Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox One console has received its first big system update of the year, adding several new features and improving on some existing ones.

“Since Xbox One launched, we made a commitment to listen to feedback from the Xbox Live community and we continue to deliver on that promise,” Microsoft’s Major Nelson wrote. “We’re always listening to your thoughts and will continue adding new features and improving existing functionality to enhance your gaming and entertainment experiences on Xbox One.”

Microsoft has been locked in a fierce battle with Sony Computer Entertainment for dominance in the console market, and with many gamers still holding back before taking a several-hundred dollar plunge on one system or the other, even small updates could give one system the edge it needs.

New features

A few new features have been added in the February system update.

Game Hubs

Game Hubs are “the go-to centers for interesting content, tips and tricks for your favorite titles.” Game Hubs will allow users to select a game and see which friends are currently playing it, view leaderboards, and watch game clips and livestreaming content for the selected game.

Game Hubs can be accessed by highlighting a game from your pins, recently played list, or the “My games and apps” section, then pressing the Menu button and selecting “view game hub.”

Improved Controller features

Quick Connect shaves off a few seconds from the time it takes to connect a new wireless controller to the Xbox One console. It might not sound like much, but no one wants to wait to play any longer than they have to.

The update also fixed some stability issues with the controllers that would sometimes cause them to lose their connection.

Party chat updates

New icons have been added to show players the status of their party chat connection, letting them know when they are in the process of connecting and whether a connection was successful or not.

Players will now be able to more quickly see who is inviting them to a game or party, as well as what game the invitation is for.

The updates to party chat also include improvements to connection performance, as well as better support for chat participants with Strict or Moderate NATs.

TV updates

The Xbox One TV menu received several feature updates, especially with existing services rolling out to new countries where they were previously unavailable.

Users in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. can see what shows are trending on Xbox on the OneGuide TV listing menu. American users can see shows on the menu that are trending on Twitter as well. OneGuide support has also moved to the Netherlands.

Several new devices have been added to the Xbox One’s IR blasting database, making it easier for users to control their set-top boxes and audio/video receivers.

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