Microsoft not committed to biannual 360 dashboard releases

by Christopher Grant { Oct 11th 2008 at 12:01AM }

For the first two and a half years of the Xbox 360's lifespan, owners eagerly looked forward to regular "spring" and "fall" updates, packing more functionality into their consoles through (what Microsoft marketing would later call) the "magic of software." With the absence of a spring update this year and the subsequent announcement of the New Xbox Experience we wanted to know if Microsoft would return to the biannual updates ...

So we asked John Schappert during our sitdown earlier this week in Tokyo. He said, "I don't know if we're going to tie ourselves to a spring fall release schedule" and continued, "I like staying focused on bigger, more impactful releases ... maybe it'll be twice a year, maybe less frequently, to-be-determined." Speaking of what those future updates could consist of, Schappert said that Microsoft is asking itself, "What's the next big launch? What do we bring? When can we bring it? And how can we do it in a big way?"

The NXE is certainly a bigger, more impactful release. We're assuming, however, that Microsoft doesn't plan on reinventing the wheel every couple years in which case what "big" functionality should we expect in future Dashboard updates, regardless of when they're released? No, really, we're asking you.

Gallery: New Xbox Experience

Tags: John-Schappert, NXE, TGS-2008

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Gun Barrier @ Oct 11th 2008 12:06AM

Its ok, this one update is HUGE anyways.

SecretAgentHam @ Oct 11th 2008 12:10AM

i really dont mind that they arent committed to it. way i see it, if it aint broke, dont fix it. says alot about this big update though... i just hope they release something every now and then that gives me a reason to WANT to turn on my xbox instead of my wii or ps3. at least the ps3 adds lil features that gets everyone buzzing for a day or 2. i would like something like that from my lil box that could.

KingOfGods @ Oct 11th 2008 1:24AM

yes they are called games...you should try them

Sam406 @ Oct 11th 2008 12:12AM

I guess there are only so much features you can add... I mean, what else do we need...? An Internet browser?

SecretAgentHam @ Oct 11th 2008 12:19AM

actually yeah, why not? ps3's got it ... hell even the wii has it...

ExMcCloud @ Oct 11th 2008 12:25AM

But do I really need a browser? I can watch porn on my computer.

Thordon @ Oct 11th 2008 12:28AM

As long as the browser isn't Internet Explorer.

h0mi @ Oct 11th 2008 5:11PM

Support for NTFS formatted USB devices for starters.
Support for other video/audio codecs/containers.

ExMcCloud @ Oct 11th 2008 12:27AM

Wait....Thats wat we need......A porn tab on the dashboard....Then I can prematurely ejaculate before I play Halo.....Then its lvl 50 here I come.

playwhutyalike (bring back Mr. ESC, please) @ Oct 11th 2008 3:31AM

....here I "come".

That my friend, is Chock Full o' Awesome.

NBShermanator @ Oct 11th 2008 12:29AM

How about no more failing of XBL after an update?

linkman26 @ Oct 11th 2008 12:37AM

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa243/skygaf/ms_gangsta.jpg

TheOverlord#2 @ Oct 11th 2008 12:20PM

Miyamoto got served.

Markez @ Oct 11th 2008 2:04PM

YOUS JUST DONES GOT SKOOLED, BIDEN STYLE!

diamondxp @ Oct 11th 2008 1:00AM

There should at least be updates bi annually to address the needs of there customer base, Namely us. History shows that if you do not evolve you go extinct. The ever changing Dashboard has been a source of great joy and excitement for many owners. I am one of them.

I Doubt that they will get it ever perfect because needs and technology change. What worked at launch does not work today. They would be shooting themselves in the foot if they did not roll out at least 2 major updates a year.

Unless, they are changing the update schedule. Instead of less to be more. Instead of one or two big changes, how about 6 times a year of more of smaller less significant changes. I think I read in one article that they were talking about just that, tweaking instead of changing the system. We Know MS is in this for the long haul and they want to have the biggest piece of the pie. I am sure they are tired of taking XBL offline for a major update. I am guess that the new NXE will address some if not all of those issues. So to me his comment seems inaccurate.

