Xbox has made a change to the dashboard, highlighting exclusive games on the platform. The recent change follows a change in the direction of Xbox regarding game exclusivity.
A lot has shifted at Xbox recently, ranging from changes as minor as social media rebranding from Xbox to XBOX, to as significant as overhauls of Microsoft’s gaming division, leading to layoffs. The console has struggled in recent years, and changes are being made in an effort to tackle that problem and to reassure loyal Xbox fans that matters will improve. This has included adjustments to how the company handles exclusives, which is becoming even more apparent with this change.
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Xbox Starts Highlighting Exclusives
Xbox has now adjusted the dashboard to highlight exclusives in a couple of ways. A dedicated tab now displays the exclusives available for Xbox consoles, and games that are exclusive have received a special label branding them as such on their thumbnails. The change was made quietly with no significant announcement, but it didn’t take Xbox Series gamers long to notice the shift.
The adjustment to the dashboard follows changes and announcements earlier in the year that the company would change how it would approach exclusives going forward. In April 2026, Xbox acknowledged that it was considering shifting back to focusing on exclusive first-party games, and followed that up in June with an announcement that Xbox exclusivity would be determined on a case-by-case basis. It was confirmed around the same time that Gears of War: E-Day will be an Xbox console exclusive, despite Gears of War: Reloaded landing on PlayStation consoles. RPG Clockwork Revolution is also arriving with Xbox console exclusivity.
The new changes to the dashboard have been met with mixed reception from gamers. Some have acknowledged that they’re glad to see another sign of Xbox returning to a focus on exclusivity, as it gives more reason to own an Xbox, especially following the “This is an Xbox” campaign blowback. Others, however, have been more critical, with some referring to the change as “desperate” or calling it “pointless fan service.” A significant number of gamers also pointed out that while the games are “console exclusive,” they’re still coming to PC as well, which they feel undermines the label. With Microsoft being a massive force in the PC industry, however, that seems unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Easy (120s)Medium (90s)Hard (60s)
Others have taken issue with Xbox in general due to its recent moves in laying off workers and closing studios. In addition to layoffs that have already occurred in prior years, employees have been warned that a major Xbox layoff wave is expected in July, though it’s not clear yet how many workers will be exiting the company. Meanwhile, Compulsion Games, developer of award-winning South of Midnight, is reportedly being shut down, while Double Fine (Psychonauts, Brutal Legend) and Ninja Theory (Senua, DmC: Devil May Cry) are also allegedly on the list of planned closures. Clearly, a lot is currently brewing at Xbox, and more changes are expected throughout the year. It remains to be seen what gamers’ opinions are of the platform and its exclusive games once the dust settles.