This Week in Xbox — 7/18

This is going to be a very nice update. This is so much better than PS3s homepage. Good luck Sony......

The new xbox exsperiance looks great! It sounds fun having an avatar instead of a piture, and teaming up with netflix was a good move. For people who say it is geting to kidish, there are still alot of hard core games, and the new xbox exsperiance will attract more people. In general, some people might not like the xbox dashboard change, but xbox 360 still has and is getting the games that make it so great.

You will still be able to use your themes Haveno. They won't be all covered up like they are now either. Hell you can barely tell what your theme is now with all the ads.

Personally I dont give a -- about the Avatars, but I dont like the new dashboard at all. The PS3 meets iPod presentation with a dull, grey background just leaves me disappointed. I like the dashboard we have now, I know where everything is I can see all the infornmation I need in a glance and my Bungie Day background looks cool.

That being said, a week after it comes out I probably wont care anymore and will just enjoy it for what it is.

This is such a great addition to the xbox library, Not only is Final Fantasy one of my favortie series but I now am forntunate enough to play it because of my purchase of my 360. Although the game doesn't look as bright as its big brothers, well thats only me. Actually I'm not really syched about this edition of XIII, What I really want to play is the VERSUS Edition, if square already is trying to port the original XIII, then why not go the extra mile and also port VERSUS?
Also, the new 360 dashboard looks much more innovative and appealing to all ages, The Wii and the Ps3's upcoming home network have similarites between them using avatars and such, so I guess its not bad if Microsoft jumped aboard too. Although it looks a tadbit too friendly, but that isnt a problem is it? 360 is looking mighty strong now aquiring FFXIII, but lets see if Hideo Kojima's infamous Metal Gear Solid 4 will sneak its way onto Xbox. I cant wait til Fable 2 comes out though. Looks like everything we expected the first game to be, hope it holds up.

the new xbox avatars are just a plus... i mean its not like when your playing halo or something that youll be playing as your avatar... its just another thing you can personalize.

just look at it like this, you dont have to put tomato on your sandwich, but isnt it nice to have to option to put it on it?

I played ff for the playstation, and it was good, but i think it will be even better on the 360!!!

The new dashboard looks great, Whens the update?

The New Xbox Experience. LOL

Anyone that is suggesting that Xbox should only cater to hardcore gamers obviously does not care about the long term future of the system and whether its still around in a few years or not. A "hardcore" audience is not enough. The good thing is that Micorsoft can venture into the more family friendly territory without abandoning the games that made it famous. At this point they have enough 3rd parties making killer "mature games" for them that if they want to devotes soe of their in-house towards family friendly games, I say go for it.

That's where the 360 and to some extent the PS3 have an advantage over the Wii. They can make themselves more like the Wii if they want to - the Wii cannot make itself more like the 360 or the PS3.

I'm also wondering where the hell Chronicles of Riddick is? Can you find out for us OXM.

Generally speaking I would say the presentation was very good overall.

That said, I must admit the demo they showed for Fallout 3 didn't do anything for me. And after watching Fable 2's demo I was left wondering if it's gonna be just a "Sims" in HD in a medieval setting.

Those demos I believe were too short to really be able to convey or show what the game is about.

I will also say that I was quite disappointed at the fact that there was no mention about anymore downloadable content for Mass Effect. Not on the presentation nor anytime during the whole E3.

For the guy who asserted that nobody who owns an XBOX would prefer Final Fantasy over Halo, get a clue. I'm a loyal 360 gamer, and I couldn't give 2 sh*ts about Sony, but I've been playing FF games since way before Halo was a twinkle in Bugie's eye. Even if you don't like FF, appreciate the announcement for what it is....a HUGE hit against the annoying Sony fanboys and a HUGE addition to the 360's already incredible lineup.

Some of you whine about the stupidest crap. Who cares if you have an avatar. I really don't care for it either but you're not forced to use it. You do have to make one but that's it. You can also still use your gamer pics.

Getting FFXIII on the 360 is a big plus for us all. The more great games we get the more the system sales and that brings better stuff to us gamers as in more games that would usually only be on PS3. This news just slowed down my purchase thoughts for a PS3.

I also might sign up for a netflix account now since I can just download them to my 360. Renting movies just got easier.

Gameshows on Live is just sweet. I can wait to try these out and have some fun with something that should have been on the system long ago. I guess the wait was worth it.

Keep up the great work MS.

and another thing that unhoy demonstration of 'we'll make anything and they'll buy it' mentality, also know as the in the movies demo was a slap in the face not only as a gamer but as a human adult who can feed and wipe himself

no!!! I don't want a damn mii. If i wanted a cutesy avatar I would have bought a Wii. I thought that xbox 360 was for the serious gamers. I blame the recent wave of casual games, yes that's right even your beloved rock band. Is it too much to ask that you leave the serious gamers alone and untouched by your tainted desperate grab for the casual gamers dollar

No rational person is going to deny that the avatars are a rip off of Miis, but the way I look at, this is just the latest in a series of idea that Microsoft has borrowed, and then made better. Nintendo had a great idea with the Miis, but aside from Wii Sports and Wii Play, you hardly even use them / see them. Not to mention you have to annoyingly swap friends codes to get other Miis to show up due to Nintendo's farked up online services, while I'll have 80+ friends avatars running around after the update due to Xbox Live's superior online support.

I'm excited about all the great games, but wtf is with the miis?

not concerned with wii sales if i want to get f***ing fit, i'll work out in my gym. it comes down to games and right now 360 has that on lock
along with superior graphics and actual 3rd party support.

PROTEST THE AVATAR!!!

Comparing Halo to Final Fantasy is like comparing Saving Private Ryan to Star Wars. They are way too different. And whats going to happen to our gamerpictures with the update?

I think the Microsoft press conference was all in all nothing short of excellent. besides the things like the partnership with netflix it was the games that actually shined. snatching up final fantasy XIII is gonna make it real hard to pic up a ps3 when you can buy a way less expensive xbox and other 3rd party games like fallout 3 are best played on the 360. microsofts 1st party games like Gears of War 2 and halo wars even banjo leave you with little or no reason to own a ps3. i saw the sony press conference and the only thing to be excited about from them to the critics was little big planet!? Microsoft is slowly but surely pulling up the curtain while sony is having one dropped all over them. There were some unessesary things like the avatar crap microsoft showede off but that was overshadowed by the otherwise impressive showing.

I personally am really excited for the future of 360. The Dashboard interface looks fantastic and the games should definitely be exciting.

Gamertag: Da Jimi

And the last haven for the hardcore is now dead. Xbox 360 has now officially turned into the Wii. Pretty soon we'll see that awful Wii music game they were showing at E3, the one that was nothing but a bunch of sporatic arm flailing while attempting to look like musical instruments were actually being played.

that really sucks how they cut halo so it wouldnt overshadow everthing else. i mean COME ON "You're In The Movies" looks like total CRAP. nobody would say "i prefer FFXIII over Halo" that owns an Xbox. NOBODY!