Microsoft’s new Xbox Home UI seems like an enormous Game Pass advert

Microsoft began testing a brand new Xbox Home UI final month that can arrive in 2023. I’ve managed to strive an early model of the Home UI this week, and whereas there are some much-needed enhancements, the house part of the Xbox dashboard is beginning to really feel like one large Xbox Game Pass advert.

The predominant interface now replaces the bigger tile for the newest app or recreation, with six tiles that are actually all the identical measurement throughout the highest row. These are the most recent apps or video games, and I’m glad to see that Microsoft has eliminated apps like Settings and the Microsoft Store from showing on this current record given you may simply entry each from the brand new Xbox Home UI.

While most Xbox customers have been asking for a much less cluttered UI on the house display screen, this ageing tiled interface does nothing to point out off the dynamic backgrounds and wallpapers accessible on the console. Thankfully, the primary part now has solely two tiles reserved for adverts as a substitute of three, however when you scroll down you’ll discover this house display screen is one large promotion for Xbox Game Pass.

In the world under the primary house display screen, there’s a piece for lately added video games to Xbox Game Pass. This alone seems like addition for Game Pass customers, however scrolling additional down and it’s clear that each part is solely an extension of Game Pass or the Microsoft Store to encourage you to obtain or purchase video games.

I feel that is effective as a default for brand spanking new Xbox customers, however the largest problem is you may’t customise this interface anymore. On the present Xbox dashboard it’s straightforward to hit a button or dig into the settings and re-arrange sections, take away them altogether, and prioritize your personal pinned apps. This new Xbox Home UI continues to be in early testing, so I assume it will return however proper now it seems like an enormous advert with out that customization.

I’m hopeful that Microsoft has many extra adjustments deliberate. While the Xbox maker has redesigned the Xbox dashboard loads of instances over the previous decade, it has principally matured to the purpose the place the Xbox Guide is totally practical and most followers have been asking for enhancements to the house display screen and Xbox DVR as a substitute. Microsoft has additionally been including loads of options to its Xbox dashboard over the previous 12 months, with some spectacular additions like Discord integration, an evening mode, and even a 4K dashboard.

I’d wish to see Microsoft go a lot additional on the Xbox Home display screen and supply up the kind of customization and ease we see elsewhere. There are loads of Xbox followers which have mocked up potential house display screen interfaces over time, and lots of present a transparent need for a house display screen that places extra focus by yourself pinned apps or video games and the background wallpaper.

Microsoft isn’t planning to roll this new Xbox Home UI out till 2023, so there are a lot of months forward of testing and I’m certain loads of tweaks and adjustments, too. Hopefully Microsoft listens to the group’s need for a unique sort of house display screen right here, however with Xbox attempting to unify this UI throughout Xbox Cloud Gaming, TVs, and Xbox consoles, it’s a much more troublesome problem than throwing collectively a mockup in Photoshop.