Rumored for a sizzling minute, Xbox Cloud Gaming now has a shiny new interface, however it might be hiding a fair larger secret.
Revealed by dataminers a short time again, Xbox Cloud Gaming has a brand new preview dashboard you possibly can entry through play.xbox.com, to assist Microsoft check the subsequent part for the service.
Microsoft can be gearing up for an ad-supported “free” tier of Xbox Cloud Gaming, set to launch within the first half of this 12 months in accordance with our sources. The service represents an enormous effort on Microsoft’s half to search out new customers, in a world the place tariffs and RAM shortages have made conventional console gaming much less enticing than far-cheaper, extra accessible options. Games like Roblox and Fortnite have grow to be totally dominant, partially as a result of they’re free, but in addition as a result of they’re ubiquitous. Xbox and different conventional console experiences require a beefy upfront value. Xbox Cloud Gaming is aiming to eradicate that barrier.
Whether or not the technique works (or certainly, is even viable economically) wholly stays to be seen, however it will not be for lack of making an attempt.
To that finish, Microsoft simply debuted its shiny new interface for Xbox Cloud Gaming, and it is moderately good.
The new interface could be very near a standard Xbox Series X|S console experience, complete with modern Windows 11 fluent design elements. It has icons across the top just like on console, and the library, filters, sorting options, and guide menu all are impressively familiar for anyone who has used the console experience.
The new Xbox Cloud Gaming experience comes in two flavors. There’s a TV and handheld-optimized mode, with large UI elements ideal for smaller screens or sofa play. There’s also a desktop-optimized mode, which makes use of the screen real estate more effectively.
I have to say, I’m very impressed by what’s on offer here. I find it to be much better and more usable than the current Xbox PC app all up, owing to its boosted speed and cleaner interface. The UI is arranged in a more controller-friendly way, making it much better than the Xbox Full Screen Experience on devices like the Xbox Ally. Unlike the Xbox Full Screen Experience, the Xbox Cloud Gaming dashboard doesn’t lock up either, with inputs rubber banding your cursor off the screen.
I suppose a big design challenge Xbox is facing right now is unifying its disparate experiences. Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Xbox Series X|S all have slightly different interfaces, which can make it frustrating for users trying to navigate Microsoft’s “Xbox Everywhere” strategy. The new Xbox Cloud Gaming interface is a lot closer to the console experience while also retaining some of the cleanliness of the PC app, which is a step in the right direction.
I hope Microsoft brings some of this design direction to the Xbox PC app and Xbox Ally in the future, because as powerful as the Xbox Ally X is, its the Xbox PC app that primarily still lets it down in some ways.
Let me know what you think in the comments!
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