Microsoft has revealed new details about the next Xbox 360 dashboard updated that is currently slated for release later this year.

A lil preview of things to come

Simply dubbed as "Twist Control," the upcoming dashboard will feature a number of features and improvements, including an intuitive menu setup that involves Kinect integration, a new social channels, cloud storage for game saves and profiles, and additional Facebook integration.

"Hopefully it's easy to browse," Xbox Live product marketing manager Robin Burrowes said. "It's intuitive in terms of the way the surfing experience will actually work."

One of the new interesting features of the upcoming update is called Beacons, a social feature that allows you to show other players exactly what you're doing via Xbox Live and Facebook.

"That's been a little bit of a barrier," Burrowes explained. "The core community have been saying to us, 'I'm doing this one activity but I really want to play Call of Duty with my mates when I've got four or five of them online at the same time.' People are still text messaging each other and sending messages on other platforms. This is an easier way to do it."

Burrowes added: "Hopefully the new dash will show this service proposition goes beyond gaming. We'll never lose our focus on that gaming audience. In fact, developing the investment infrastructure to develop programs like cloud storage and Facebook posting and the beacons, are three examples of continuing to invest in that space.

"Our games Marketplace environment is really beginning to get optimised," he said. "We're now selling more with new transaction space than we are with subscription space for the first, which is showing to us our core audience is staying with us and spending more time, money and effort within games as well as entertainment."

A minor dashboard update was released last May which includes PayPal support and some minor design improvements. Twist Control is expected to be released sometime before Christmas.

Via [Eurogamer]

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