New Windows 8 Xbox Integration Footage, Screenshots

Xbox Live will be a major component of Microsoft’s newest operating system, due to be released sometime this year. Engadget showcases some of the update’s key features in their latest hands-on impressions.

The Windows Xbox interface looks very similar to the current Xbox 360 dashboard. Xbox Live members will have access to their avatar, game history, media, and other account options directly through Windows 8.

The operating system can also be used as a rudimentary Xbox remote. It appears that Windows 8 devices can launch games and navigate through apps, but won’t act as controllers in-game. This opens some interesting possibilities for Wii U-like integration between tablets and Xbox 360 consoles, though only simple menu navigation has been shown thus far.

Additional screenshots from Major Nelson show the Xbox video and music interfaces as they’ll appear in Windows 8. They seem heavily focused on making media as seamless as possible across devices, while gaming will remain a controller-and-console affair.