Microsoft adds 85 new features to Xbox 360 with Autumn update

Update adds 1080p support to the console

31 October 2006 2:16 GMT / By Amber Maitland

Microsoft has released an Autumn update to usher in the 6th generation of Xbox Live; starting on 31 October, Xbox 360 owners will be able to download a firmware upgrade that provides more than 85 new features.

The first big change is that the update will yield support for 1080p resolution so that gamers can play video and game content in fully HD. The console will also support WMV video streamed from a Windows PC, and can play video files from data CDs and DVDs as well as storage devices like USB flash drives.

Keeping up to date with Xbox Live Arcade games has been made easier with automatic downloads and faster addition of the games to the Arcade collection. New sorting categories include “Recently Played” and “By category” so that navigating through Arcade collections is easier than ever.

Other new features include a “Play Now” launch feature to bypass Arcade and take you directly to the game, and a “Tell a Friend” utility to send a message to any one of your contacts telling them about the Arcade game.

In addition, Xbox 360 will now support XNA game Studio Express when it launches later this year, so that game designers can test and play the games they create

To see the complete list of updates, visit the link below.