Microsoft rolls out a clever PC-centered feature to Xbox users
Game Hubs gives you all the vital information right from the start screen
😮 Microsoft is testing a new feature for the Xbox UI, designed to give you more information about your game before you launch it
👏 The 'Game Hubs' tab is being tested by Xbox Insiders, and can provide information such as achievements, captures and more
👉 To get straight into the game, you can double-tap from the ensuing menu
🤔 This follows on from further potential PC integration into the Xbox system, such as the mockup of a UI that featured Steam, and the long-rumoured Xbox handheld console
Microsoft is currently rolling out a small but important feature to Xbox Insiders that changes the way the UI looks when you launch a game.
Microsoft is calling the feature 'Game Hubs', which puts information such as statistics, achievements and game add-ons on the start screen, in the same way that the Xbox app currently does on PC.
The feature is currently being tested by a random selection of Alpha and Alpha Skip-Ahead Xbox Insiders who will see the new start screen when they boot a game.
Microsoft says Game Hubs will appear whenever you select a game from your installed games or recently played lists, and it shows key information such as your own statistics, achievements, recent captures, in-game events and more. Microsoft also said that the system will default to the play button if you just want to get into your game as quickly as possible.
Players who just want to get into a game without delay also have the option to turn Game Hubs off, providing an element of choice. If you end up seeing something different in any preview you see of the Game Hubs feature, don't be alarmed, as Microsoft is testing a few different layouts. Users are also being encouraged to share feedback to Microsoft for future refinement.
This isn't the first time that a PC-focused feature has made its way to Xbox, whether on purpose or accidentally, as Steam integration also made a premature appearance in a recent Microsoft blog post, while adding Xbox games to PS5 seems to be paying off for Microsoft judging by the PlayStation Store pre-order charts.
Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.
