Fans Are Sorely Disappointed By The Latest Xbox Series X News

The old adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" can be applied in many areas. Usually, it's a good idea to continue to build and improve on the stuff that already works, particularly when dealing with a popular product or service. However, if you ask a lot of Xbox fans, it appears as though they wish that Microsoft would try fixing one thing about its consoles. 

According to Tom Warren of The Verge, Microsoft has no plans to dramatically alter the Xbox Series X's dashboard when compared to that of the Xbox One. In a tweet that has since picked up quite a response, Warren wrote, "Microsoft is adding some additional stuff in for the console features, but the UI and dash will be the same. Speed and perf will also be improved."

While the news of speed and performance seeing an improvement is definitely welcome, the rest of this news was not as well received by Xbox fans. Many people apparently have issues with the way the Xbox One's dashboard is laid out and its general functionality. The idea that the upcoming Xbox Series X will retain the same user interface has been seen as a major disappointment for several people.

One user tweeted, "Thats very disappointing ... This is supposed to be next gen! And it's supposed to be different." This person also expressed that they had originally been planning to purchase an Xbox Series X, but that this latest news had them rethinking that idea.

Some other fans expressed a preference for the older UI that was present in the Xbox 360 era, with some feeling that it was much more user-friendly than the current dashboard. As Twitch streamer UltraViolence put it, "I still miss the 360 dashboard of the MW2 era. It was super convenient for parties and inviting friends and looked nice. Every dash since has felt cluttered and annoying."

However, Tom Warren has pointed out that the fact that the dash will remain the same between consoles doesn't mean that there won't be tweaks and improvements in the months and years to come. He mentioned that there are regular updates made to the dashboard, so there's still a chance that there could be an overhaul in the future. As it stands now, it seems that Microsoft wants to ease people into the next console generation by providing them with a user interface that feels relatively familiar to current customers.

Warren doesn't rule out the possibility of major updates, however. He tweeted, "there's no big dash redesign planned [as far as I know], just minor changes. Any changes will be rolled out to Xbox One in the coming months in prep for Series X."

Other users have come to Microsoft's defense, pointing out that a similar user interface isn't enough to write off the new console's advancements. One user compared the situation to the release of a new mobile phone model. They mentioned that iPhones have had largely the same UI for years and they continue to see successful sales.

In stark contrast to this news, Sony has revealed that the PlayStation 5 will feature a completely redesigned dashboard. While the PS5's dashboard has not been fully shown off yet, there have been a few exciting teases made in regards to the new console's UI. As explained by Sony's Matt MacLaurin, the PS5's dashboard features "a whole new visual language and a complete rearchitecting of the user interface." 

He furthermore explained that the PS5 dashboard has been redesigned to be "more subtle than flashy, but no pixel is untouched."

In other words, it sounds the PS5's user interface should be rather easy to navigate and a bit more intuitive than the one on the PlayStation 4. This is exciting news for fans who are still grasping for new information since last week's Future of Gaming event. Although the design of the PlayStation 5 and its Digital Edition counterpart were finally revealed to the general public, there are still plenty of questions about the console's overall functionality.

It's no surprise that people are reacting so passionately to this latest Xbox news. After all, the start of a new console generation always leads to people drawing a line in the sand. Some people, like PewDiePie, have expressed feeling less than enthusiastic about next gen games. It will be interesting to see how many Xbox faithfuls are swayed by the lack of a new dashboard. Although the battle is still brewing for the next console generation, we now know one more tantalizing difference to note between the two major systems.