Xbox Cloud Gaming UI Getting Browser Update

Xbox Cloud Gaming is receiving a user interface (UI) update for browsers, with the new interface resembling what you would find on an Xbox console or the Xbox PC app. This update brings improved social and quality-of-life features, such as the ability to initiate a party chat directly from your browser.

The updated interface is currently in preview for Xbox Insiders. A video shared by The Verge editor Tom Warren showcases some of the key details of the revamped browser interface, which now mirrors the navigation found on an Xbox console.

Similar to the Xbox console’s guide, the new UI provides quick access to features like starting a party chat and easily returning to recently played games. The browser-based guide streamlines the process of jumping back into your games, offering shortcuts to your most recently played game and a list of recently played titles.

One standout feature of the updated UI is the ability to start an Xbox party chat directly from your browser, with a convenient shortcut available on the default page. While Xbox Cloud Gaming already supports Xbox party chat, the current method requires players to be in-game to initiate the chat, which closes once the game is exited. With this upgrade, players can maintain an active chat while switching between games.

In addition to social features like messaging and an accessible friends list, the new UI also allows users to access the menu at any point in the interface, even while in-game. However, Microsoft has not provided a specific timeline for when these features will be widely available to all Xbox Cloud Gaming users, as it is currently exclusive to Xbox Insiders. Some features, like text chat, are still in development, and Xbox party chat is not yet supported on Xbox Cloud Gaming for Smart TVs.