Major Nelson let loose on his latest podcast that the upcoming Dashboard update for the Xbox 360 will be entirely optional.  Well, you’ll most likely still have to download it, but you can continue to use the old blades system and even forgo the new Miis Avatars and stick with your Gamerpic.  Oh, and you can do it all in game.

Here are the words straight from the Major’s mouth:

“The Dashboard as you know it today, in other words the ‘blades’; Games, Live, Media and System, We’ve taken those blades and moved them to the Guide. Every single function that you can do today in the Dashboard you are going to be able to do in the New Xbox Experience in the Guide.

When you press the Guide button on the Xbox 360 controller, the new Guide will come up and you’re going to be able to do everything in there. You’re going to be able to contextually browse Marketplace, did you know that? So when you have Gears of War 2 of Halo 3 in there you’re going to be able to go straight to that section. And if you don’t like the avatars, they’re not required. You can use your Gamer Pictures.”

Yay!  Microsoft is doing one of the things that I actually like about them: they’re giving me options.  Now they just need to release a Blu-Ray player, and everyone will be happy.

Source: Play.tm

Tags: 360, avatars, dashboard, major-nelson, Microsoft, Update, Xbox-Live

• Microsoft Says NXE Update Coming Soon To Increase Dashboard Speed
• Twitter and Facebook hitting the 360 before X-mas
• NXE Is Only Half-Empty, Or Is that Half-Full?
• Next TF2 class update ‘largest yet’, will focus on the Sniper
• Gears 2 Set for Fourth Title Update
• Soul Calibur IV Install Shrinks, Possibly Optional
• Noby Noby Boy update bringing offline co-op
• Rumor: Xbox 360 Spring Update List Leaked

1 Comment » Protocol on August 10, 2008 11:29 pm This to me, doesnt say enough. I saw from some of the e3 videos that when you push the guide button, it’s a small overlay over the mii layout. I’m not entirely sure if you can use the blades layout as it is right now, not modified in ANY way, except for maybe a new tab, which I can live with. When this update comes out, I don’t want to see any change on my 360 at all. I’m really against this update, and I hope its TRULY optional. RSS feed for comments on this post. Comment Now Note: Commenting on Ripten does not currently require registration, however to be eligible for contests on the site, you must be a registered user. Name (required) Mail (will not be published) (required) Website Commenting Rules: No hate speech allowed. If you must argue, please debate intelligently. Comments containing selected keywords or outbound links will be put into moderation to help prevent spam. Ripten reserves the right to delete comments and ban anyone who doesn't follow the rules. Thanks. Notify me of followup comments Tired of the Goomba? Upload your own custom comment avatar.