'Keep The Feedback Coming' - Xbox Boss Says New Console Features Were Built Two Weeks Ago

An impressive start to Asha Sharma's reign

by Fraser Gilbert 1 hour ago

'Keep The Feedback Coming' - Xbox Boss Says New Console Features Were Built Two Weeks Ago

Yesterday, we were treated to the surprising news that the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles were getting a major dashboard update for the first time in what feels like forever, with multiple features being implemented including custom colour settings, the ability to disable Quick Resume for certain games, and the option to add more groups.

Following this announcement, new Xbox boss Asha Sharma took to social media to reveal that these new console features were built two weeks ago as a result of fan feedback, and she encourages fans to "keep the feedback coming".

Of course, Sharma has only been in the role of Xbox boss and Microsoft Gaming CEO since late February, so this marks one of the first public-facing decisions she's been a part of — and it's one that will surely win her a lot of brownie points with Xbox fans.

Prior to yesterday, it felt like the regular monthly Xbox updates had been largely ignoring console users, often highlighting PC and cloud updates more prominently, but Asha Sharma did say that console was a key focus when she took on the role of Xbox boss last month, and that's proven to be the case so far. Let's hope it continues!

Happy to see new console features making their way to Xbox? Tell us down in the comments section below.

Fraser is the News Editor at Pure Xbox, where he spends his time reporting on the biggest stories in the world of Xbox and beyond.

1
Globo
1 hour ago

The difference is now they are starting to actually care about there console platforms again and the experience on consoles for gamers where as before they didn't really care at all because everything was an Xbox!
Which we now know and back then in fairness that was total nonsense!
Keep it up bring back the snap feature or like how you can click on an achievement for help it brings you to true achievements maybe there could be links to YouTube videos as well and snap YouTube on screen while your playing that would be nice and very possible to implement!

2
FarmDog08
49 mins ago

So far there seems to be a lot more transparency and communication than before. Only time will tell though and we don't really know if any of this was already in motion.

3
space_g0blin
36 mins ago

They also announced Copilot coming to current gen consoles too. Even though MS said there’s no directives for pushing AI. To what extent that all means is unclear. But if nobody really uses said feature I guess eventually it’ll be dead in the water.

Copilot aside, these new updates are good. I suppose the “Everything is an Xbox” strategy limited how and what features they work on for the consoles? Not sure about that.

4
Fiendish-Beaver
33 mins ago

Having been a Cop for 28 years, I find great difficulty in believing anything on face value. I like what Sharma has said here, but I also find it... let's say challenging to believe that the changes in the dashboard could have been created and implemented (even if it's just for Insiders) within just 2 weeks. Much more likely is that these were more-or-less ready to go and either they were always planned, or she has brought them forward. She still does warrant some credit if she has brought them forward, but I find it difficult to fully believe the statement as given...

5
PushButtons
25 mins ago

@Fiendish-Beaver Anytime there's new management, the house is evaluated, and then cleaned. She stepped in, demanded some features for fans, and those who wanted to keep their jobs stepped up.

6
TrollOfWar
19 mins ago

@Fiendish-Beaver With how development cycles work in software projects, it is highly unlikely that features like the Quick Resume toggle or the custom colors were implemented in just 2 weeks, including internal QA.

7
themightyant
18 mins ago

@Fiendish-Beaver I think you are probably right and they are just using it as an easy PR win saying “we’re listening” (nothing too much wrong with that imho)

Although some of these changes could be made very easily. I suspect the up-to-10 groups on the homepage is simply changing a maximum limit from 2 (currently) to 10. And the other UI changes are not complicated IF there is a will to change them. On my own applications it would take a few days to implement and test that list at most… but I know having worked with Microsoft before how many levels of bureaucracy and QA there are and how long seemingly small things like this USUALLY take.

8
Cakefish
10 mins ago

Good work Asha. Done more for console than Phil has in literally years. Perhaps this is when we start to find out that Phil was actually what was wrong with Xbox all this time 👀

9
Millionski
9 mins ago

I understand that MS is trying raise some positive PR and get everyone hyped about next gen and obviously these improvements are not solely the new management merit.

That said despite a lot of (deserved) skepticism, factually in just couple of weeks we received some clarity about next gen and bunch of solid updates across the board including the console and removal of the "everything is an xbox" campaign.

That's already an amazing feat and a step into the right direction, and after 2 years of doom & gloom (feb 2024 "just 4 games") its finally some positive traction.

10
GeeEssEff
7 mins ago

@Fiendish-Beaver my first thought when I saw this was if they can hammer out highly requested features within 2 weeks why have they waited 5 years to do it? Maybe she genuinely has come onboard and prioritised the console experience but like you I have a rather cynical outlook on anything the C Suite says.

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