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[Verge] Xbox Cloud Gaming’s new design teases the future of Xbox console UI

Topher

Topher

Identifies as young
Microsoft says its new Xbox Cloud UI is the 'foundation' for new Xbox experiences.

Microsoft has started testing a refreshed web experience for Xbox Cloud Gaming that looks even more console-like. Xbox Insiders can now try out the preview UI, which includes updated navigation features, plenty of new animations, and a refreshed design. It all feels like a teaser of what's to come for Xbox consoles in the years ahead.

The existing Xbox Cloud Gaming interface got its last major overhaul nearly two years ago, when Microsoft added the social features and UI you'd normally find in the Xbox dashboard. This new design makes that existing UI feel even closer to an Xbox console, thanks to a variety of new animations, a new library section, and a rounded design.

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New animations include a sliding dashboard interface that glides into view, an animated Xbox icon that lights up and changes shape, and improved navigation between the different parts of the dashboard. These subtle changes greatly improve the Xbox Cloud Gaming navigation experience, which currently feels like a web app loading each section.

"We're testing a refreshed web experience for Xbox Cloud Gaming that lays the foundation for accelerating our ability to build new experiences for players," says Patrick Siu, principal product manager at Xbox. "This preview is a first look at our new web interface on your browser and lets you try the updated design and product flow before it is rolled out broadly."

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The mention of this new UI being the foundation for "new experiences" certainly sounds like Microsoft may well use this new design in a future Xbox console. In the meantime, I'm hoping it also takes this interface and puts it inside the Xbox app on PC, which is in much need of navigation and animation improvements.

Microsoft is looking for feedback on this new Xbox Cloud Gaming UI, before it rolls it out to everyone in the coming months. If you want to try it out you can head to the new https://play.xbox.com/ site and enable the preview features toggle from the settings menu.


I see some differences from this and the current Xbox app, but really....nothing crazy
 
It just looks the same as the Xbox app now: big ass squares in rows with art but no useful info, some buttons at the top with probably weak sorting options, and some wasted space. Only nice change is the background art, and I do like how on the Xbox app you can sort by HowLongtoBeat times (actually useful).

What I actually want them to do is when I'm looking at games say when they're on sale, that they have hover effects like Steam so when I select a current game, it immediately displays another window to the right cycling through in-game screenshots with review averages + if my friends play this. Saves having to click it open to get a fullscreen page, unless I want more info.
 
Holy, MS is learning. Just copy PS and the haters won't be able to go on the attack pretending that it's terrible.

Btw. Here is the leaked Magnus controller. Looks hawt

A5G2xTWkVXlUjAiz.png
 
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Reminds me of Playnite when setting the layout to multiple rows. Not bad.
BxcSOnYbTlrYP5mI.png


But I always prefer 1 row. Easier to navigate. Hopefully you can change the layout.
DPKeOLkj662sPyKE.png
 
The most remarkable thing is how responsive and agile it seems. It's even more surprising considering it's a website.

It could definitely be the foundation of an Xbox app or a console's UI.



 
March Climber said:
They already tried the 1 row idea with the 360 "New Xbox Experience" interface.

maxresdefault.jpg


While it looked clean, it was a nightmare to navigate because it was constant scrolling to get anywhere.
Click to expand...
Still like 1 row more. A grid UI only works well with touch interface imo, or mouse. Best UI they've had is the 360 blades UI. Would work great, 1 horizontal row/collumn for games; scroll up and down a list. Then bumpers to go between blades/launchers; Steam, Gamepass, Epic, GOG, Emulation. Final blade; a plus icon, press A to add a new blade/launcher.
 
Hopefully you can make the squares a little smaller and have more per row. The tiles on PS5 are annoyingly huge. This is pretty similar to the current Xbox UI, but slightly bigger.
 
Fess said:
Edit: Shortened

How does this look like the PS UI?
This is just a standard grid UI
🤔
Click to expand...
You can tell those whom haven't used an Xbox by those comments, haha. This is almost exactly the same UI as the Xbox One X onwards...they just seem to have dropped the sidebar in the "My Games and Apps" section. but sure, they are copying the PS5 UI :messenger_tears_of_joy:
 
coffinbirth said:
You can tell those whom haven't used an Xbox by those comments, haha. This is almost exactly the same UI as the Xbox One X onwards...they just seem to have dropped the sidebar in the "My Games and Apps" section. but sure, they are copying the PS5 UI :messenger_tears_of_joy:
Click to expand...
Or the PS5…
Very strange, guess they're thinking about a full library view and not the start?
I like the PS UI horizontal row starter view, maybe a bit too much crap going on at the bottom but it's still good. And the Switch UI is slick. Steam big picture mode. I have Playnite set like that too. MS should've copied that.
 
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Fess said:
Or the PS5…
Very strange, guess they're thinking about a full library view and not the start?
I like the PS UI horizontal row starter view, maybe a bit too much crap going on at the bottom but it's still good. And the Switch UI is slick. Steam big picture mode. I have Playnite set like that too. MS should've copied that.
Click to expand...
Horizontal is a mess to me. I hate it on PS5, but it doesn't bother me as much on Switch.
Being able to have a customizable grid on the home page puts the Xbox UI over the others for me, personally.
 
coffinbirth said:
Horizontal is a mess to me. I hate it on PS5, but it doesn't bother me as much on Switch.
Being able to have a customizable grid on the home page puts the Xbox UI over the others for me, personally.
Click to expand...
What's a mess about it? It's super intuitive. Switch is perfection, just a bit too simplistic, they should have some game info or background art swap when going between the icons.
The only thing better is a vertical text row list, with info and cover art changing on the side, like retropie emulation station. It's perfect. Then triggers to swap platforms/launchers. 👌
 
Fess said:
What's a mess about it? It's super intuitive. Switch is perfection, just a bit too simplistic, they should have some game info or background art swap when going between the icons.
The only thing better is a vertical text row list, with info and cover art changing on the side, like retropie emulation station. It's perfect. Then triggers to swap platforms/launchers. 👌
Click to expand...
Because it's this...
how-are-we-feeling-about-this-new-ui-v0-8gbmynkvjgpd1.jpeg


Instead of this.
YeKkaC23FArSwPbkSc4B9N.png
 
coffinbirth said:
Because it's this...
how-are-we-feeling-about-this-new-ui-v0-8gbmynkvjgpd1.jpeg


Instead of this.
YeKkaC23FArSwPbkSc4B9N.png
Click to expand...
I agree that they're putting too much crap on there but you're still moving left/right to start your game instead of moving left/right/up/down. I can't see why a grid is better when you're using a controller, imo it only work well with a touch screen or mouse.
 
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