Microsoft is on the verge of releasing a newer version of its MSN website, and viewers must be using Windows 8 to view it in its entirety. The redesign of MSN will closely resemble the Windows 8 user interface, formerly known as Metro. The company plans for new MSN to go live on October 26, the same day Windows 8 hits store shelves.

In the Microsoft blog post that announced the new redesign, Microsoft stated that the new MSN will only be available to those running Windows 8 and Windows 8 RT. Metro MSN will be visible only through IE10, with no word on whether third-party browsers will ever be able to view the new site.

"When we saw what Windows 8 and IE 10 could make possible, we saw possibilities we had never before imagined. We thought deeply about how you could interact with MSN in an increasingly touch and tablet-friendly world. We envisioned something completely new and refreshing that would surprise and delight. Something built from the ground up that harnesses the new technical capabilities in Windows 8 and Internet Explorer 10."

The new design resembles Microsoft's News and Sports Windows 8 Modern UI applications. The whole look and feel of the new MSN shows Microsoft's efforts toward making content easier to navigate with a touch display.

It has been long said the current MSN was in a state of flux. Compared to other news sites like Google News and Yahoo News, MSN lagged behind in aesthetics. However, the website generates over 480 million visitors each month.