diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/pages/index.astro b/apps/frontend/src/pages/index.astro
index 9fb3425..7b4ff2e 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/pages/index.astro
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/pages/index.astro
@@ -170,33 +170,48 @@ const YOUTUBE_CHANNEL_ID = import.meta.env.YOUTUBE_CHANNEL_ID;
       <!-- Latest YouTube Video -->
       <section class="mb-16">
         <div 
-          class="youtube-widget-container" 
+          class="yt-featured-wrapper group" 
           id="youtubeWidget" 
           data-api-key={YOUTUBE_API_KEY} 
           data-channel-id={YOUTUBE_CHANNEL_ID}
         >
-          <div class="widget-header">
-            <div class="yt-icon"></div>
-            <span class="widget-label">Latest Video</span>
-            <div class="live-dot" title="Automatically updates"></div>
+          <!-- Decorative Glow -->
+          <div class="yt-glow"></div>
+          
+          <div class="yt-header-area">
+            <div class="flex items-center gap-3">
+              <div class="yt-status-blob">
+                <div class="yt-status-dot"></div>
+              </div>
+              <span class="yt-label-text">Latest from YouTube</span>
+            </div>
+            <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@teletypegames" target="_blank" class="yt-channel-link">
+              Visit Channel ↗
+            </a>
           </div>
 
-          <div class="yt-card">
-            <div class="player-wrap" id="playerWrap">
-              <div class="state-overlay" id="stateOverlay">
-                <div class="spinner"></div>
-                <div class="state-text">Loading video...</div>
+          <div class="yt-content-grid">
+            <div class="yt-player-container">
+              <div class="player-wrap" id="playerWrap">
+                <div class="state-overlay" id="stateOverlay">
+                  <div class="spinner"></div>
+                </div>
               </div>
             </div>
 
-            <div class="meta" id="metaBox" style="display:none;">
-              <div class="video-title" id="videoTitle">–</div>
-              <div class="meta-row">
-                <span class="meta-chip" id="publishDate">📅 –</span>
-                <span class="meta-chip" id="viewCount">👁 –</span>
-                <span class="new-badge">New</span>
-                <a class="yt-link" id="ytLink" href="#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
-                  Watch on YouTube ↗
+            <div class="yt-info-sidebar" id="metaBox" style="display:none;">
+              <div class="mb-auto">
+                <span class="yt-new-tag">New Release</span>
+                <h3 class="yt-video-title" id="videoTitle">–</h3>
+                <div class="yt-stats-row">
+                  <span id="publishDate">📅 –</span>
+                  <span id="viewCount">👁 –</span>
+                </div>
+              </div>
+              
+              <div class="mt-6">
+                <a id="ytLink" href="#" target="_blank" class="yt-play-button">
+                  <span class="text-xl">▶</span> Watch on YouTube
                 </a>
               </div>
             </div>
@@ -401,78 +416,71 @@ const YOUTUBE_CHANNEL_ID = import.meta.env.YOUTUBE_CHANNEL_ID;
     @apply text-gray-600 mb-6 flex-grow leading-relaxed;
   }
 
-  /* YouTube Widget */
-  .youtube-widget-container {
-    --yt-accent: #ff0000;
-    --bg-card: #181818;
-    --bg-meta: #1f1f1f;
-    --text-primary: #f1f1f1;
-    --text-secondary: #aaaaaa;
-    --border: rgba(255,255,255,0.08);
-    --radius: 12px;
-    @apply w-full max-w-4xl mx-auto;
+  /* YouTube Featured Wrapper */
+  .yt-featured-wrapper {
+    @apply relative overflow-hidden bg-gradient-to-br from-slate-900 via-slate-900 to-indigo-950 rounded-3xl shadow-2xl border border-slate-800 p-6 md:p-8;
+  }
+  
+  .yt-glow {
+    @apply absolute -top-24 -right-24 w-96 h-96 bg-indigo-500/10 rounded-full blur-[100px] pointer-events-none;
   }
 
-  .youtube-widget-container .widget-header {
-    @apply flex items-center gap-2.5 mb-5;
-  }
-  .youtube-widget-container .yt-icon {
-    @apply w-7 h-5 bg-[#ff0000] rounded-[5px] flex items-center justify-center flex-shrink-0;
-  }
-  .youtube-widget-container .yt-icon::after {
-    content: '';
-    @apply border-l-[10px] border-l-white border-t-[6px] border-t-transparent border-b-[6px] border-b-transparent ml-0.5;
-  }
-  .youtube-widget-container .widget-label {
-    @apply text-[11px] font-semibold tracking-[0.12em] uppercase text-gray-500;
-  }
-  .youtube-widget-container .live-dot {
-    @apply w-[7px] h-[7px] rounded-full bg-[#ff0000] ml-auto animate-pulse;
+  .yt-header-area {
+    @apply flex items-center justify-between mb-6 relative z-10;
   }
 
