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A completely new look is rolling out to all Xbox Ones, alongside the launch of backward compatibility that will allow people to play games from the older Xbox 360 console.
The update brings a completely new look and Microsoft’s Windows 10 to the console, allowing it to use apps that are available across PCs, Windows Phones and the Xbox.
It is the first major change to the look of the Xbox’s menus since the console launched, two years ago.
As well as the changes to the dashboard, the update will bring backwards compatibility to the console, allowing it to play Xbox 360 games. Because the feature works by running an emulator and pretending to be an Xbox 360, Microsoft is testing all games before they are available and not all will be ready at launch.
That process will begin automatically, checking to see if there are Xbox 360 games associated with users’ gamertags and then making them available to be played.
Show all 20 1 /2020 best video games in 2015 20 best video games in 2015 The Legend of Zelda Nintendo haven’t given too much away so far, but judging by the open world, stunning views, vast maps and ability to attack while Link’s horse Epona rides ahead avoiding obstacles, it’s unlikely to let fans down. Release date: 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Uncharted 4: A Thief's End Set to follow years after the stunning Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, Naughty Dog’s dramatic adventure will come exclusively to the PlayStation 4, and will promise the mystery of protagonist Nathan’s “greatest adventure yet”. Release date: 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Evolve Five players: one monster, four hunters, two conflicting aims. The monster can evolve by killing creatures, while the hunters must work together to take them down. This multiplayer looks set to offer something a little more unique, and a real need to cultivate your characters’ skills in order to succeed. Release date: February 10, 2015
20 best video games in 2015 No Man's Sky When revealed at E3 last June, the sheer scope covered in their three minute video ensured this upcoming title from British video game developer Hello Games made it into several ‘best of E3 lists’. The exploration potential via a spacecraft across the universe is huge, from deserts to dinosaurs to deep oceans. Release date: 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Splatoon Another entry from Nintendo will see a move in a different direction for the gaming giant. This colourful family-friendly shooter seems two teams of four battle it out to cover the ground in ink. Play once, and you won’t want to leave the inky arena. Release date: Early 2015
20 best video games in 2015 The Order 1886 The PlayStation 4 exclusive is set in a dark and mysterious London, where monsters (half animal, half man) roam the streets. The third-person shooter from Ready At Dawn shared a new trailer on Christmas day, with a glimpse of the terrifying werewolf-esque creatures to put everyone in the festive mood. Release date: 20 February 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Bloodborne Set in the gothic city of Y'harnam where a strange endemic illness spreads through the streets in the form of mobs and monsters, the new action RPG release from the makers of Dark Souls was one of the hit trailers from E3 2014. Release date (UK): 27 March, 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Batman: Arkham Knight The fourth in the Batman: Arkham series will see our dark superhero confront The Scarecrow, and it’ll be the first time fans get to drive the Batmobile – which can be summoned to the player’s location. Release date: June 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Mortal Kombat X 22 years since its first ever release, the tenth title in the fighting series is set to be gorier than ever, with brutally detailed X-Ray moves. The story is set to begin at the end of the last game released in 2011. Release date: April 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Yoshi’s Woolly World The latest outing from Mario’s dinosaur sidekick takes the lead from Kirby's Epic Yarn, where everything is made of wool. For the Wii U, the game will promise some utterly adorable side-scrolling from Nintendo. Release date: Early 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number The sequel to the surprise hit from Devolver Digital will see an unlockable ‘hard mode’ for those who find attacking those enemies too darn easy, and also a ‘level editor’, where players can create their own tricky challenges. Release date: early 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Kirby and the Rainbow Curse Our greedy pink friend will need rainbow lines to be drawn on the GamePad in order to go forward, and the Wii U game will support Nintendo’s Amiibo figures. Release date: late 2015
20 best video games in 2015 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt The third in the action role-playing series based on the fantasy novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski is set to be '30 times larger' than the previous games, for monster hunter Geralt to explore. Release date: 19 May, 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Star Fox The first in the series to be released in nine years will use the Wii U’s GamePad to allow the player to view the cockpit in the Arwing fighter. Release date: 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Following on from last year’s Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, the new game from Konami follows the mercenary leader Venom Snake as he ventures into Africa, 17 years after the series began. Release date: 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Tom Clancy’s The Division Inspired by, real-world events which "revealed how vulnerable we've become", Ubisoft’s open world third-person shooter will see players act to control disease spread because of germs on banknotes. Release date: 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege Ubisoft’s first-person shooter will feature counter terrorist scenarios - it’s all about tactic and team play (and explosions). Release date: 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Battlefield Hardline With the ‘war against crime’ a focus for the new game in the series, EA’s first person shooter will feature a ‘cops and robbers’ gameplay style. Release date: March 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Halo 5 Guardians The sequel to 2012’s Halo 4 by 343 Industries will require players to ‘solve a mystery that threatens the entire galaxy. Its release will coincide with the Halo television series produced by Steven Spielberg. Release date: late 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Dead Island 2 The survival horror from Deep Silver is the fifth instalment in the series, and will be set in a quarantined California, where the zombies roam free. Release date: Mid-2015
The new look brings with it redesigned menus, which Microsoft claims will allow people to get around up to 50 per cent faster. It is based around a new guide that shows up on the left of the screen to allow access to the most important parts of the console, as well as different navigation bars at the top.
