Xbox begins testing 'Game Hubs', which adds new dashboards for every game

Microsoft has begun testing for Xbox Game Hubs, a new feature that would allow players to access stat tracking, capture tools, settings, and social features in a centralized dashboard for each title.

As highlighted by The Verge's Tom Warren, the feature is currently available to select users in the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring, where early feedback is gathered before a broader rollout. When launching a game from the home screen, instead of jumping straight into the game, players are now taken to a Game Hub panel that includes details like playtime and achievement progress, screenshots and media captures, and social information about friends who play the game.

This interface appears in multiple locations across the Xbox dashboard, including the home screen, game library, and pins list, but it notably does not appear when launching games via the Guide menu or Quick Resume.

One of the more divisive elements of Game Hubs is the added button press. Rather than instantly launching into a game with a single tap of the A button, players now land on this intermediate screen and must press A again to actually start playing. The Play button has been pushed to the bottom of the screen, and for users who value speed and minimal friction, this could become an annoyance - especially for those who don't care about stats or social integrations.

Still, for players who like to track progress, manage add-ons, or dip into community content, the new hub might offer a useful consolidation of features that were previously scattered across menus.

Microsoft hasn't confirmed whether this feature will roll out to all users or how customizable it will be, but will continue in Alpha testing for now.

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