Windows 10: November 2020 Xbox Console Update for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One

Brink · Nov 30, 2020

Summary

The November 2020 Xbox Console Update is beginning to roll out for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One family of devices.

Xbox Series X|S owners get more dynamic background options and an Auto HDR indicator in the guide.

âOptimized for X|Sâ badges make it easy to know which games are ready for Xbox Series X|S.

Xbox Game Pass members can browse and pre-load games with a new Coming Soon section.

This month marked the start of the next generation of console gaming on Xbox with the release of Xbox Series X|S, and Team Xbox is excited to continue bringing new ways to make your experience on Xbox even better. Just like weâve done on Xbox One, we will continue to periodically release software updates designed to improve your Xbox gaming experience based on your feedback, including both delivering you new features and fixing bugs. This monthâs release includes new options for dynamic backgrounds, new âOptimized for Xbox Series X|Sâ badges that make it easier to know which games are optimized for the next generation, a new way to discover games in Xbox Game Pass, the ability to add existing Xbox family members to a new console, and the usual bug fixes and performance improvements.

Personalize your Xbox Series X|S with new dynamic background designs

Dynamic backgrounds are a new feature for Xbox Series X|S, giving gamers the ability to customize their home screen with motion and color. This update adds six new options, including homages to previous generations of Xbox consoles and others based on popular profile themes. Initial fan feedback on the feature has been very positive, and weâre excited to explore additional styles, colors, and designs. You can expect the team to continue adding new dynamic backgrounds in future Xbox console updates!

Identify which games are using Auto HDR with new tech tags

Xbox Series X|S is the best place to play thousands of games from across four generations of Xbox. Besides decreased load times and improved frame rates, Xbox Series X|S customers enjoy improved visual quality with a feature called Auto HDR. When the Auto HDR setting is turned on in your console, it can improve the visual quality of a game without changing its overall look with no additional work from the developer. When you open the guide during a game with Auto HDR running, youâll see a new tag to let you know the game is benefiting from this feature.

âOptimized for Series X|Sâ badges let you know which games are optimized

Xbox launched over 30 games fully optimized for Series X|S, including Assassins Creed: Valhalla, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and The Falconeer. Many of your favorite Xbox One games â including Gears 5, Forza Horizon 4, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps â have released updates to take advantage of the increased performance of Xbox Series X|S. To make it easier to see which of your games have been optimized, weâve added an âX|Sâ badge to their tiles in My Games and Apps, in both the Games and Full Library views. You can also use the Filter button to see only âOptimized for Xbox Series X|Sâ games.

Check your achievement status in the Game Activity tab

The Game Activity tab is your single place in the guide to explore things to do in the game youâre currently playing. Hunt those achievements, easily join your friends or others playing the game, or discover in-game events, right from the comfort of the guide!

Add family member accounts during setup

In September we launched the Xbox Family Settings app on Android and iOS. Right from their phone, parents and caregivers can easily create child accounts, update screen time limits, respond to notifications, and much more. As a result, many gamers are already using family settings on Xbox today. And, those gamers with existing Xbox families will now be able to add family members to their console, right from setup.

Pre-install games that are âComing soonâ to Xbox Game Pass!

You can now view, add to âPlay later,â and even pre-install certain games before they come to Xbox Game Pass. Just head over to the Xbox Game Pass app on your console or mobile device and look for the âComing soonâ section. While not all games that are âComing soonâ can be pre-installed, we did develop a special feature for the Game Pass mobile app that lets you queue the rest to install on day one. Though youâll still have to wait to play them like everyone else, your game can be downloaded and ready to play the day itâs available!

Xbox Insider Program â Enroll your Xbox Series X|S consoles today!

Our community of over two million Xbox Insiders makes a huge difference in our ability to create products our fans love. Weâd like to invite new Xbox Series X|S owners to participate in the Xbox Update Preview program too! Head here for more details.

The November Xbox Update is available for you to check out starting today. As always, thank you for your continued feedback that allows us to build a better gaming experience with you.
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Source: November 2020 Xbox Console Update Begins Rolling Out on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One - Xbox Wire

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Brink · Nov 30, 2020

App Compatibility for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S Consoles

UWP applications (both apps and games) are a pivotal part of the Xbox experience. As we near the launch of the new console generation, we want to address some common questions regarding app and game development on the new Xbox family of consoles. If you have been developing for the Xbox One X using UWP and leveraging the Dev Mode Activation App, the same features will be supported on the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. Please refer to the following FAQs for further guidance.

Thank you for your partnership with Xbox!

FAQs:

Will my current UWP app or game continue running on the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S?

Yes, apps and games running on the Xbox One should continue to run at parity on the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. The underlying platform APIs and codecs that UWP apps are built on have been tested and validated with key scenarios by Microsoft and through thousands of hours of usage in our internal Xbox flighting program. These APIs and codes are supported on the new Xbox family of consoles. When the new Xbox family of consoles is released, we recommend doing additional validation of your UWP app or game on the chosen device if desired.

How can I verify that my UWP app or game is working on the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S?