The game also features a new store, new community areas and new avatars.
Windows 10 launches in UK Because the update is based around Windows 10, new apps will be available for the platform. And it can also stream games back to a Windows PC or tablet, allowing people to play their Xbox games from another room.
How to download
How to get the update depends on the Xbox’s settings.
Show all 20 1 /2020 best video games in 2015 20 best video games in 2015 The Legend of Zelda Nintendo haven’t given too much away so far, but judging by the open world, stunning views, vast maps and ability to attack while Link’s horse Epona rides ahead avoiding obstacles, it’s unlikely to let fans down. Release date: 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Uncharted 4: A Thief's End Set to follow years after the stunning Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, Naughty Dog’s dramatic adventure will come exclusively to the PlayStation 4, and will promise the mystery of protagonist Nathan’s “greatest adventure yet”. Release date: 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Evolve Five players: one monster, four hunters, two conflicting aims. The monster can evolve by killing creatures, while the hunters must work together to take them down. This multiplayer looks set to offer something a little more unique, and a real need to cultivate your characters’ skills in order to succeed. Release date: February 10, 2015
20 best video games in 2015 No Man's Sky When revealed at E3 last June, the sheer scope covered in their three minute video ensured this upcoming title from British video game developer Hello Games made it into several ‘best of E3 lists’. The exploration potential via a spacecraft across the universe is huge, from deserts to dinosaurs to deep oceans. Release date: 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Splatoon Another entry from Nintendo will see a move in a different direction for the gaming giant. This colourful family-friendly shooter seems two teams of four battle it out to cover the ground in ink. Play once, and you won’t want to leave the inky arena. Release date: Early 2015
20 best video games in 2015 The Order 1886 The PlayStation 4 exclusive is set in a dark and mysterious London, where monsters (half animal, half man) roam the streets. The third-person shooter from Ready At Dawn shared a new trailer on Christmas day, with a glimpse of the terrifying werewolf-esque creatures to put everyone in the festive mood. Release date: 20 February 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Bloodborne Set in the gothic city of Y'harnam where a strange endemic illness spreads through the streets in the form of mobs and monsters, the new action RPG release from the makers of Dark Souls was one of the hit trailers from E3 2014. Release date (UK): 27 March, 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Batman: Arkham Knight The fourth in the Batman: Arkham series will see our dark superhero confront The Scarecrow, and it’ll be the first time fans get to drive the Batmobile – which can be summoned to the player’s location. Release date: June 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Mortal Kombat X 22 years since its first ever release, the tenth title in the fighting series is set to be gorier than ever, with brutally detailed X-Ray moves. The story is set to begin at the end of the last game released in 2011. Release date: April 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Yoshi’s Woolly World The latest outing from Mario’s dinosaur sidekick takes the lead from Kirby's Epic Yarn, where everything is made of wool. For the Wii U, the game will promise some utterly adorable side-scrolling from Nintendo. Release date: Early 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number The sequel to the surprise hit from Devolver Digital will see an unlockable ‘hard mode’ for those who find attacking those enemies too darn easy, and also a ‘level editor’, where players can create their own tricky challenges. Release date: early 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Kirby and the Rainbow Curse Our greedy pink friend will need rainbow lines to be drawn on the GamePad in order to go forward, and the Wii U game will support Nintendo’s Amiibo figures. Release date: late 2015
20 best video games in 2015 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt The third in the action role-playing series based on the fantasy novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski is set to be '30 times larger' than the previous games, for monster hunter Geralt to explore. Release date: 19 May, 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Star Fox The first in the series to be released in nine years will use the Wii U’s GamePad to allow the player to view the cockpit in the Arwing fighter. Release date: 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Following on from last year’s Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, the new game from Konami follows the mercenary leader Venom Snake as he ventures into Africa, 17 years after the series began. Release date: 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Tom Clancy’s The Division Inspired by, real-world events which "revealed how vulnerable we've become", Ubisoft’s open world third-person shooter will see players act to control disease spread because of germs on banknotes. Release date: 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege Ubisoft’s first-person shooter will feature counter terrorist scenarios - it’s all about tactic and team play (and explosions). Release date: 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Battlefield Hardline With the ‘war against crime’ a focus for the new game in the series, EA’s first person shooter will feature a ‘cops and robbers’ gameplay style. Release date: March 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Halo 5 Guardians The sequel to 2012’s Halo 4 by 343 Industries will require players to ‘solve a mystery that threatens the entire galaxy. Its release will coincide with the Halo television series produced by Steven Spielberg. Release date: late 2015
20 best video games in 2015 Dead Island 2 The survival horror from Deep Silver is the fifth instalment in the series, and will be set in a quarantined California, where the zombies roam free. Release date: Mid-2015
If it is in what Microsoft calls “Instant-on power mode” — which allows the console to sit in a special low-power state to download things when it’s not being used — then the update will be downloaded and installed automatically at some point during the day.
When that mode isn’t enabled, the update can be downloaded by going to Settings and then System, where there will be an option to “Update Now”.
All Xbox owners will get a prompt on 23 November to tell them to download it, if they haven’t already.
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