Microsoft Previews New Xbox One Features Coming in April

Microsoft Previews New Xbox One Features Coming in April

Beginning in April, Xbox One will receive a system update that adds 16-person Party chat, improvements for Xbox 360 games on Xbox One, and more. But if you’re on the Xbox One Preview program, you can check out an early version of this update starting today.

Here’s what’s coming in the April system update for Xbox One, and available now in preview.

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x360-games-on-one

Purchase Xbox 360 Backward Compatible games directly from the Xbox One.: A top request from gamers is being fulfilled: With this next update, you will be able to find and purchase Xbox 360 Backward Compatible games directly from the Xbox One console, just as you do with Xbox One games. Purchased Xbox 360 games automatically download to your console too.

party-twitch

Include Party Chat in Twitch broadcasts. I don’t use Twitch, but I am surprised to discover this wasn’t already possible. Microsoft explains: “If you are broadcasting from your console and in a party, you can invite other people to include their chat audio in your broadcast. If a member of your party declines, they’ll still be able to chat in the party; they just won’t be heard in the broadcast. Additionally, as the party leader, you have the option to mute a party member’s chat audio, even if they opted-in. You can also include party members on Windows 10 PCs in your Twitch broadcast.”

sound-output

Output a Party Chat to headset and speakers simultaneously.: Now you can configure Party Chat audio to play though a headset, speakers, or both. (You do so in Settings, Display & Sounds, Volume..)

game-dvr

Customize Game DVR recording time. Finally! Instead of being stuck with a 30 second recording time, as it is today, the Game DVR recording time will be configurable to 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 45 seconds, 1 minute, 3 minutes or 5 minutes. (You configure this in Settings, Preferences, Game DVR & Streaming.)

achs-in-oneguide

Track progress towards achievements in OneGuide. A new Achievements area in OneGuide will help you see all of your achievements and track your Achievement progress in real time. Previously, you had to snap the Achievements app to do this.

video-in-feed

Video playback in the Activity Feed. Now, you can view videos inline in the Activity Feed rather than having to leave the feed. There are pause, restart, and full-screen playback options, plus “Like.”

 

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