Xbox's New 'Play History' Tab: A Cloud Gaming Savior, or Just Another Icon Cluttering the Dashboard?
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
Xbox is adding a 'Play History' tab to its dashboard for easier access to cloud games, but gamers are wondering if they'll be able to disable it if they don't use cloud gaming. Will it be a useful addition or just another unwanted icon?
Right, so Xbox is fiddling with the dashboard *again*. This time, it's a new "Play History" tab designed to make cloud gaming a bit less of a faff. Fair dinkum, if you're deep in the cloud, it sounds kinda useful. Basically, instead of rooting around in your 'My Games and Apps' like you're searching for a lost sock, this new tab plonks your recently played cloud games right on the home screen.
Think of it like this: your main dashboard shows the games you've got installed on your console, and this new 'Play History' bit shows the games you've been streaming from the cloud. The icon itself will even show your four most recently streamed titles. Neat, eh?
According to a post on Xbox Wire (cheers to them for the info!), this is all about making the experience smoother for gamers on the go – especially with the ROG Xbox Ally (both the standard and the beefier 'X' version) hitting shelves later this year. It's all part of Microsoft's push for a seamless Play Anywhere experience, stretching across your Xbox Series X/S, PC, and now handheld devices. They're really going all-in on this 'gaming everywhere' thing, aren't they? (Wonder how long before they put it on toasters...).
Here's the rub though: what if you *don't* use cloud gaming? Are you stuck with a big, empty, grey box staring back at you from your home screen, mocking your physical game collection (or lack thereof)? That's the big question everyone's asking. No one wants a permanent reminder that they're not living in the futuristic, all-streaming utopia that some companies keep promising (and under-delivering on).
It also has to be said, the move by Microsoft comes as they expand their reach across different platforms, including putting games on PlayStation. While Xbox is looking to expand to Windows 11 handhelds, this recent development of a 'Play History' feature adds another device to the Xbox family.
The 'Play History' tab is currently only available for Xbox Insiders, so it's still early days. We reckon (that's Australian for 'think,' for any of you non-Down Under folk) it'll roll out in a couple of weeks, just in time for the ROG Xbox Ally launch. It’s like they're prepping the stage for their new cloud gaming star.
So, is this a genuinely helpful tweak to the Xbox UI, or just another bit of digital clutter? Time will tell, mate. But one thing's for sure: if they don't include an option to turn it off, there's going to be some serious grumbling online. And rightly so.
*Source: Game Rant*
Tags: Xbox, Cloud Gaming, UI, Dashboard, ROG Ally
Original article: Game Rant