Microsoft starts testing new Xbox Home UI that will arrive in 2023

From The Verge: "Microsoft is starting to test new changes to the Xbox Home UI that will eventually arrive for everyone in 2023. The changes will include tweaks to the layout and design to make it easier to find Xbox games and apps or navigate to areas like the settings interface. Microsoft will conduct a variety of Xbox Home experiments over the coming months before launching its new Xbox Home UI in 2023.

“We know the Xbox homepage is where our gamers spend the most time, and it’s a space that’s very personal,” says Ivy Krislov, senior product manager lead of Xbox experiences. “We also know we can always be listening and learning how we can do better here while keeping your experience fast and familiar. With that, we’re kicking off a multi-month series of experiments to learn how to create a more personalized home screen experience and address some of the top trends and fan requests.”"

[darthv72]

I use pins for the stuff I frequently use. The rest is pretty easy to navigate. I certainly dont mind them making some improvements where they see fit. Maybe add a few more group/sort options in the game menu.

[Si-Fly]

As long as they don’t do a Sony, I preferred the PS4 UI to my PS5’s.

[EvertonFC]

PS5 is not that much different to PS4 imo, both use the classic playstation up and down , left and right config and there's a nice bar at the bottom for quick access with a press of a button.

[crazyCoconuts]

Not me. I still expect a new UI with each next gen console. Anything less is plain lazy

[Jin_Sakai]

PS4 UI was much better than PS5.

You had Folders on the “home” screen and you could hold the PlayStation button to power off the console. Also the side navigation menu was faster and easier to use than the new bottom navigation on PS5.

[crazyCoconuts]

@jin, I mean...at least they TRIED
I liked the PS4 UI as well, but I'm plopping hundreds of dollars for a new experience not just faster hardware. I like getting a new UI to explore, even though there are some regressions. There are also plenty of new features as well

[neutralgamer1992]

What I don't understand is how each generation we start from scratch and by the time it's end of the generation we get features which were available last generation

How about building from the already available features and adding more

[Kados]

PS3/PSP XMB is still my favorite UI. Fast & simple. Way too much focus on form over function these days.

[babadivad]

It's a but chaotic but I got used to it pretty quickly.

[babadivad]

neutralgamer1992

There are things the OG Xbox could do that modern consoles can't. You could rip CDs to the hard drive and play your own music during gameplay.

On PS3, you could put movies directly on the HDD and watch them. Now you can't.

Those are the two features off the top of my head that are head scratchingly missing. There's a lot more but I ised those features a lot and can no longer do that.

You can still watch movies via external hdd on X1 and Series X but if you use a drive larger than 2tb, you start running into issues. It will just stop seeing the files. If it does see them, it won't play them. Just throws a random error that Microsoft support have no clue what it means or how to resolve it.

[Nineball2112]

I really don't care for the PS5 UI. It's a mess, imo.

[brewin]

Ok, that looks pretty good actually. Some people complain about the Xbox UI but I have found it to be very easy and user friendly. This looks like a great update.

[DivineHand125]

"We know the Xbox homepage is where our gamers spend the most time, and it’s a space that’s very personal" I don't think this quote from Ivy is appropriate or well thought out given it is a gaming console.

[RickRoland]

lol.

[LOGICWINS]

And not just a gaming console, but from Xbox, whose historically had a problem delivering consistency in the exclusive AAA games department.

Nonetheless, I'm hyped for this UI update.

[IanTH]

I had the exact same reaction. I assume he meant "it's where our gamers spend the most time (interacting with UI)", but without the clarification it just sounds like they turn on the XBOX and stare at their homepage for hours at a time lol.

[FortWaba]

But where are the games?

[Om4ever]

In your a...

[FlavorLav01]

Nope,…not there. What gives? No games.

[MIDGETonSTILTS17]

If we got a great game for every new UI over the years, then I wouldn’t need a ps5.

[VenomCarnage89]

They do seem to have a longer list of UI's than they have first party exclusives. Eh whatever though, that's how Xbox stans like it otherwise they'd complain

[MIDGETonSTILTS17]

I have to buy an Xbox every 5 years just to talk with my friends because they don’t think they could enjoy Madden on a PS.

I want a game.

[BrainSyphoned]

Bah beaten to the line, oh well, wait till tomorrow for thr next idiotic quote from Xbox brass.

"We know the Xbox homepage is where our gamers spend the most time"
One would think in game is where they would spend most their time but it is Xbox.

[SpineSaw]

"testing new Xbox Home UI"
Can they test some new games they can release in the next say 6 to 10 months.

[Lightning77]

This article isn't about games it's about the new UI. Tired of the off topic concern trolling.

It's like Xbox does something good and you are all like "but the games!" No trying to detail the news.

