Tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of the Microsoft Xbox, and with that special date comes an anniversary stream from the Xbox team, celebrating everything from the past two decades. Curiously, some Xbox games from the past two decades have gotten some mysterious patches prior to the live stream event. Titles like Fallout 3, Fallout New Vegas, Fable Anniversary, Fable 3, Dead Space 1 and 3, Dragon Age Origins, Dragon Age 2, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion have all gotten new updates, which don't appear to add anything immediately noticeable. These weird unknown updates might be a part of tomorrow's reveals, though, so be sure to tune in to the Xbox stream tomorrow at 10am PT/5pm GMT.

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[fyredragon]

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Tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of the Microsoft Xbox, and with that special date comes an anniversary stream from the Xbox team, celebrating everything from the past two decades. Curiously, some Xbox games from the past two decades have gotten some mysterious patches prior to the live stream event. Titles like Fallout 3, Fallout New Vegas, Fable Anniversary, Fable 3, Dead Space 1 and 3, Dragon Age Origins, Dragon Age 2, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion have all gotten new updates, which don't appear to add anything immediately noticeable. These weird unknown updates might be a part of tomorrow's reveals, though, so be sure to tune in to the Xbox stream tomorrow at 10am PT/5pm GMT.

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Thank god I wasn't the only one who noticed this.

 

[D34DL1N3R]

I’d argue that even that is somewhat outdated when shaped li-ion packs exist. When using a rechargeable AA, no matter what type, you’re always sacrificing run time due to lower voltage - Eneloops and NiMH peak at 1.2V whereas alkalines and carbon zinc batteries are 1.5V. With a pair of traditional rechargeables you’ll always get a peak of 2.4V, which is considerably less than the 3V provided by non-rechargeables the controller was designed for. By contrast, the latest Microsoft rechargeable pack uses a li-ion pouch as opposed to two integrated cells, so you’re getting 3V like you’re supposed to, plus it’s higher capacity. All that aside, you are correct - using rechargeables is always recommended, there is no need to fill landfills with spent traditional cells anymore.

What is the average play time provided by the latest MS packs until a recharge is needed? Last one I had was the 360 Play and Charge Kit, and that thing was COMPLETE garbage compared to the Eneloops and Amazon Basics used in the same controller.

 

[godreborn]

the rechargeable batteries are pretty shitty. they're just two double A batteries connected to a logic board. you can go around the seam with a flathead screwdriver to get at the batteries, then you can either pull the batteries apart from the logic board and leave the solder points intact or unsolder them. it won't matter either way. I've never heard of the brands when I did this, so it's better to use normal double AAs.

 

[Foxi4]

What is the average play time provided by the latest MS packs until a recharge is needed? Last one I had was the 360 Play and Charge Kit, and that thing was COMPLETE garbage compared to the Eneloops and Amazon Basics used in the same controller.

Yeah, I think their old 360 kit was just two NiCd’s/NiMH’s in a fancy shell (not sure which type, I’d have to disassemble one to check). The new kits last up to 30 hours (which sounds very optimistic to me, so let’s say 15 after you adjust for rumble and a headset) and feature a 4-hour fast charge feature. The original kits were 1400mAh @ 3VDC, the 2021 redesigned ones are 2800mAh, so quite beefy compared to the usual 1200mAh @ 2.4VDC you see on most off-brand kits.

EDIT: For comparison, the Dualsense on PS5 has a built-in li-ion 1560mAh cell, and a bunch of other power-hungry features not present on the Xbox One/Series controller.

 

[godreborn]

Yeah, I think their old 360 kit was just two NiCd’s/NiMH’s in a fancy shell (not sure which type, I’d have to disassemble one to check). The new kits last up to 30 hours (which sounds very optimistic to me, so let’s say 15 after you adjust for rumble and a headset) and feature a 4-hour fast charge feature. The original kits were 1400mAh @ 3VDC, the 2021 redesigned ones are 2800mAh, so quite beefy compared to the usual 1200mAh @ 2.4VDC you see on most off-brand kits.

