XBLA social update adds "News and More"

By Robert Purchese Published 19 October, 2009

Twitter, Facebook, Last.fm testers say so.

Xbox Live's upcoming social update (Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm) may bring more features than first expected.

Behind-closed-doors testers have revealed a "News and More" tab on the Inside Xbox channel. Linked only with the US, this streams content from MSNBC, MSN Autos, The New Yorker and Dilbert.

Furthermore, the channel promises a "surprise" in the weeks after the preview launches, according to Kotaku. It's so exciting.

The social update is expected to arrive before Christmas, although nothing has been set in stone.

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. @Clert on Twitter.

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

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Comments (19) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Cpt_McOneball #1 3 years ago

    'Linked only with the US'

    Never mind.

  • Wolverfrog #2 3 years ago

    Why only with the US? Is the BBC not good enough for Microsoft? At least we don't turn our news into Jeremy Kyle shows.

  • mcmonkeyplc #3 3 years ago

    Wow! US only...so we get it next year.

  • Apostle #4 3 years ago

    Sounds exciting. ;)

  • Eraser #5 3 years ago

    It's all useless crap anyway. Once the novelty wears off after, say, ten minutes, you'll never look at it again.
    It's the same with the news and the weather channels on the Wii. Really pointless.

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #6 3 years ago

    Isn't there an option to update Twitter automatically with achievements and such? If so I don't need to bother ever going on the Twitter site again! It'll just be page after page of, er, me not actually getting any achievements.
    Edited by Britesparc at 19/10/09 @ 11:18

  • alsotop #7 3 years ago

    @Britesparc: Look to the gaming social network Raptr to handle that for you. It tracks your games and achievements, and you can also set it to automatically update your achievements/trophies from 360, Steam and (sort of) PS3. http://raptr.com/

  • Toothball #8 3 years ago

    I wasn't going to bother trying to get in on this update early as I don't use any of the new features. For a moment there I thought there might be more to it, but typically it's US only again.

  • schnide #9 3 years ago

    What's the betting that the surprise new feature is a great new way for us to spend money care of Microsoft?

  • jjolley #10 3 years ago

    EG do seem to have this thing about reporting stories that don't apply to us. It generates page hits I suppose. On a more serious note, one wonders what the point is in having news on the 360 anyway, when it's perfectly easy to access news either via say an iPhone app or standard RSS

  • Moribundman #11 3 years ago

    Yay! News and More! Zune! Netflix! Oh wait...

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #12 3 years ago

    I knew I'd be marked down for admitting to having a Twitter account :-(

  • Roamer #13 3 years ago

    ...may bring more features than first expected.

    It also makes 'unauthorised' storage devices not work anymore. I.e. have you bought a datel memory card or made your own storage solution, all your savegames and arcade games are lost the moment you download this update. Hopefully Eurogamer or some other website will pick up on this.

  • metalangel #14 3 years ago

    Wow! Not only will MSN people be able to pester me when I'm trying to play, but now Facebook people as well!

    (yes, I know you can set away or appear offline, that's not the point)

  • HuggyAtHome #15 3 years ago

    I noticed at the weekend that Uncharted 2 allows you to post stuff to Twittter automatically too. Really useful - if you are sad enough to have a Twitter account.

  • Collymilad #16 3 years ago

    "I noticed at the weekend that Uncharted 2 allows you to post stuff to Twittter automatically too. Really useful - if you are sad enough to have a Twitter account."

    Haha, so true.

  • RedSparrows #17 3 years ago

    I wouldn't want anyone to see how much I'd be playing a game, via a social update! ;)

  • Ryze #18 3 years ago

    ^ This, so I opened a Tech-Ryze Twitter account at the weekend.

    Games and Internet people only...
    Edited by Ryze at 19/10/09 @ 17:02

  • taran0 #19 3 years ago

    the interface is clunky and slow, especially when you have a PC in the same room or in the house. last fm is cool but they should have let you listen while playing, now that would have been worth updating. the zune video thing is overpriced and a waste of time as is sky
    Edited by taran0 at 27/10/09 @ 16:18