Microsoft already has new Xbox One feature updates planned through October

Microsoft’s wizards are busy brewing update potions for the company’s latest home console, and they already have enough stuff for several upgrades over the next few months.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer revealed that his team has prepared enough new features for the system to release substantial updates through October. That means, at the least, the Xbox One should get major patches in each of the next three months. This is one of the ways that Microsoft is striving to keep the Xbox One fresh and exciting, which should help the system compete with the PS4 — it’s already behind the PS4 in terms of sales since their Novemeber releases in the multibillion dollar console war.

In a tweet to a fan, Spencer explained the company’s philosophy when it comes to consistently improving its gaming machine.

https://twitter.com/XboxP3/status/491798257282990080

One of the things Spencer is particularly focused on is load times and install times. He said that he timed how long it took to install Destiny (he didn’t reveal his results), and he wants to make that process faster.

The Xbox One launched in November, and many critics noted that the system felt rushed and incomplete. Since then, Microsoft used its monthly updates to “finish” and then improve the system’s capabilities. That includes things like gameplay livestreaming to Twitch, improvements to the party system, and more. The company has also used the updates to keep up with the PlayStation 4. For example, Sony’s box enables customers to buy games on their phone that will then automatically download and install on the console even if it is shutdown in standby mode. The Xbox One is getting that feature in its August update.

Speaking of the August update, Microsoft detailed its plans for that upgrade last week. In addition to mobile purchasing, the company is working on improvements to the friends list, system notifications, and 3D Blu-ray playback.

Microsoft’s monthly schedule for rolling out Xbox One features is a point of strength for the company. That doesn’t mean Sony is letting the PS4 languish. The Japanese hardware manufacturer has turned out a handful of patches for its system, but it just hasn’t stuck to a regular schedule. Last gen, many gamers complained that the PS3 had too many updates, and that might have Sony hesitating to pull the trigger on improvements too often. With the PS4, the company seems to only want to provide patches when it has new features to add.