  • coojam #6 5 months ago

    4) Ability to name your friends so you know who they actually are.

  • Zaxlor #7 5 months ago

    It's not about you learning about our technology - It's about us forcing adverts in your face every 5 seconds.

    The new dash update is going to be hideous. Rather than an easy to use, jump in and play gaming console, there's going to be a fuck ton of facebook shit, coupled with adverts and targetted focus group bollocks tempting you to buy crap you don't need.

  • Shinetop #8 5 months ago

    What about us folks without kinect?

    Paypal support and a visual makeover for the dash. I don't really see why you couldn't distill that information from the article where it's explicitly stated.

  • Shinetop #9 5 months ago

    The new dash update is going to be hideous. Rather than an easy to use, jump in and play gaming console

    Insert disc. Done.

    , there's going to be a fuck ton of facebook shit

    No there isn't.

    Edited by 1 at 29/09/11 @ 22:02

  • mattk84 #10 5 months ago

    @ cerberus

    Totally agree with 2 and 3. Very annoying when you put in the graft to get 1000/1000 but then dlc arrives that you haven't purchased and all of a sudden its 1000/1200. No! Its only 1200 if I buy that dlc but then I guess that's why they do it!

  • wizlon #11 5 months ago

    Aaahhh, it's future David Mitchell again, RUN!

  • filipo #12 5 months ago

    "XBox... bing grannyporn".

  • MiniAmin #13 5 months ago

    "XBox... bing grannyporn"

    "Xbox... Bing Ignore poster"

  • BlinkeredAxis #14 5 months ago

    Again, I agree with 1,2, and 10

    Love the dashboard, but hate getting to 900 gscore, then the bar rising to 1400 or something.

    The other thing I'd like, mr MS, is to,be able to keep gamerscore notification on, but friends going on/offline OFF, so as to
    keep the atmosphere cleaner in campaign. Or can this be done anyway? I can't find the option if it exists.

  • -cerberus- #15 5 months ago

    @mattk84 #10: Exactly! I've got at least four games set on full GS that got screwed because of the obligatory update. Not that my whole world came crashing down but I do put a lot of work in my games and adding one to my overal 100% completion list always a joyful moment.

    Just to elaborate on number 1: I know this might be a problem for people with smaller hard drives but I mentioned this because some games require a title update for some of their content to work. For instance: Metro 2033's Ranger Pack, which is actually a title update held back for ransom so I'm not too proud of buying it but unfortunately, for me, it's the only way to play this game: powerful weaponry, no HUD, challenging difficulty. But anyways, that's another discussion.
    My point is that the system cache only holds about 10 title updates at a time (someone correct me if I'm wrong) and having to download the same update again and again for a single player game really gets on my nerves. I remember Ghostbusters getting a title update that was installed onto my hard drive, I believe it's under 10mb. So if it's possible for Ghostbusters, it's possible for every other game on the market.
    Besides, the PS3 already does this with all of its games.
    Edited by 2 at 29/09/11 @ 22:47

  • Tyrhinis #16 5 months ago

    My only request is Kinect voice / gesture commands in playback of USB drive video files & DVDs. It'd be so, so easy to add; they already work in Zune videos etc, just nowhere else. They won't add it.

  • duckmouth #17 5 months ago

    Allow me to filter all the Rockband crap from 'Game Add-Ons' so I have a chance to see updates for games I actually have and I'll be a happy man.

  • Futaba #18 5 months ago

    Bigger friend list capacity, please.

  • Bravestinsane #19 5 months ago

    iplayer?

    Give me that and i will "consider" using it as a media hub, seriously the PS3 is so far ahead, love film, iplayer, a browser where you can access ITV, C4 etc.

    Now i don't have a PS3 but im not stupid enough to pretend the xbox has more features,

    All the xbox does is change the UI each each year and add something shit, a facebook which contains half the features.

    Im just glad i have a PCl, at least i can watch media on there.

    Seriously needs the iPlayer

  • Folant #20 5 months ago

    NXE was/is shit, this new UI will be shit.

