Before deciding to roll with what is the New Xbox Experience dashboard, Microsoft had hired design firm Gridplane to prototype several versions of an update to Xbox 360′s user interface. The company has finally posted a few images of one of its early concepts.

“These examples represent one of many concepts that we worked on,” wrote the company on its website. “In addition to the menu systems, we dreamt up an immersive 3D environment for users to explore.”

Some of the ideas look pretty cool. But hey, the final NXE dashboard is much more clean, efficient and user-friendly than any of the console’s competitors.

The Need for Speed series has gone down the drain in the last couple of years, with each installment lowering the standard more than its predecessor. Despite all this, and the recent layoffs at series developer Black Box, EA has not given up on the franchise and is going to push out three titles this year, with four titles in the development.

First up is NFS Shift, which is being billed as a “hardcore racing simulation”. It is being developed by Slightly Mad Studios, which was founded by veterans of SimBin and Blimey who are responsible for the GTR racing simulation series. Production is being overseen by Black Box executive producer Michael Mann and DICE co-founder Patrick Soderlund.

The second game will be an arcade racer dubbed NFS Nitro. It is being developed for Wii and DS by EA Montreal and is said to feature a more “mischievous” look. Both games are due out this fall.

Finally, the third game is NFS World Online, a free-to-play racing MMO that will launch this summer in Asia, before being released in North America in winter. Black Box and EA Shanghai are working on it.

Lastly, the fourth game is a “secret NFS game” that is in the works at Black Box.

Since being confirmed last October, no news on DJ Hero has surfaced till now. Activision CEO Bobby Kotick himself acknowledged the game during a CNBC interview, saying that it will be released later this year.

“We have this product called DJ Hero coming out later this year, which is a turntable that you actually can play competitively and spin discs and mix songs,” he said.

As he says, the game will come with a turntable controller featuring three rhythm buttons, a cross-fader and various sound-effects dials. It will go up against Konami’s DJ-styled Beatmania games.

Comic book veteran Marv Wolfman has joined artist Jim Lee and writer Geoff Johns in helping Sony Online Entertainment flesh out its upcoming superhero MMO DC Universe Online.

Wolfman is best known for being the creator of Blade; he also wrote the popular cross-over Crisis on Infinite Earts for DC. He has also worked for Marvel, where he wrote issues of Amazing Spider-Man and helped co-create Black Cat with Keith Pollard. His role in the development of the game will be to expand upon the in-game storylines already created by Johns.

DC Universe Online is due out early next year on PC and PS3.

As is the tradition around these parts, Harmonix has announced next week’s batch of downloadable content for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Rock Band.

The coming week will see three new tracks from Thin Lizzy – “Boys are Back in Town (Live)”, “Cowboy Song (Live)” and “Jailbreak (Live)” – followed by The Pretenders’ “Precious” and Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”. Two songs by Nikko also make the list – “Break My Heart” and “Don’t Tell Me”.

All songs will sell individually for 160 Microsoft points ($2), except for Nikko’s songs, which will sell for 80 points ($1). They will be available starting Tuesday on Xbox Live and Thursday on PlayStation Network.