Every major games platform features an achievements system, which is beloved by many for tracking almost all of their video gaming history. These systems don"t get updated frequently, but Microsoft has decided that an overhaul is needed for Xbox Achievements, and it"s planning a visual refresh and new features.
Up first is a new look for the achievement notifications that pop up when one is unlocked while playing a game. Both the icons and animations of the pop-up are being updated for when players earn classic or rare achievements. The notification color will also match the player"s own custom color they have chosen for their profile.
Next, players will also be able to hide their achievement history on any game from their profile.
"Whether you want a cleaner look or just want to highlight what matters most to you, this puts your profile in your hands," explains Xbox Senior Product Manager Alex Charters. "This only affects how your profile appears, hidden games will still count towards your total Gamerscore and your activity in these games will still be reported across Xbox."
The last major change is a highlighting function. This will automatically give a spotlight to specific games in player achievements lists that are 100% complete. There will even be a new filter to only see these fully unlocked games on the profile.
"This is a small but meaningful step in a broader set of improvements we’re making to Achievements," adds Charters. "We’re continuing to explore new ways to recognize completion and milestone moments over time, and this update is one of our first steps towards celebrating those moments."
The changes are rolling out to Xbox Insiders starting today, April 8, though not all features will be available at once. Once Microsoft deems the new Xbox Achievements ready for prime time, it will be made available on all platforms in the Xbox ecosystem.