Quite a big deal was made by some about the Xbox Series X and S not getting a “new” dashboard. What those complaints failed to mention, however, was just how much the Xbox One dash has already changed, and how much Microsoft continues to update it. Case in point: Microsoft just dropped a big Xbox dashboard upgrade today that tweaks the “look and feel” of the Xbox One OS, and also adds support for themes. You read that correctly. Themes!
Here’s what Microsoft had to say:
“Fans will immediately notice a brand-new look and feel, making their consoles feel fresh and more approachable. Everyone can now customize their profiles with a variety of themes from Xbox and Xbox Game Studios. First time gamers will have an easier time getting started, thanks to some thoughtful improvements around Xbox Home and the Guide. And, we’ve added support for four new languages across the Xbox experience.”
If you’re picking up an Xbox Series X or S next month, what you’re seeing on your Xbox One now is a bit of a preview. This is the dash early testers of the Xbox Series consoles had access to. This is the dash Microsoft will ride forward into the next-gen. It’ll undoubtedly change over time — does anyone remember the original Xbox One dashboard? Hideous. But for now, this is what we’re working with. It’s actually really, really spiffy.
With this key puzzle piece now in place, there’s not much left for Microsoft to do other than launch the darn consoles. I am ready. All my characters in Destiny 2 are ready. Let’s do this.
If you’ve yet to receive the Xbox dashboard update, be sure to go into settings and visit the update section. You can force the update to start from there.