NXE adds 10,000 more previewers

By Robert Purchese Published 14 November, 2008

And Zapper added to Xbox Originals.

Microsoft has invited a further 10,000 people to the New Xbox Experience preview program.

This will be the third and final batch to join in, before the Xbox Live overhaul becomes available to the masses on 19th November.

To stand a chance at being picked, you will have had to fill out a Connect Program Survey. And unfortunately there's no way of signing up now if you missed the boat first time around.

But if you did do the homework, you may have received an email early this morning welcoming you to NXE. Major Nelson says there will be an update later this evening to sort everything out.

The New Xbox Experience adds all sorts of new toys, such as customisable Mii-style avatars, a redesigned Dashboard navigation system, and a grouping system where parties of friends can stay together whilst changing games or watching films or maybe just chatting.

Rather less exciting is news that Zapper, a distinctly average Xbox 1 game, will be arriving on Xbox Originals on Monday. Save the 1200 Microsoft Points (GBP 10.20 / EUR 14.40) for something else.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (37) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • ryohazuki1983 #1 3 years ago

    Didn't relise there was a survey, owell not long till update is available for all.

    Unrelated but does anybody know if xbox originals can be played online?
    Edited by 1 at 14/11/08 @ 15:45

  • dr_faulk #2 3 years ago

    "Unrelated but does anybody know if xbox originals can be played online?"

    Halo 2 can.

  • MatteG #3 3 years ago

    WHEY

    I got an email! Loving it, It says I will get a Sysytem Update at 10pm today.

  • Colin8703 #4 3 years ago

    Does anyone know if the new update makes the HDMI out 1.3 instead of 1.2?

    I have not been able to find any info to see if they've updated the video out. Can this even be done with an update or does it have to be hardware?

  • ryohazuki1983 #5 3 years ago

    Cheers dr_faulk

  • Greebo #6 3 years ago


    "Does anyone know if the new update makes the HDMI out 1.3 instead of 1.2?"

    Just had a quick read of the FAQ's on hdmi.org and it suggests that there are hardware differences.

    The improvements aren't groundbreaking. Greater bandwidth and deep colour seem to be the main things.

    Bandwidth isn't important, as 1.2 is quite happy carrying 1080p signals and Deep Colour isn't widely adopted (at least as yet)

  • Colin8703 #7 3 years ago

    Thanks Greebo.

  • Darren #8 3 years ago

    Who the hell thought adding Zapper to Xbox Originals was a good idea?!?!? :?

  • Xerx3s #9 3 years ago

    "Unrelated but does anybody know if xbox originals can be played online?"

    Well obviously as live on the xbox is just the same as live on the 360.

  • Darren #10 3 years ago

    Seems odd to let 10,000 people have access to NXE just 5 short days before it officially launches. Seems pretty pointless really.

    And since the new dashboard has been ready for some weeks now since the first lot of people got it, why not just release for *everyone*... you know... like *now*. Seeing as it is a free update, what advantage is there in delaying it for everyone until the 19th anyway?

  • systems #11 3 years ago

    No, it's not HDMI 1.3. However, you can change the colour space after you've installed NXE to be the SD or HD colour space (so you can switch to SD colour space for DVD and HD colour space for HD-DVD). There's an auto-detect option which does it for you too.

    And yes you can play Originals online if they're labeled as Live games. I've got the Splinter Cell games and R6: Black Arrow and they are Live-aware.

    Darren - they've done it to spread the load on release day. Not pointless at all really - very sensible.
    Edited by 1 at 14/11/08 @ 16:43

  • DrunkDec #12 3 years ago

    heh heh... spread load

  • Darren #13 3 years ago

    Spread the load... how? 10,000 two weeks ago... 10,000 last week, 10,000 this week... anywhere between 1 and 14,970,000 come Wednesday!!! How on earth is that "spreading the load"?!? LOL

  • Bulbatron #14 3 years ago

    Zapper! What the hell? What about SILENT HILL 2?

  • madgerald Verified Studio Head of PR & Marketing, Colossal Games LTD #15 3 years ago

    I got my email - much to the annoyance of my colleagues :)

    got called proper nasty names. :(

  • bdaggers #16 3 years ago

    /expects Live melt down on the 19th

  • miiiguel #17 3 years ago

    10K... omg, just release the fekin shit worldwide, they're more excited than us...
    Edited by 1 at 14/11/08 @ 17:21

  • Law07 #18 3 years ago

    fox I seriously doubt that somebody owning a console will make up silly stories to try a dig at the rival console for his own pleasure.

