Microsoft Details Xbox 360 Update, Announces XBLA Greatest Hits

Microsoft has further detailed new and enhanced features in its forthcoming December 4th Xbox 360 dashboard update, including new video codecs and enhanced member profiles, as well as a new greatest hits line of Xbox Live Arcade games. Several new features of the free fall update have previously been reported, including an Xbox Originals line of downloadable Xbox games including Halo, Fable and Psychonauts, and initial social networking capabilities with the ability to view friends of friends. Other new features will include "Xbox LIVE Arcade Hits" which will see prices permanently reduced on a number of previously released Xbox Live Arcade titles, including Bankshot Billiards 2 and Lumines LIVE for 800 Microsoft Points ($10) each, and Marble Blast Ultra, Small Arms and Zuma Deluxe for 400 Points ($5). The update will also bring "Inside Xbox," a new section to view direct feed news from Xbox.com, and enhanced Xbox Live profiles allowing more customization than a one-line motto, which will be viewable by other Xbox Live friend-of-friends. Finally, Microsoft will be adding better parental controls including a "Family Timer" that will allow parents to set daily and weekly time limits on the console, and "enhanced video codec support" -- including the first steps toward the previously reported addition of DivX. A full list of all new features and updates has been posted to the official Xbox Live site, with more details on video, audio, and XNA features.