Microsoft is gearing up to showcase a brand new Xbox store for consoles in the near future, dubbed codename "Mercury." @WinCommunity over on Twitter managed to get a look at the new Xbox Store app first, showcasing the awesome fluent design and refreshed iconography to match apps like those found on PC and Project xCloud.
Now, we've been able to go hands-on with the app for ourselves, getting a deeper idea of where Microsoft is planning to take Xbox One and Xbox Series X consoles with their designs in the future.
The app takes solid cues from the Xbox (Beta) app and new Xbox Game Bar on PC, with rounded corners, a new, bolder font, and tons of acrylic blur. The UX is fully animated at every turn, which feels far more "fun" than the previous app, which is arguably clinical, designed primarily for functionality than the experience.
Every major Xbox Store feature we could think of remains present, including reviews, filters, trailers, screenshots, general database information, and more. It even extends to Microsoft's Movies & TV store, as well as the app store specifically for Xbox. Ironically, this is now a better app store than the Windows 10 PC Microsoft Store itself, which is in dire, desperately need of its own overhaul.
There's no word on when this new experience will come to Xbox consoles, but we have heard it's meant to be coming to Xbox One S, Xbox One X, and Xbox Series X as a single unified platform. Since this app leaked as part of the Xbox Alpha Ring test program recently, I'd suggest that it's nearer to public testing on the Xbox Insider Program rather soon.
What do you think of the new design? Would you like to see this sort of design overhaul hit the Microsoft Store on PC? Let us know in the comments.
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Jez Corden is a Senior Editor for Windows Central, focusing primarily on all things Xbox and gaming. Jez is known for breaking exclusive news and analysis as relates to the Microsoft ecosystem while being powered by caffeine. Follow on Twitter @JezCorden and listen to his Xbox Two podcast, all about, you guessed it, Xbox!