    Wait...

  • Starman #19 3 years ago

    I got an invite but sadly I recently also upgraded to an Elite and forgot to update my Console ID :/

    *grumbles*

  • Xerx3s #20 3 years ago

    "Spread the load... how? 10,000 two weeks ago... 10,000 last week, 10,000 this week... anywhere between 1 and 14,970,000 come Wednesday!!! How on earth is that "spreading the load"?!? LOL"

    Ah so because they say it's 10k, it means that it's 10k? ;)

  • Xerx3s #21 3 years ago

    It's not a beta, this is a finished product. Exactly the same thing will be released next Wednesday.

  • Calgon #22 3 years ago

    I did change it to preview actually but the post was too long so I will get to the point... theres plenty of people using it already and theres been no brickage reports that Ive come accross, the feedback has been pretty good so the trolls will be easy to spot.
    Edited by 1 at 14/11/08 @ 19:08

  • Mr_V #23 3 years ago

    I got the message that I'd been selected for the Preview Program (sic) about 8 hours after my 360 went RRoD (again).

    Why hellothar, Mr Murphy!

  • White_Westie #24 3 years ago

    got the preview. Spent too much time making my avatar look like me. Created and saved different outfits too! 1 for casual wear and a more formal suit! Sad aren't I?! ...

    Streamed media all ok (had to reinstall optional media codecs which it prompted me to) buffering seemed a bit slower on this tho...but better fast forward streaming and no noticable stutter on playback etc

    All in all very smooth and, quick -it does seem like some of it was done mainly to put some more adverts on the dash. But the look is very well done and looks / feels very nice.

    Couldn't spend too long on it though as unfortunately they haven't built a function in to stop the wife nagging me to get off it! ;-)

  • Slipstream #25 3 years ago

    No! Not Zapper! No, Microsoft! I'd rather you put in a place a WORKING update that will allow me to play Strangers Wrath. PLEASE!

  • complexion #26 3 years ago

    I got the email as well alas it's now 5.30 in the moring and I still haven't had the update :(

  • Fab4 #27 3 years ago

    10,000 new NXE-ers and XBL goes down the toilet...coinkydink?

  • BBIAJ #28 3 years ago

    Indeed, was being DC'd regularly all night, to the point where I gave up trying to play the Left 4 Dead demo over LIVE (not to mention CoD: WaW, that will have to wait another night now), and went for the System Link option instead.

    Roll on 19th November, and LIVE meltdown!

    I wonder what M$ will compensate us with this time?

  • White_Westie #29 3 years ago

    got to say, not had a problem at all with the install or anything, very smooth easy process left 4 dead demo ok as well :-)

  • WinterSnowblind #30 3 years ago

    @complexion

    The update has been available since 8pm last night. If you still haven't got it, it's time to ask MS what's going on.

  • Fab4 #31 3 years ago

    "What? I was on XBL all night I didn't have any problems. "

    Think yourself lucky then. Go and check the XBL discussion forum on xbox.com.

    Edit: This one: http://forum s.xbox.com/14/ShowForum.aspx
    Edited by 1 at 15/11/08 @ 14:13

  • Kyle #32 3 years ago

    Yeah I got in and haven't had an update either. Doesn't matter too much as we'll all have it on Wednesday, but it would be nice to rub my housemates nose in it.

  • miiiguel #33 3 years ago

    I had problems for an hour or so, during a major UT3 hardcore seesion, but it served as a diner break, we then continue up to 5:30, with no other problem.

  • j1m.ch053n #34 3 years ago

    Typical - as a gamer I was too busy gaming to fill in some BS survey - MS couldnt have picked a better way to reward the casual gamers and screw over the hardcore gamers.

  • Fab4 #35 3 years ago

    Havent you realised? Casual gamers are more important. Hardcore gamers will game, no matter what.

  • Kyle #36 3 years ago

    "Typical - as a gamer I was too busy gaming to fill in some BS survey"

    The whole thing took about two minutes to fill out...
    Edited by 1 at 17/11/08 @ 13:18

  • j1m.ch053n #37 3 years ago

    . . . but i could have got halfway through fable 2 in that time ;)