Xbox September Update Adds Game Streaming to Discord and More

Microsoft has just announced the upcoming release of the Xbox September update for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles. The main new feature is the ability to stream games to Discord, but there are also more granular controls for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), a new Xbox voice reporting feature in select markets, and more.

Last year, the February Xbox update finally brought a native integration of Twitch streaming in the Xbox OS, something PlayStation players have been enjoying for years. While adding support for YouTube streaming seemed like the right thing to do next, Microsoft has teamed up with Discord instead.

Discord is quite different from Twitch or other streaming platforms where streams are public and anyone who knows the URL can watch. This new Discord streaming integration on Xbox offers a more private experience, allowing players to stream games in Discord servers or Direct Message calls.

Currently, streaming quality is restricted to 720p/30FPS, but you can stream in 1080p/60FPS if you subscribe to Discord Nitro. You can start streaming to a Discord server or direct message call by pressing the Xbox Guide, scrolling to Parties & chats, and selecting Discord.

The other big new feature in the Xbox September update is Xbox Voice reporting, which is now available in the U.S., UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. This feature lets players record a 60-second video clip of an in-game voice incident and then send it to the Xbox Safety team for examination. This feature only works with games that offer native multiplayer voice chat, meaning Xbox party chat conversations are not supported.

There are many other new features in the Xbox September update, and here are the highlights:

New Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) controls: Xbox Series X|S owners can now choose to disable VRR for entertainment experiences. In games, VRR aims to dynamically adjust your screen’s refresh rate to eliminate screen tearing and stuttering.

Rewards page: The Rewards page on user profiles now shows the Redeem Rewards catalog that’s currently available in the standalone Microsoft Rewards app.

Ask to join a game: From the Xbox Guide, there’s a new option to ask an Xbox friend to join a game instead of joining the game directly. Friends who receive the request will be able to respond back with a game invite, party invite, or message.

More Wish List notifications: You can now choose to be notified when games you’ve wishlisted are released or become available in Game Pass

New Pairing method: You can now pair new Xbox accessories right from the Xbox accessories, without having to press your console’s Pair button

Overall, that’s quite a lot of new features in this new Xbox system update. As of this writing, the September Xbox update isn’t available yet, but we invite you to check for updates on your console later today.