Microsoft has provided a more detailed look at a next-generation Xbox user interface spanning consoles, PCs, handheld devices and cloud gaming. The move signals a strategy to unify Xbox experiences that have been split by device into a single flow.

The Verge reported on May 7 that Microsoft reintroduced a unified Xbox UI screen by newly releasing video of its Xbox keynote at the Game Developers Conference in March.

The focus of the UI change is to bundle Xbox experiences offered across different devices into a more consistent form. As the Xbox platform has expanded to include consoles, a PC app, cloud gaming and handheld game devices, critics have pointed to significant differences in interface structure and user experience by device.

Jason Ronald (제이슨 로널드), vice president of next-generation at Xbox, said users who use Xbox across multiple devices had felt fragmentation and a lack of consistency. He said the goal is to deliver an Xbox feel that is familiar and clear no matter where people play.

The newly shown screen does not differ much from the existing UI in its overall frame, but changes in details were visible. The console home screen placed the user profile at the top right, and the number of ad slots at the bottom fell to 3 from 4. The handheld device screen also adopted a similar structure, reinforcing a unified feel.

By contrast, the Xbox app for PC appears to apply a design similar to the recently revamped Xbox cloud gaming interface. A new library area, rounded UI elements and animation effects were included, suggesting that console-centered design language is extending to the PC.

The industry views the change as directly linked to Microsoft's platform integration strategy. Microsoft has recently shifted strategy to focus more on subscription services, cloud games and expanding a Windows-based game platform than on console sales themselves.

There is also speculation that the new UI could be more closely connected with a Windows 11-based environment. In the latter part of the video, a screen believed to be a new Xbox Store appeared in a Windows 11 environment. Microsoft did not provide a detailed explanation, but there is an assessment that its direction to naturally connect the Xbox ecosystem, previously centered on consoles, with PC, cloud and handheld devices has become clearer.

Microsoft said it does not plan to apply a completely identical screen layout across all devices. Ronald said some UI differentiation would remain in consideration of screen size, input method and device characteristics. It means the company aims to provide a unified experience while reflecting each device's usage environment.

The disclosure is closer to showing a future direction than announcing a finished product. The timing of actual application and a detailed launch schedule have not been disclosed. Even so, the market is focusing on Microsoft's move to gradually break down boundaries between consoles, PCs, cloud and handheld devices at the UI level as it accelerates efforts to build a single integrated gaming platform.

The industry expects key points to watch in a future formal announcement will include how the Xbox Store will be integrated, the extent of Windows 11 linkage, and whether cloud gaming-centered features will be strengthened.