Highlights
- Original Xbox 360s featured the beloved "Blades" dashboard, treasured by fans for its nostalgia and unique user interface.
- Connecting an old Xbox 360 to the internet will erase the Blades dashboard, so many fans choose to keep it by avoiding updates.
- While it's unlikely the Blades dashboard will return, Xbox may offer ways for fans to experience it in different forms in the future.
An Xbox 360 fan recently purchased a used console and discovered that it was one of the original versions of the system, complete with the classic Blades dashboard. Microsoft updated the Xbox 360 multiple times over the course of its lifespan. This included full-blown hardware revisions, as well as system software updates that completely revamp the user interface for the fan-favorite console.
The original version of the Xbox 360 came with a unique "Blades" dashboard that was eventually erased in favor of a newer take on the UI. Many Xbox fans have fond memories of gaming on the 360 when it had the Blades dashboard and have asked for the popular UI to make a comeback of some kind on modern Xbox consoles. Fans shouldn't hold their breath about the Blades ever showing up on Xbox Series X, but they can still experience them if they manage to track down an older 360 that still works.
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This was what happened with Reddit user TherealTorqueTV, who got their hands on a used Xbox 360 console that came with the original box and the Blades UI. Like many old-school Xbox 360 fans, TherealTorqueTV "couldn't be any happier" when they turned on the console and saw that it still had the Blades dashboard.
Keeping the Blades dashboard on this Xbox 360 means never connecting the console to the Internet. It's still possible to play many Xbox 360 games online, but doing so will mean forcing a system software update that will erase the Blades dashboard and replace it with the latest 360 UI. Anyone that wants to retain the Xbox 360 Blades dashboard will have to make peace with the fact that they won't be able to use all the console's features, but for many, it will be worth it.
Sadly, there may come a time when the Xbox 360 Blades dashboard becomes completely extinct. Hardware doesn't last forever, especially old Xbox 360 models. The original Xbox 360 consoles suffered from the Red Ring of Death, and so, eventually, the remaining ones will likely die off. Beyond that, people that don't care about the nostalgic dashboard may very well get their hands on older 360 models and connect them to the Internet, erasing the Blades in the process.
While it's highly unlikely the Blades dashboard will ever make a comeback, Xbox does like to pay homage to the 360 console in various ways, so perhaps there's hope that fans can at least get some kind of representation through a theme or something along those lines. For now, the only way to enjoy the 360 Blades dashboard is by acquiring an old console that happens to have it installed.
