Xbox Cloud Gaming’s new design teases the future of Xbox console UI | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Xbox Cloud Gaming’s new design teases the future of Xbox console UIComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...TechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingMicrosoftCloseMicrosoftPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All MicrosoftXbox Cloud Gaming’s new design teases the future of Xbox console UIMicrosoft says its new Xbox Cloud UI is the ‘foundation’ for new Xbox experiences.Microsoft says its new Xbox Cloud UI is the ‘foundation’ for new Xbox experiences.by Tom WarrenCloseTom WarrenSenior EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Tom WarrenJan 27, 2026, 11:05 AM UTCLinkShareGiftScreenshot by Tom Warren / The VergeTom WarrenCloseTom WarrenPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Tom Warren is a senior editor and author of Notepad, who has been covering all things Microsoft, PC, and tech for over 20 years.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.The new interface has a library section, too. Screenshot by Tom Warren / The VergeNew 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.”PreviousNext1/2The new Xbox Cloud Gaming UI with a rounded design. Screenshot by Tom Warren / The VergeThe 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. 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Microsoft is testing a refreshed web experience for Xbox Cloud Gaming, aiming to bring the interface closer to the familiar feel of an Xbox console. This redesign, currently available through a preview for Xbox Insiders, incorporates new animations such as a sliding dashboard and an animated Xbox icon. A key element is a revamped library section. According to Patrick Siu, principal product manager at Xbox, this new web experience “lays the foundation for accelerating our ability to build new experiences for players.” The team is actively seeking feedback on this updated UI before a broader rollout in the coming months, accessible via the new play.xbox.com site.