Xbox has published its latest Insider Program overview, and once again, there's a big focus on the work-in-progress 2023 dashboard. The team has changed the way players can add 'Groups' to the home screen, and has also "heard a ton of varied feedback" on the dashboard generally, including requests to make backgrounds more visible.
"We’ve heard a ton of varied feedback, including wanting to see more of your custom background. We’re on it! Stay tuned for more info soon."
This has been a top request for some time now, and even though certain preview rings saw minor changes recently, there's more work that needs to be done to properly show off background art. We're glad to see Microsoft is on the case, especially as the team continues to add more dynamic backgrounds on Series X and S.
Elsewhere in the preview update, the team says you can now add up to 10 games straight to the dashboard for easy access. These will appear right underneath the main home screen and any pins you might have, similar to the current non-preview setup. You can also now add your "top groups" to the home screen for quicker access.
As changes are made, Xbox is continuing to gather feedback from Insiders before the final new dashboard rolls out to all users in 2023. As of this week, all Alpha and Alpha Skip-Ahead members will be able to preview the latest build.
"We read your feedback every morning and use it and these experiments to help us determine what features to build and how to design a more personal Home experience."
"Starting this week, all users in the Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha rings will be able to preview the new Home experience. Users will be receiving different layouts of the experience. We look forward to hearing what you think of each one."
Are you happy Xbox is finally looking into more background space? Let us know!
[source news.xbox.com]
Comments 23
@A01 yeh take off ads ...then when they raise the price of consoles/live/ultimate to make up the difference we could moan about that too ????
Ads don't make a diffrence to me I just don't click em ,ads are everywhere I go out in the street and see em on billboards should I complain to the council I pay council tax so I shouldn't ? Lol
@Martsmall As ads make up for everything Xbox is doing. Have you seen Nintendos Home screen? Maybe if they made some games they would not have to rely on ads
@Martsmall they could always not spend 70 billion on buying publishers if they desperately need ad revenue 😂
@Would_you_kindly @YouTrash
Ads are money ,YouTube charge around £10 a month not to have ads ,it's the way of life everything has to be paid for nothing is free , recently it's come out that they make loss on each console ,if seeing afew ads on the dash is what helps keeps it down then so be it ,it's not a big thing advertising is EVERYWHERE
Martsmall wrote:
Indeed. But as OP said we've already paid for a £500 (sic) console, and games and/or Game Pass on top, why are we still getting ads?
I agree advertising is everywhere but that doesn't mean we can't complain when it appears where it's not wanted, especially on something expensive we have already bought.
@themightyant yeh like say netflix and Disney plus will soon charge less so they can give ads as well as you paying a fee , every Company is in it for the money and make it
@Martsmall If Xbox want to charge me less for a console or game pass with Ads that would be fine as an option too, but not the default
When you guys say "ads" do you mean stuff like "MW2 is coming out" or literally mcdonalds cheeseburger ads?
@Carck Both are ads.
@themightyant thank you for going out of your way to reply without answering the question.
@Carck I did. We mean both as they are both ads. Though I agree personally think one is more egregious than the other.
I get this doesn't bother many of you. But others don't like being force fed advertising on any expensive device's UI. Whether it's a tv UI, console UI or anything else. Especially slap in the middle of the home screen. Have it in the Store or somewhere else if you got to have it.
Sometimes they offer cheaper alternatives with ads e.g. Kindle. If that was an option it would be fine, but not to have an option sucks.
@Martsmall YouTube is a free platform because of ads , they aren't selling anything so that's where their money comes from , Microsoft , Sony & Nintendo all sell consoles , accessories , software & subscriptions what do you not understand about that lol
@themightyant I remember when playstation got bashed for having a forced let's sing ad on the ps3.
I agree with you though that ads should not be on something you've paid a premium for, even with Netflix, ads only appear on the cheapest service whilst the premium tier has no ads. Same will happen with Disney plus and amazon prime.
Also it's more intrusive when ads are on the home screen, id understand if it was on the gamepass app or microsoft store. Imagine if you got ads on your mobile phone home screen, there would be an uproar.
Also i don't believe Microsoft need these forced ads, Microsoft have more money than Sony and Nintendo combined, yet neither of them have ads.
I wouldn't even mind them adding a "no ads" perk for gamepass ultimate subscribers.
Or follow in the footsteps of playstation and nintendo and replace ads with news from various games/developers that you have Purchased/Followed. And if they still bother you then add an option to disable the news feed thus creating more space for your background or other games/apps that you want to add to the home menu. So when you boot up the xbox you see the last 10 games/apps used instead of the current 5.
I wish the Home Screen was like a windows phone where I could delete and add the windows I wanted to display.
As a brand new to XBoX user, I find the layout very lacking and kinda confusing.
I may get some hate, but the PS4 homepage layout is really nice.
@sixrings
I miss my old Nokia 920
I'm ok with ads as they are now. Not overly intrusive.
But do agree on the backgrounds at this moment are pointless as not see much of them at all. I've used achievement art for elder scrolls online. Can barely see or make it out.
@Would_you_kindly what don't you get about the fact that when things are free YOU are the product for sale
Remove ads and fix the achievement system.
@Martsmall xbox's aren't free neither are the games or playing online (not counting free to play games that are very heavily monetised) what are you on about 😂
@Spider-Kev The good thing about the PS4 dashboard is that it shows the wallpaper. The Xbox UI is the best of all, once you get used to it, but rows and most tiles should be optional, some are and you can rearrange them but some are always there and are big. The real Xbox UI is not tiles navigation but pressing the big X button on the controller and having all shortcuts there. You can make groups and arrange games and that's also nice. The bad reputation comes from the big tiles on the dashboard.
@Benjamin Agreed the achievements and the Ui tab for them need updated. Start with 4K images on the page and rework all the clutter. The Home Screen just needs to be trimmed down. It’s bulky and i don’t like when i open settings or accessories it goes to the front instead of the games. I just want all games and have settings etc etc, be their own place and not get in the row. 2 less adds and that should fix it. It’s so close to being perfect for me. Just cluttered and slightly annoying. That seems like a quick and easy fix if they want to go that route.
@Spider-Kev PS4 layout isn’t bad. I am not in love with my PS5 UI, its lacking and has some small but annoying things that make it feel bland and not fast. Xbox UI may take you time but you can customize it and it gets pretty snappy, even tho it needs work 😊
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