New details have emerged for the Xbox One's achievements and challenges systems.
Microsoft has some tantalizing new details on how Xbox One will handle achievements as well as the all new challenges that are being debuted on the new console.
According to a new post on Xbox spokesperson Major Nelson’s blog written by Xbox Live program manager Cierra McDonald, Microsoft has several exciting changes in store for achievements on Xbox One:
- Your Gamerscore from your Xbox 360 carries over to the Xbox One
- Achievements can unlock items like "digital artwork, new maps, unlockable characters, and temporary stat boosts"
- Achievements are not limited to games. Music or video apps, for instance, can give them and offer such rewards as early access to content or subscription extensions. However, only games can add to your Gamerscore
- Will be surfaced more on the Xbox One dashboard and the achievement gallery will look better
- Developers can show you how far you've progressed in a game's achievement even before you start up the game
- The dashboard will show you which achievements your friends have recently unlocked
- You can see video clips of the moment the achievement was earned
Additionally, McDonald also touched on the all-new challenges system which basically incorporates “meta-achievements” into the Xbox One’s online community:
- Challenges offer a reward for an opportunity completed by a set amount of (real-life) time, and like achievements give you an icon
- Do not add to your Gamerscore
- Can span multiple titles, unlike Achievements
- Challenges can engage a community. Ex. A headshot weekend where everyone has to get so many headshots over a three-day period. Everyone will get the reward if completed.
- Like achievements they can be added after a title is released
- You will be able to see future challenges for a game
It sounds like Microsoft isn’t content with letting Sony keep the monopoly on socially-integrated gaming but we’ll have to wait until the Xbox One is actually released to see how well this new take on achievements and challenges works.