Devkits are not publicly available. UWP application developers should continue to rely on the Dev Mode Activation App used on the Xbox One X to convert their retails consoles into a development kit to test for compatibility As the same APIs and codecs are used between the Xbox One X and the new Xbox family of consoles, an app that works on the Xbox One X should continue to work on the new Xbox family of consoles

When the new Xbox family of consoles are available in retail, app partners can rely on Dev Mode Activation App to convert those consoles into a development kit.

Do I need to change or rewrite my application from the current UWP application?

No app development changes are required for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. You use the same SDK, build environments, and UWP APIs to develop your applications. The same publishing process for UWPs on the Xbox One will continue to apply for the new Xbox family of consoles.

As a reference, here are the links to the UWP documentation: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...etting-started

Are there any features my app can take advantage of for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S?

We focused our efforts on backwards compatibility for apps on our new Xbox family of consoles to make it easier for our partners and enable a seamless transition for your app from the Xbox One generation to the next generation of Xbox consoles. This means that all of your favorite apps will carry over to the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S on day 1.

We currently do not have additional features for apps on the new Xbox family of consoles that are not already a part of the Xbox One X.

Will I need to sign a new agreement to bring my Xbox One UWP application to the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S?

No, the existing Store App Developer Agreement terms will continue to cover distribution for apps on the new Xbox family of consoles. No additional agreements are required to run your app on the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.

Will my app show that it supports the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S on the Store?

Yes, Microsoft will list the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S as a platform on the Store PDP. No additional work is required from the app partner to add in Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S listing to the Store

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Source: App Compatibility for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S Consoles - Windows Developer Blog

See also: Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X Launch November 10

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Brink · Nov 30, 2020

Xbox Series X Launches this November 2020

Today, we announced updates to Halo Infinite’s launch timing. Our vision at Xbox and 343 Industries has always been to deliver the most ambitious Halo game ever for our fans, while also balancing the team’s well-being. To do that, we will need some more time to finish the critical work necessary to launch Halo Infinite, which will come in 2021.

We have plenty to keep you busy until Chief arrives: There will be thousands of games to play, spanning four generations, when Xbox Series X launches globally this November and over 100 optimized for Xbox Series X titles, built to take full advantage of our most powerful console, are planned for this year. And with brand new console features like hardware-accelerated Direct X raytracing, framerates up to 120 frames per second, faster loading times, and Quick Resume for multiple games, playing will look and feel better, no matter which games you choose to play on day one.

More than 50 new games planned for this year across generations and optimized for Xbox Series X, including Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Dirt 5, Gears Tactics, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and Watch Dogs: Legion. With Smart Delivery you only have to buy these games once to play the best versions for your console, across generations.

New games developed for Xbox Series X and launching with Xbox Game Pass, including exclusives like The Medium, Scorn, Tetris Effect: Connected, and more.

More than 40 popular games newly optimized to take full advantage of Xbox Series X such as Destiny 2, Forza Horizon 4, Gears 5, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Madden NFL 21, and more.

A shared library of great games through Xbox Game Pass

Hundreds of developers are at work on new games for Xbox Series X that will raise the bar for fidelity, speed and immersion; and the best way to discover new games will be with Xbox Game Pass. Game Pass delivers a curated library of content across console and PC, including all games from Xbox Game Studios the day they launch, for one low monthly price. Beginning September 15th, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members will also be able to play more than 100 games from the cloud on their Android phone or tablet, enabling them to take their console gaming on the go. Experiences you expect on Xbox consoles such as your friends list, achievements, controller settings and saved game progress all come with you when you play on mobile.

Play thousands of games across four generations of content

Playing your favorite games and franchises across four generations of Xbox was a key tenet for us in the next generation of console gaming. This commitment means that you will have access to thousands of titles across four generations of content – from Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

Our back compat team continues to develop new innovations that can be applied to a curated list of titles that will enhance them even further than was possible when they were originally created. These optimizations include the ability to render titles with increased resolutions up to 4K, delivering new HDR reconstruction techniques to games that were developed years before HDR came into existence, applying anisotropic filtering to improve image quality, and creating ways to increase or double the frame rate of certain titles.

Whether you’ve played for years or have just recently picked up a controller, we can’t wait for you to see and feel the first big step into gaming’s next generation with Xbox Series X this November.
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Source: https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2020/08/...ands-of-games/

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Brink · Nov 30, 2020

Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X Launch November 10

Now more than ever, gaming plays an important role in our lives. As one of the greatest forms of creative expression, gaming sparks in our imagination and connects us to new worlds, stories, and our friends.

On November 10, a new generation of console gaming begins. That’s when our vision becomes reality with the most performant, immersive and compatible next-generation console gaming experiences, and the freedom to play your games with your friends, anytime, anywhere.

To empower you more than ever to jump into the next generation of gaming, today we confirmed:

Xbox Series X, our most powerful console ever made, and Xbox Series S, next-generation performance in our smallest console ever built at a more affordable price, launch globally November 10, pre-orders start September 22.

The expansion of Xbox All Access to 12 countries, offering you a next generation Xbox and 24 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate starting at $24.99 a month, with no upfront costs.

