Retro gamers rejoice! Xbox Series X has a surprise for you
Xbox Series X May update sees the return of the original Xbox background
Fans of the original Xbox will get the option to add a dynamic background to their Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S that's a throw back to the glowing green orb of Microsoft first games console.
Dynamic themes are one of the many differences between the Xbox One and the newest generation of Xbox consoles, and a fun way to spruce up the dashboard. The Xbox May update has rolled out a couple of new themes, including the original Xbox dashboard animation.
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For those of you who are too young to recall what that looked like, imagine a gently pulsating neon green blob and you've got it.
Xbox insiders can now access the original Xbox dashboard animation as a dynamic background called "The Original" pic.twitter.com/Nvh6D8iw2XMay 11, 2021
The dynamic theme accompanies the new Motes pattern that you can access in your console's dynamic background settings. The Verge's Tom Warren shared a peek at the throwback background, dubbed The Original, which is sure to deliver a hit of nostalgia for those of you who have been Xbox fans from the very beginning.
Weirdly, the dynamic theme situation is the opposite on Sony's console. The PS4 offered a huge range of dynamic themes, but they're glaringly absent from the PS5. For those of us who like to switch up our dashboard every now and then, the decision is an infuriating one.
The Xbox May update isn't just about aesthetics. The patch is full of all sorts of useful upgrades, including a refinement of the Quick Resume feature. You can now see which games are ready to launch from Quick resume, making it much more intuitive.
If you're still waiting on a next-gen console, head over to our Xbox Series X stock tracker. If you're an Xbox Insider, you might have more luck than the average Joe gamer; it turns out that members of the program will be able to reserve both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S through the Insider hub. So if you were looking for ways to skip the queue, you can sign up and see how you get on.
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Shabana is T3's News Editor covering tech and gaming, and has been writing about video games for almost a decade (and playing them since forever). As well as contributing to Tom's Guide, she's had bylines at major gaming sites during her freelance career before settling down at T3, and has podcasts, streaming, and video content under her belt to boot. Outside of work, she also plays video games and should really think about expanding her hobbies.