-  .youtube-widget-container .yt-card {
-    background: var(--bg-card);
-    border: 1px solid var(--border);
-    border-radius: var(--radius);
-    @apply overflow-hidden shadow-xl;
+  .yt-status-blob {
+    @apply w-3 h-3 bg-red-500/20 rounded-full flex items-center justify-center;
+  }
+  .yt-status-dot {
+    @apply w-1.5 h-1.5 bg-red-500 rounded-full animate-pulse;
+  }
+  .yt-label-text {
+    @apply text-xs font-bold uppercase tracking-widest text-slate-400;
+  }
+  .yt-channel-link {
+    @apply text-xs font-semibold text-indigo-400 hover:text-indigo-300 transition-colors;
   }
 
-  .youtube-widget-container .player-wrap {
-    @apply relative w-full aspect-video bg-black;
+  .yt-content-grid {
+    @apply flex flex-col lg:flex-row gap-8 relative z-10;
   }
-  .youtube-widget-container .player-wrap :global(iframe) {
+
+  .yt-player-container {
+    @apply flex-[1.6] overflow-hidden rounded-2xl border border-white/5 shadow-inner bg-black;
+  }
+  .yt-player-container .player-wrap {
+    @apply relative w-full aspect-video;
+  }
+  .yt-player-container .player-wrap :global(iframe) {
     @apply w-full h-full border-none block;
   }
 
-  .youtube-widget-container .state-overlay {
-    @apply absolute inset-0 flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-4 bg-black;
-  }
-  .youtube-widget-container .state-overlay :global(.spinner) {
-    @apply w-9 h-9 border-4 border-white/10 border-t-[#ff0000] rounded-full animate-spin;
-  }
-  .youtube-widget-container .state-text {
-    @apply text-[13px] text-[#aaaaaa] text-center px-6;
+  .yt-info-sidebar {
+    @apply flex-1 flex flex-col justify-center;
   }
 
-  .youtube-widget-container .meta {
-    padding: 1.1rem 1.25rem;
-    background: var(--bg-meta);
-    border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
+  .yt-new-tag {
+    @apply inline-block px-2 py-1 bg-red-500/10 text-red-400 border border-red-500/20 rounded-md text-[10px] font-black uppercase tracking-tighter mb-4;
   }
-  .youtube-widget-container .video-title {
-    @apply text-[15px] font-semibold leading-[1.4] text-[#f1f1f1] mb-1.5 truncate;
+
+  .yt-video-title {
+    @apply text-2xl font-black text-white mb-4 leading-tight group-hover:text-indigo-200 transition-colors;
   }
-  .youtube-widget-container .meta-row {
-    @apply flex items-center gap-3 flex-wrap;
+
+  .yt-stats-row {
+    @apply flex gap-4 text-sm text-slate-400 font-medium;
   }
-  .youtube-widget-container .meta-chip {
-    @apply text-[12px] text-[#aaaaaa] flex items-center gap-1;
+
+  .yt-play-button {
+    @apply flex items-center justify-center gap-2 w-full py-4 bg-white text-slate-900 font-black rounded-xl transition-all hover:scale-[1.02] hover:bg-indigo-50 active:scale-95 shadow-xl;
   }
-  .youtube-widget-container .new-badge {
-    @apply text-[10px] font-bold tracking-[0.08em] bg-[#ff0000] text-white px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded uppercase;
+
+  .yt-player-container .state-overlay {
+    @apply absolute inset-0 flex items-center justify-center bg-slate-950;
   }
-  .youtube-widget-container .yt-link {
-    @apply ml-auto text-[12px] text-[#ff0000] no-underline font-medium opacity-85 transition-opacity hover:opacity-100;
+  .yt-player-container .state-overlay :global(.spinner) {
+    @apply w-10 h-10 border-4 border-white/5 border-t-indigo-500 rounded-full animate-spin;
   }
 </style>
 
@@ -529,7 +537,9 @@ const YOUTUBE_CHANNEL_ID = import.meta.env.YOUTUBE_CHANNEL_ID;
 
     if (!playerWrap || !API_KEY || !CHANNEL_ID) {
       if (playerWrap && (!API_KEY || !CHANNEL_ID)) {
-        showError('Missing YouTube API key or Channel ID.');
+        if (stateOverlay) {
+          stateOverlay.innerHTML = `<div class="text-slate-500 text-xs">Missing API Configuration</div>`;
+        }
       }
       return;
     }
@@ -537,8 +547,8 @@ const YOUTUBE_CHANNEL_ID = import.meta.env.YOUTUBE_CHANNEL_ID;
     function showError(msg) {
       if (stateOverlay) {
         stateOverlay.innerHTML = `
-          <div class="text-2xl">⚠️</div>
-          <div class="text-[13px] text-[#aaaaaa] text-center px-6">${msg}</div>`;
+          <div class="text-xl mb-2">⚠️</div>
+          <div class="text-[11px] text-slate-500 text-center px-4 font-bold uppercase tracking-tighter">${msg}</div>`;
       }
     }