[SpineSaw]

Well, I spent with tax around $350USD for the XB Series S and I need new Xbox First Party games now not a new UI or new controllers or garbage Indie games.
If your tired off topic comments it is a simple solution..... Don't read the comments!
@Orchard.......Neither Starfield or Forza Motorsport said "hi" with a release date so i'm not exactly what that means when they say "hi"!

[Lightning77]

Ok cool leave it off until next year since you're so mad at it.

Between now and next year I'll be playing Gungrave, Atomic Heart, High On Life, Warhammer, A Plagues Tale Requiem. Inevitable Starfield and Redfall on Gamepass.

Lies Of P Forza anyone's who interested in. Of course all of it absolutely needs to be exclusive in order to have fun so yeah just keep the console off.

Ignore your off top concern trolling comment? Yeah no.

[FlavorLav01]

Maybe some of us are just tired of hearing about features and no games. Features are niceties of a console usually enjoyed on top of best in class games, not in replacement of said bad ass new games. I don’t care about the UI if there’s not an actual gaming reason to turn on the system to play. That said, a good ol’ UI update is never a bad thing.

[VenomCarnage89]

Lightning,

"Of course it needs to be exclusive to have fun." No silly, it needs to be exclusive to justify buying the damn system in the first place, otherwise I'd buy it and play it elsewhere, duhhh 🤣

[Orchard]

"Can they test some new games they can release in the next say 6 to 10 months."

Starfield & Forza Motorsport say hi 👋

[RedDevils]

Doubt.

[moriarty1889]

That would be nice wouldn’t it?

[Father__Merrin]

We need a quicker UI it's far too clogged at the moment

[northpaws]

Either way, I just want a simple interface where I can find games that I own easily. XBox UI is a little distracting.

And to be fair, PSN store UI is very bad as well, super hard to find what you want. Searching for a game through the PS Store search on browser or app made me want to pull my hair off, for example, searching for "destiny 2", it shows you all expansions and microtransactions stuff before you can find the base game, which doesn't make sense. Base game should be always the first result.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

I really wish the PSN store hadn't changed, it's extra clicks to do the same stuff and sometimes I can't even find what I'm after, it really wasn't thought out. Wasn't a fan of the Xbox UI's either, most of the time it reminds me of the windows 10 live tiles (which I believe Microsoft ended up retiring anyway.

[Father__Merrin]

Latest update 1GB it's definatly snappier than before especially when going into library and swapping between tiles

But Why no more new themes?

[porkChop]

Hopefully we get new themes for Starfield, RedFall, and Forza Motorsport.

[Orchard]

Looks good. More minimalistic / less cluttered.

[Lightning77]

The UI was good for its time and I still navigate fine but it does need a much needed update.

They also need to hurry up and and re-haul that dinosaur Game DVR. This isn't 2014 anymore.

[porkChop]

DVR absolutely needs an overhaul. Higher image/audio quality, more options for recording lengths, etc. And fix the bugs. There have been multiple times where my USB recordings either had no audio, or audio that's delayed by 2 seconds, or sometimes it says it's recording a clip but only saves a screenshot instead.

I know they asked us insiders for DVR feedback a few months ago so hopefully that update is coming soon.

[Lightning77]

I remember late last year they said they were working on it. So far nothing. Mike Ybarra was in to it back then he needs to come back because this is ridiculous.

[Harryvok]

I wish they'd completely revamp it. It's a big, blocky, ugly design.

[lellkay]

They need to remove the sponsered content and gamepass adverts. Constant eyesores on my home screen.

[Kosic]

I cannot wait for an update to the Xbox ui, it's such a clunky style and I am forced to use the quick menu as things tend to be easier to find.

One thing I dislike is finding where the games with gold section is. I always seem to struggle to find this to add the monthly games to my library. Fortunately the games have been fairly weak that if I miss it, it's not an issue. But I find it a bit awkward to add them.

I haven't taken the time to really learn the UI, I only play a couple of games, and find quick start menu > all games quicker to find things.

[darthv72]

you always struggle to find the Games with Gold...? Like seriously it never moves, its always in the same spot so no struggle needed. I find your "struggle" highly doubtful.

[Kosic]

Yes, if I use the store once a month to add my games with gold, I may not become to familiar with it. That's hard to understand?

I use game pass for most my games, my other games are purchased via cd or through VPN (gamivo especially) that I have no real need to use the digital store. So my hands on experience with the digital store is very small.

Once a month I open the store and have to remember where to navigate to find the gog section. Instead of it being up front like game pass is. The free games are put a side under a few steps to get to.

[BestBusdriver]

Yeah...exactly...isn t that sad?? "Where our gamers spent most of their time.... Did you read that Mr Spencer?... or browsing game pass searching for AA games that aren t there... NEVER did that when i had my 360... instead of doing all those changes....games is what hardcore games want. Exclusives !!!!

[sourOG]

People spend most of their time at the homepage lol? I want a lean and mean UI. The less time I spend there the better.