Obie @ Oct 11th 2008 1:02AM

For a second there I thought that was George Costanza! :O

=Curve= @ Oct 11th 2008 1:05AM

I don't see how this is a good thing.

I'm pretty sure any improvements/additions people want (no matter how crazy) could fit several pages.

Or at least do what Sony does and when an update is ready, release it (which is fun in it's self: "Ohh what goodies await me this time?") rather than gather them up and try to blow their load twice a year.

Saberj @ Oct 11th 2008 1:33AM

I thought one of the additions to NXE was to allow them to put out smaller updates without having to bring the service down like they currently do.

In any case, I imagine that with them completely re-doing the UI, they will be doing bi-annual patches for the near future at least.

Ron @ Oct 11th 2008 3:29AM

I would give it lots of features found on a PC. Like official mouse and keyboard support, why not go wireless. More media functionality, and throw in a web browser. I like the PS3 but one of the many things I hate about it is the web browser. If Microsoft could get IE in the XBOX 360 that would be awesome.

serotoninzero @ Oct 11th 2008 4:18AM

They should throw a browser on there. I dn't have a PS3, but I have a 360 and a Wii... and a lot of times I want to look at youtube videos or something with friends, so I load it up on the Wii. However a 480p browser on my 50" screen looks like shit. I'd rather have a 1080p nice looking browser.

Maybe I'll just buy a PS3.

E.J. @ Oct 11th 2008 10:32AM

That's a dumb reason to buy a PS3.

serotoninzero @ Oct 11th 2008 12:24PM

Agreed. But I do want a PS3 for the games and bluray too. I was half serious about the reason. Just because Microsoft has stated they weren't putting it in in previous installments.

Barb130 @ Oct 11th 2008 7:44AM

PLease don't put a browser there! Then everyone will want all the functionality of their PC browser then there are virusus, spyware etc. I don't want that can of worms on my Xbox!

Psalm Bowser @ Oct 11th 2008 8:02AM

Microsoft are only doing this 'reinvention' to dazzle the shitheads* from the fact that come January, the software situation will look a little like Wii circa early-2008. Not that there was that much variety on the console in the first place.

*that's not an insult but a famous line from a movie.

Monkey Thing?!!? @ Oct 11th 2008 12:48PM

Early 2008 was great for Wii. NMH, Okami, Mario Kart, and of course Brawl

Late 08 is what sucks, perhaps that's what you mean.

All of 2009 is the dominion of Wii, however.

Psalm Bowser @ Oct 11th 2008 12:55PM

I got my dates mixed up. I meant the period before and after Nights was released. Remember, when we were all duped into buying that game.

BaseVilliN @ Oct 11th 2008 11:30AM

Bi-annual = Once every two years.
Semi-annual = Twice a year.

novel @ Oct 11th 2008 11:54AM

I hope you're joking, but you're probably not

Ryura @ Oct 11th 2008 1:35PM

bi-word is vague and can refer to once every two word or twice a word.

biweekly: Can be either twice a week or once every other week.

Ryura @ Oct 11th 2008 1:36PM

However, it would seem biannual actually only means twice a year. Google it.

BIGFAT @ Oct 11th 2008 12:56PM

if the Xbox live community wants to complain about this i see no problem, since we are paying customers we have the right to complain about anything we want that wrong for the system, and if we want them to regularly update are Xbox then they have to listen.

*cough unlike some nonpaying online users cough*

Legion @ Oct 12th 2008 5:41AM

It's easy, Mr. Schappert.

Figure out how frequently you'd need to update to stop strangling my friends list with the paltry 100 person limit. Then update however often you determined.

angst911 @ Oct 13th 2008 8:28AM

Definitely NTFS support for USB devices, seriously, FAT32 on a 130 GB drive? Seriously? Windows won't even format that willingly!

More A/V codec support would be great also, and I'm not just talking about for USB devices, but also for UPNP media servers, having to transcode video all the time is asinine.