Not long ago, Xbox unveiled Xbox Labs, an initiative created by CEO Asha Sharma to research and explore new and emerging technologies across gaming. It is, of course, a direct response to the wave of AI modding and game mashups we’ve been seeing online, whether it’s Minecraft in Elden Ring, Halo in Fallout, or Skate in Call of Duty. Xbox has clearly seen these projects and is wondering how they could benefit the platform.
While nothing major has happened on that front yet, Xbox Labs is still in its infancy. Scott Van Vliet, who has been tasked with leading the initiative, recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to show off what he’s been cooking, and boy, does it tickle my nostalgia bone.
Van Vliet has shared footage of the original Xbox 360 Blades dashboard running in a web browser on his PC, alongside the NXE dashboard from 2008 and the Metro dashboard from 2011.
On X, Van Vliet stated: “I've been cooking up retro vibes in XBOX LABS. Tell @asha_shar and I your favorite era!”
I've been cooking up retro vibes in XBOX LABS. Tell @asha_shar and I your favorite era! pic.twitter.com/GOEUJzF6sWOctober 20, 2026
This actually prompted a response from Sharma, who quote replied: “Blades on web. Do we like this experiment?”
Could the Xbox 360 Blades dashboard actually return?
This isn’t the first time Sharma has mentioned the Blades dashboard, either. When she was first appointed as CEO, one of her earliest tweets asked fans if they “should bring the blade dashboard?” back, and yes, her wording was rather weird.
At the time, it seemed like just good PR, a way of letting fans know she was aware of the older days of Xbox. Now, however, this new Xbox Labs experiment is giving me, and many others, hope that maybe, next generation, we could get a more customizable dashboard experience.
Personally, I think dropping a retro Blades dashboard in honor of Xbox turning 25 years old would be pretty amazing. It’s probably a big ask, though, and I’m not sure how Xbox would fit the seemingly required ad spot onto a Blades dashboard.
That said, let me know: would you like to see the return of Blades, or do you have fond memories of a different dashboard? Let me know in the comments!
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