Microsoft revealed a new Xbox Store in a blog post on Monday. The rebuild app will provide a “faster, safer, and easier” experience to users and addresses many of the previous ailments of the app. Rather than a typical app update, this is a major overhaul of the store in aspects such as design, functionality, and overall user experience.
Microsoft has said the new store for Xbox is to be “twice as fast as before.” It also claims the app’s loading time will be under two seconds, which is blazingly fast! Once you are in the app, the changed interface makes the experience more intuitive.
There is a “fully redesigned navigation system” that will allow users to search, discover, connect, and shop in the store. The side panel is similar to the Xbox app for PC and looks more comfortable to navigate using the Xbox controller. The “redesigned search functionality” makes finding specific games, DLC, apps, movies, and TV shows more accessible. Users can also view trailers inline to review information at a glance, and there is also an autoplay option for the trailers.
There are small considerate steps taken by Microsoft, which add to the functionality of the navigation system. For example, a new “recently viewed” section will list the games a user was browsing and maybe would like to view again. Admittedly, many press the wrong buttons or forget to wishlist games they want to look at afterward. The store also allows for a more straightforward addition to the Wish List and reviews sales pricing.
The revamped review process shows more details about the title without digging deeper. Users can now review the pricing of various editions or deals on a comparison screen to make it easier to analyze and choose before purchase. The updated shopping cart makes it easier to add and view the items in your cart before and during purchase. The store also lists prices for backward-compatible titles and allows adding them to the Wish List or the shopping cart just as quickly.
Microsoft has also taken added measures because families and children could be accessing the store. Without signing in with an Xbox account, users can no longer navigate the store. Signing in will also personalize the store experience based on personal details, preferences, and browsing actions. The store will filter out disappropriate content for children to ensure their safety for concerned parents. The updated store will also apply content filters even when there are multiple users.
The new Microsoft Store for Xbox will be available to all users this fall. The upcoming Xbox Series X will probably come with this version of the store as the console will also release in the fall. Xbox Insiders will be getting to test and provide feedback on the new store from August 5 onwards.
Microsoft has also added more anticipation by saying that the new Microsoft Store on Xbox is just the first of many updates they will be rolling out in the coming weeks, “all built to keep the gamer at the center of the entire gaming experience.”
