New Features Rolling Out for Xbox Users
This week, Discord is beginning to roll out some new features for Xbox users, bringing the console experience a little bit closer to the PC experience. The update will integrate Discord activity with the Xbox friends list, showing who’s chatting in Discord voice under the ‘happening now’ section. Xbox users will also be able to watch Discord streams directly from their Xboxes. Whether their friends are screen sharing from PC, mobile, or another Xbox, this feature will be available.
Streaming Capabilities and Direct Calls
It’s nice to be able to have a friend’s stream on in the background, but it is still uncertain how exactly this will work without another monitor. It’s not clear if watching a stream on the Xbox takes up your whole screen or if a windowed solution is in place. Additionally, Discord direct calls will be available to Xbox users. This feature allows for one-on-one conversation without needing to join a voice channel, which marks a significant improvement in flexibility and user experience.
Availability and Broader Impacts
These new features are available first to those in the Xbox Insiders program, with global availability expected to follow soon after. Discord continues to be the most popular way to communicate with fellow gamers. Despite various complaints over the years, it remains dominant and even resisted an acquisition attempt by Microsoft in 2021. As an avid user, I’ve leveraged Discord for activities ranging from coordinating raids in Everquest to watching friends achieve milestones in Dota 2. Hopefully, these new features will allow Xbox users to share and enjoy similar experiences more seamlessly. This marks a significant enhancement in ensuring multiplatform gamers can swap more smoothly between PC and Xbox.
Conclusion
In summary, the new Discord features rolling out for Xbox are set to enrich the gaming experience, making it more integrated and enjoyable. With the ability to monitor friends’ activities and streams, alongside the convenience of direct calls, Xbox users have much to look forward to. These updates illustrate a growing convergence between console and PC gaming communities, fostering greater interaction and connectivity among gamers.