EDIT: For comparison, the Dualsense on PS5 has a built-in li-ion 1560mAh cell, and a bunch of other power-hungry features not present on the Xbox One/Series controller.

do you mean that the series x uses double A batteries with its controllers? I know that the 360 rechargeable battery packs have six slots: 2 are for charging; 2 are for depleting; 2 are for estimating battery percentage iirc. my first 360 tutorial was about charging a dead rechargeable battery pack using a paper clip. it gets hot instantly when you discharge it, the paperclip I mean, but it works. that was my main issue with those packs, that they fail a lot, and I think it's due to the logic board, because the AA batteries seem to be okay if you charge them in a AA charger.

 

[Foxi4]

the rechargeable batteries are pretty shitty. they're just two double A batteries connected to a logic board. you can go around the seam with a flathead screwdriver to get at the batteries, then you can either pull the batteries apart from the logic board and leave the solder points intact or unsolder them. it won't matter either way. I've never heard of the brands when I did this, so it's better to use normal double AAs.

I can say with 100% confidence that if your “Microsoft” kit features two rechargeable NiMH/NiCD cells and a logic board, it’s a knock-off charge kit. They’ve stopped using those with the launch of the Xbox One. You can still buy kits like that, and they often look similar, but they’re not the original kit which uses shaped pouches. Photo of a disassembled V1 kit courtesy of Acid Mods.

 

[godreborn]

I'm actually referring to the 360 only. that's what the techargeable battery packs were just like the hdds were glorified 2.5" drives at three times the price.

 

[Foxi4]

do you mean that the series x uses double A batteries with its controllers? I know that the 360 rechargeable battery packs have six slots: 2 are for charging; 2 are for depleting; 2 are for estimating battery percentage iirc. my first 360 tutorial was about charging a dead rechargeable battery pack using a paper clip. it gets hot instantly when you discharge it, the paperclip I mean, but it works. that was my main issue with those packs, that they fail a lot, and I think it's due to the logic board, because the AA batteries seem to be okay if you charge them in a AA charger.

Yeah, the Xbox One/Series controllers use either AA’s or a dedicated Play & Charge kit. As for the 360 kits, it depends - the 360 charge circuit (IIRC) is located on the controller itself, so if it no longer charges batteries, the pad might be faulty in a non-intrusive way. On the Xbox One/Series the charge circuit is inside the charge kit itself, so I assume this fault must’ve been giving Microsoft grief.

EDIT: I thought you were talking about the One/Series. They really need to come up with a better naming scheme, they should start with just using numbers.

 

[godreborn]

Yeah, the Xbox One/Series controllers use either AA’s or a dedicated Play & Charge kit. As for the 360 kits, it depends - the 360 charge circuit (IIRC) is located on the controller itself, so if it no longer charges batteries, the pad might be faulty in a non-intrusive way. On the Xbox One/Series the charge circuit is inside the charge kit itself, so I assume this fault must’ve been giving Microsoft grief.

EDIT: I thought you were talking about the One/Series. They really need to come up with a better naming scheme, they should start with just using numbers.

well, it does sound like microsoft learned a lot about how they handled the 360. love the system, but man, some of what they did was unnecessary.

 

[stanleyopar2000]

Who needs an Xbox when you can get a Playstation lol.

OMGWTFBBQ, we back to 2004 again?

That really ROFL's my Waffles

 

[SolanaRafael]

Who needs an Xbox when you can get a Playstation lol.

Personally I could never get into the PS controller, the joycon position is just odd for me, so yes, I need an Xbox

 

[MultiKoopa]

so did anybody figure out what these little updates did after the announcement?

 

[Cortador]

so did anybody figure out what these little updates did after the announcement?

Native 4k, AutoHDR and fps boost (Jump from 30fps to 60fps) in some games.

 

[the_randomizer]

Sonic Generations at 60 fps and 4K on console feel surreal.

 

[MultiKoopa]

Native 4k, AutoHDR and fps boost (Jump from 30fps to 60fps) in some games.

Oh wow

 

[the_randomizer]

Oh wow

Yeah there's some sorcery going on here with BC

 

[MultiKoopa]

Yeah there's some sorcery going on here with BC

it's not really sorcery though, it's just a company putting in the effort and resources

Sony could do this too

or at least any kind of barebones BC :\

 

[the_randomizer]

it's not really sorcery though, it's just a company putting in the effort and resources

Sony could do this too

or at least any kind of barebones BC :\

Not entirely serious, Sony doesn't give a damn about BC.

 

[MultiKoopa]

Not entirely serious, Sony doesn't give a damn about BC.

I know

 

[the_randomizer]

I know

They really need to