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Xbox Experience Preview filled quickly

by on28 October 2008

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Early access to NXE flooded with applicants

A post on the Major Nelson blog is all that it took for Microsoft to be flooded with requests from applicants seeking to be part of the New Xbox Experience Preview program scheduled to start ahead of the wide scale deployment starting November 19th.

The NXE (New Xbox Experience) preview allows users to register for a chance to get the new interface ahead of the crowd in order for Microsoft to do some final testing on the deployment of the NXE client prior to release.

The only problem is that they were only going to select a few thousand people for the NXE preview from all regions and they were flooded with requests. While those that registered had to complete a survey that asked a variety of questions, such as where you live, who your ISP is, what your network configuration looks like, it seems that people didn’t mind filling this stuff out; and many Xbox 360 owners are more than a little interested in getting their hands on the NXE.

While the NXE has been criticized by a vocal number of Xbox 360 owners that seem to be unhappy with the direction that the new user interface for the system is taking, the news that Microsoft is planning to launch an avatar store next spring is certain to create even more controversy. Reports are saying that Microsoft has plans to launch a dedicated store on Xbox Live for the sole purpose of the customization of the user’s avatar.

Much of the controversy surrounding the NXE centers on the use and addition of the avatars. Word that Microsoft is going to be setting up a store and micro-purchases to allow for additional customization of the avatars will surely rub some the wrong way.

Still, with Microsoft being flooded with requests for a preview to get their hands on the NXE it has to make us wonder if all of the complaining is for nothing. We predict that because the NXE is a forced upgrade and Microsoft still claims that users will be able to have access to the older blade-oriented interface, that Xbox 360 owners that don’t care for the NXE will be forced to adjust, like it or not.

Last modified on 28 October 2008
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