Now that I’ve had plenty of time to play around with the Xbox One, and I must say, I do enjoy it, there are still some things that I think could be added, or updated, in order to make the experience a much nicer one.
Recently Major Nelson noted that there are some changes coming to the Xbox One, as many of the console’s coolest features don’t always work the way they should, while there are some notable missing ones as well. In a recent interview with Canada.com, Larry Hyrb (M. Nelson) stated that we should be on the lookout for some improvements to the operating system.
“If you look back at the Xbox 360′s launch, what it was in 2005 when it launched is completely different from what it is now. It’s fascinating to see the different things that have come along. Things iterated. We didn’t even have things like the party system or the ability to support external storage when we launched the Xbox 360. So we are absolutely committed to adding new features to the Xbox One over the course of its life span,” said Hryb.
Surely for those who did have an Xbox 360 from the start, there is a clear difference between what the console offered nine years ago, and what it does even up until last year. Still, with every new console, gamers expect more as do I, and so here are a few items I’d like to see addressed in the near future on the Xbox One.
Chatpad accessory for the Xbox One controller: I was initially put off by the idea of a keyboard on the Xbox 360 controller, but in use, that thing was amazing. So now when I have to search for something on Netflix, or when I’m trying to send out a message, or even activate a promo code, for which I don’t have a QR code, it can be a real pain in the ass.
Auto sign-in without Kinect: I’ll admit that it’s pretty cool when I grab the controller and sit down on my couch, only to see Kinect recognize me and sign me into Xbox Live. In fact, that was one of the first “wow” moments for me as I just thought it was super cool. However, for those that don’t have Kinect plugged in, or for those moments when Kinect doesn’t recognize you right away, the console should have the ability to sign you in automatically as it does on the Xbox 360.
Achievement sharing: OK, I’m not shy to say it, I’m not only an Achievement whore, but I like to show off. So it’d be nice to be able to share Achievements on Facebook and Twitter just to brag a little.
Faster game installs: Raise your hand if you’ve wanted to punch your shiny new Xbox One because the game you just bought is installing, and it’s installing at a snail-like pace. Seriously, the required installs are annoying and when you have to wait up to an hour or more, depending on your internet connection, to play a game, it more or less ruins the experience, to where you don’t even want to play anymore.
Battery life indicator: Seriously, where is the indicator that tells me how much battery life I have left on my controller? This one to me, was a no-brainer and I’m really surprised that it’s not a feature right now.
HDD space indicator: Speaking of indicators, I also need to know how much space I have left on my hard drive and not being able to see it is inconvenient, especially when you consider the large install files and downloadable titles that are available.
More flexibility with media types: The other day I through in a disc with some .mp4 video files and the Xbox One practically laughed at me for even trying. If I want to through in something that I’ve burned onto a DVD or CD, even if it’s a data file, I want to play it. It’s a Microsoft device for crying out loud! Oh and what about 3D Blu-ray support? Let’s make that happen, pronto!
Party Chat, are you there?: OK so Party Chat is a feature that’s already available on the Xbox One, but it doesn’t work too well. Many times, you can’t connect, or if you do, you are unable to hear the other person. Sometimes it works just fine, but honestly, it needs to fixing, because if you get it to work properly, you’re likely just having a great overall day.
No default mic on Kinect: When I’m in multiplayer and have no intentions of speaking, I also don’t want my Kinect picking up my voice by default because not only is that not my intention, but I’m sure a lot of other gamers aren’t aware of that either. I’ve spent countless hours in multiplayer matches and have overheard people saying some random things that are clearly not intended for online teammates.
Obviously there are other things that the Xbox One needs help with, but these are a couple of areas that I feel need to be addressed quickly. What about you readers? Is there something big that I left out, or is there something that just irks you that, even if it’s not a deal breaker, you’d like to see get updated as soon as possible?
Share your thoughts!