Xbox It's making some big changes to its achievement system, and insiders are getting a glimpse before everyone else. Achievements have been a major part of the Xbox ecosystem for decades, dating back to 2005. Achievements have become a point of pride for gamers, providing an incentive to do some extra work while playing different games.
The Xbox brand is in the midst of a major transition at the moment. The Xbox Series X/S has struggled to find the same level of success as past Microsoft consoles, and the company's higher-ups have looked for ways to get users excited again. This year has seen major shake-ups at the top with new Xbox boss Asha Sharma replacing Phil Spencer. It remains to be seen what the future holds for the company, but fans are hoping that things may start to turn around.
No, Xbox isn't buying Steam
Widespread internet speculation suggesting the Xbox is getting Steam appears to be little more than an April Fools' Day joke.
Xbox Achievement changes revealed
Xbox has been making changes to its achievements throughout 2026, and the company still has more in store. Xbox Insiders are getting these changes now, but they will roll out to all players in the future. For starters, when a player gets 100% achievements for a game, it will now be highlighted on their profile, making it easier to spot. Getting 100% achievements in a game is a great point of pride, especially for harder games Alden Ring. It makes sense that some players want to make sure their greatest achievements don't get lost in all the other games they've played.
In one of the more interesting changes, Xbox users will gain the ability to hide games that appear on their profile, starting later this month. Since the change, players have put a lot of work into games they can be less proud of to make sure other people can't see it. It also prevents other users from finding out how many achievements the player has missed or struggled to get in relatively easy games. The change may seem silly, but Xbox says it's one of the most requested changes by users. In an age where gamers don't have nearly as much privacy as they once did, it's easy to see how some might embrace this change. Hidden games do not negatively affect a user's GamerScore.
In March, Xbox began offering more color customization options. With this new update, achievement notifications now match the user's custom-designed color, making them more personalized. There will also be new animations that appear when the player gets a classic or rare achievement.
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So far, the achievement changes have seen a lot of praise on social media, with many users noting that these options should have happened a long time ago. It's unlikely that this update will suddenly make Xbox a more viable brand for newcomers, but it should create a more enjoyable experience. With plans underway for Xbox Series X/S successor Project Helix, the company needs all the goodwill it can get. New consoles are always a tough sell, especially with how RAM costs continue to rise. Xbox has a long way to go to restore trust in the brand, but every little win helps.
