Xbox has made a change to the dashboard and highlights exclusive games on the platform. The latest change follows a shift in Xbox's direction when it comes to game exclusivity.
A lot has changed on Xbox lately, from changes as small as social media's 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 attempt to address that issue and to reassure loyal Xbox fans that things will improve. This has included adjustments to how the company handles exclusive items, which is becoming even more apparent with this change.
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Xbox begins to highlight exclusive products
Xbox has now tweaked the dashboard to highlight exclusives in a couple of ways. A dedicated tab now shows the exclusive games available for Xbox consoles, and games that are exclusive have received a special label marking them as such on their thumbnails. The change was made quietly without any significant announcement, but it didn't take long for Xbox Series players to notice the change.
The tweak to the dashboard follows changes and announcements earlier in the year that the company would change how it would approach exclusive products going forward. In April 2026, Xbox acknowledged that it was considering a return 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 as Gears of War: E-Day will be an Xbox console exclusive, though Gears of War: Reloaded lands on PlayStation consoles. RPG Clockwork Revolution also comes with Xbox console exclusivity.
The new changes to the dashboard have been met with mixed reception from players. Some have admitted they are happy to see another sign of Xbox returning to a focus on exclusivity, as it gives more reason to own an Xbox, especially after the decline of the “This is an Xbox” campaign. However, others have been more critical, with some referring to the change as “desperate” or calling it “pointless fan service”. A significant number of players also pointed out that even though the games are “console exclusives”, they are still coming to PC as well, which they feel undermines the label. As Microsoft is a huge force in the PC industry, however, that seems unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Start
Guess the games from the emojis.
Light (120s) Medium (90s) Hard (60s)
Others have taken issue with Xbox in general due to its recent moves to lay off workers and close studios. In addition to layoffs that have already occurred in previous years, employees have been warned that a major wave of Xbox layoffs is expected in July, although it is not yet clear how many workers will leave the company. Meanwhile, Compulsion Games, developer of the award-winning South of midnightreportedly shutting down, while Double Fine (Psychonauts, Brutal legend) and Ninja Theory (Senua, DmC: Devil May Cry) is also on the list of planned closures. It's clear that a lot is brewing on Xbox at the moment, and more changes are expected throughout the year. It remains to be seen what players will think of the platform and its exclusive games once the dust settles.
