The News, Explained
On November 5, Xbox announced a redesign for its Windows PC app, web experience, and cloud apps for TVs and VR headsets. The Windows changes start with Xbox Insiders, who test features ahead of wider release. The web design had an earlier public preview and will roll out automatically to more players over the next few weeks. Xbox points players who want to try the web design sooner to play.xbox.com. Source Source
On Windows, search now covers installed games and add-ons, and friends and chat are easier to reach from the main navigation. Xbox says the app launched up to 60% faster in its own testing. Results can vary with the device, connection, settings, and usage. The figure is for opening the app; the announcement gives no figure for streaming latency or in-game frame rates. Source
The new web Library tab groups eligible cloud games you own with cloud games from Game Pass. Cloud gaming runs the game on a remote server and streams the picture to your device while you control it. You can filter by recently played games, genre, or input options, and choose from five new high-contrast themes. Putting games in one list still leaves eligibility up to the title, region, device, and plan. Some free games work with a free Microsoft account in a supported region. Source Source
Xbox has also begun rolling out the new look and navigation to cloud gaming apps for supported TVs and VR headsets. The announcement gives no dates by model, so seeing the new design in a browser tells you little about when it will appear on your TV. A device’s support for cloud gaming and whether it has received the new interface are separate questions. Source Source
OYOPICK’s Take
Filtering by input on the web can help you start with the games that work with the controls you have. Since a game may launch on one device or plan and be unavailable on another, it would help to show why a game cannot start as clearly as the interface shows what is in your library. That would make it easier to decide whether to switch devices or choose something you can play right there. Source Source