A whole bunch of new Xbox rumours have emerged and alongside the usual guff about always-online and video sharing, there’s also some juicy gossip about achievements.

According to Polygon, the way achievements are used and updated will be completely revised for Microsoft’s next-gen machine.


The report claims that the new system will allow developers and publishers to add more achievements to a game following launch, without the need to add DLC.


Apparently, these tweaks are designed in order to allow developers to adjust player behavior. The thinking is that if players are missing a particular area or getting stuck at a specific spot, achievements can encourage them along.


In addition to this, next-gen achievements are also said to be tied to events like weekend challenges or communal goals. Think Mass Effect 3 multiplayer and its method of rewarding players and communities for hitting set targets.


Meanwhile, developers and publishers are also said to be able to create cross-title achievements, rewarding players for completing objectives across a number of games in a series.


According to the report, at least one of these new types of achievement - either communal or cross-title - must be included in every list.


Beyond that, cross-title achievements are also being discussed as a reward for using companion apps, websites or previous gen titles.


Whether these latest rumours are true or not we'll have to wait until May 21st to find out, but they’re interesting talking points nevertheless. The reported changes throw the current rule book out of the window. So what do you think?