    The blades were pretty cool, I like them. Bring back the blades.

    Not that it matters for me outside of browsing the Marketplace, since I use my Xbox to play games and not sit there staring at what is essentially the Xbox's 'Desktop'.

  • FiReTiGeR2K #21 5 months ago

    Xbox... Google.. Why is Bing so shit

  • vmanb #22 5 months ago

    I fear more adverts on the dashboard incoming

  • Alex_976 #23 5 months ago

    It would be nice to sort my friend list into groups.

  • Scimarad #24 5 months ago

    No wonder they came up with Kinect - Have you seen how much these people wave their arms about? If you tied their arms behind their backs they wouldn't be able to communicate!

  • RodHull #25 5 months ago

    Couldn't give a monkey's uncle about all this Facebook and Bing gubbins, but it does look rather pretty. The folks lamenting the passing of the blade interface puzzle me: I used to hate the way blades would shoot in from the left and then the right in a startling manner.

  • RodHull #26 5 months ago

    @Bravestinsane The iplayer on PS3 is a lot better than it was but ITV player and 4OD are woeful when compared to using the likes of Virgin Media or a decent web browser.

  • Beano #27 5 months ago

    "Xbox bing why use bing"

  • Beano #28 5 months ago

    "...It's about our technology learning about you..." (followed by a satanic grin)

    brrr....

  • rotmm #29 5 months ago

    @FiReTiGeR2K, "Xbox... Google.. Why is Bing so shit"

    I don't use Bing on the PC (Google-boy here) but I have to admit that Bing on Windows Phone 7, especially with the recent update, is pure awesome sexiness.

  • OldK1ngCole #30 5 months ago

    Hey Microsoft, I have a question for you. Can you make sure that the Premium Themes I have paid for work/look right this time please?

  • ZizouFC #31 5 months ago

    Hope they make it so that games on the new disc format don't have to keep spinning for ages even when installed.

  • Ranger101 #32 5 months ago

    @BlinkeredAxis

    Set your online status to Busy. You don't get friend or message notifications, but you do get achievement notifications.

  • J.C #33 5 months ago

    Internet browser with full flash support and youtube please.

  • Ranger101 #34 5 months ago

    The xbox dashboard is little bit crappy, but objectively speaking it's better than the overly full and annoying XMB on PS3. The Wii has it right - a customizable set of squares you can put anything on, although it lacks the Inside Xbox style extra content and easy accessibility to the marketplace.
    The PS3 does get the background/theme stuff right though, as well as the initial minimalist design.

  • chrisjm #35 5 months ago

    time to get a parrot and train it to say xbox bing

  • GamesConnoisseur #36 5 months ago

    For Paypal system to work, had to be an option to buy in real money not in msp, so it does seem to me that MSP gonna becomes optional and interchangeable with real money.

    Otherwise can potentially causes confusions with the Paypal and anguishes with any leftover small msp (sub 400 etc), what to do with these?!

  • Fab4 #37 5 months ago

    Enough with the fucking 'visual makovers'...just speed the fucker up! It shouldnt require the best part of 10 seconds to bring up a simple dashboard in-game.

  • BBIAJ #38 5 months ago

    @Fab4:

    It doesn't, sound like your console is fucked.

  • DAN.E.B #39 5 months ago

    yeah my elite was a bit slow but the 360s is much quiker

  • TaniumZX #40 5 months ago

    being able to see a whole background/theme without that crappy white bump covering half the screen. lets hope the new update makes it look more professional (XMB/orignal blades) and less like a tacky childs toy.

  • Fab4 #41 5 months ago

    Sorry, but that was happening on my brand new Slim. Good try though.

  • BBIAJ #42 5 months ago

    @Fab4:

    Sounds like your "brand new" Slim is fucked then.

    Seriously, I've had two Halo Reach Slims, and I now have two Gears of War 3 Slims, and not one of them have the problem that you're describing.

    Good try though. :oP

  • BlinkeredAxis #43 5 months ago

    @ranger101

    Thanks for the tip, mate. Should have been obvious really! Now I can play in peace...