EA Play Comes to Xbox Game Pass at no additional cost.

Bringing the Next Generation of Gaming to Everyone on Day One

We believe that access to the next generation should be available to everyone. And we know that price is an important factor for many of our fans. To complement Xbox Series X and invite more players into the next generation sooner, we built Xbox Series S—an all-digital, next-gen console designed to deliver everything that is core to next-generation gaming – faster load times, higher frame rates, and richer, more dynamic worlds – in our smallest, sleekest Xbox ever. Developing two consoles in parallel from the beginning enables us to deliver the most powerful console ever in Xbox Series X and make next-gen gaming available and affordable to more players on day one with Xbox Series S.

Empowering you with freedom and choice is core to everything we do at Xbox. In addition to the traditional option of purchasing the new generation of Xbox Series X and S at $499 (Estimated Retail Price) and $299 (Estimated Retail Price) respectively, we’re expanding our Xbox All Access program to 12 countries this holiday, with more to come in 2021.

Whether you’re upgrading to the newest consoles or joining the Xbox family for the first time, Xbox All Access is the easiest way to get the best of Xbox. Xbox All Access provides an Xbox Series X, or Series S, along with 24 months of the full Xbox Game Pass Ultimate experience. In total, that means you get access to:

The next-generation Xbox console of your choice

Over 100 high-quality games to play on console, including next-gen Optimized games

Over 100 high-quality games to play on PC

An EA Play membership to play more than 60 of EA’s biggest and best console and PC games

And over 100 games to play from the cloud

That’s all with no upfront costs and a low monthly price. Xbox Series S will be available starting from $24.99 a month for 24 months and Xbox Series X will be available starting from $34.99 a month for 24 months.

The Ultimate Gaming Membership Goes Beyond the Console and Keeps Getting Better

With the Xbox Game Pass community now over 10 million players, we know how critical it is that your friends can easily access and play the same games you can. And you’ve pushed us to make Xbox Game Pass the only membership with access to more than 100 games on your console, PC, and mobile.

To provide even more value, we are teaming up with Electronic Arts to provide Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC members with an EA Play membership at no additional cost starting this holiday. This means Ultimate members can enjoy EA Play on Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, and Windows 10 PCs, and Xbox Game Pass for PC members get EA Play on Windows 10. In addition to the 100+ games in the Xbox Game Pass library today, Ultimate and PC members will be able to play more than 60 of EA’s biggest and best console and PC games like FIFA 20, Titanfall 2 and Need for Speed Heat, as well as titles from some of EA’s most popular franchises like Battlefield, Mass Effect, Skate, and The Sims. Some of the best EA Play games will also be available for Ultimate members to play on Android devices from the cloud at no additional cost.

And we’re continuing to add great games and experiences to Xbox Game Pass for PC. Game Pass for PC and the Xbox App will become generally available on September 17.

The Best Place to Play the Biggest Games

When Xbox Series X and Series S launches this November, it will herald a new generation of game experiences. Optimized games for Xbox Series X and Series S coming this year are built to take full advantage of our fastest consoles ever. On day one you will be the first to enjoy next-gen versions of the most anticipated games of the year such as Gears Tactics, Tetris Effect: Connected and Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Watch Dogs: Legion. Ubisoft is known for leveraging new technologies and the power of new hardware to deliver groundbreaking games, and we think you’ll be blown away by the experience you’ll have playing Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Watch Dogs: Legion on Xbox.

Xbox Series S is designed around the same technology that will make these games and so many others look and feel incredible. In speaking to game developers, we identified the areas that are most difficult to scale effectively, including the CPU and I/O, and made it easy to include Xbox Series S for developers who are targeting their experiences for Xbox Series X.

Powered by the Xbox Velocity Architecture, you can expect the same benefits from Xbox Series S such as faster load times and Quick Resume. Xbox Series S also supports all the same next gen features including HDMI 2.1, frame rates up to 120fps, DirectX Raytracing and Variable Rate Shading. It will also support Spatial Sound, including Dolby Atmos, and Dolby Vision via streaming media apps like Disney+, Vudu and Netflix at launch. Plus: Dolby Vision support for gaming will come first to our next-gen Xbox consoles in 2021.

And the new Xbox consoles are also the only next-generation, backward-compatible consoles that allow you to play thousands of games from four generations better than ever before, and empower you to play with friends wherever you want across your console, PC, and mobile device.

The Best Generation of Gaming Yet

Gaming has evolved in the last decade to make it easier, simpler and more affordable for any player to make that first connection with a new world, a new story, or a new friend. With a family of next-gen Xbox consoles, even greater variety and value with Xbox Game Pass, and an expansion to Xbox All Access, we invite everyone to join us for this next generation of gaming.
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Source: You Are the Future of Gaming - Xbox Wire

See also:

Introducing the Xbox Series S

Xbox Series X Launches this November 2020

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Windows 10: November 2020 Xbox Console Update for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One

November 2020 Xbox Console Update for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One

November 2020 Xbox Console Update for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One

November 2020 Xbox Console Update for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One

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