Microsoft is looking to make it easier for Xbox Series X|S players to stream through Twitch directly from the console’s guide in an upcoming update.
The details were initially revealed by Larry ‘Major Nelson’ Hryb on Twitter. The Twitch integration which Microsoft is calling “Console Live Streaming” makes it more direct to stream from the console. The new feature is currently available in the latest update for Alpha and Skip-Ahead alpha Xbox testers, which will be available to the public in an upcoming update.
The Xbox Series X|S Twitch integration will allow players to adjust game audio or microphone volume, which includes party audio. You’ll also be able to see a list of viewers watching your stream and how long your stream session actually is. If you’re looking to get a camera setup going on console, most USB plug-in webcams are supported by Microsoft as a camera option for Twitch streaming on Xbox Series X|S.
In addition, players will have a choice to switch resolution and bitrates. At the lowest, Xbox players will be able to stream at 360p at 500kbps while the highest is up to 1080p at 6500kbps. Before the update, Xbox owners were required to download the Twitch app in order to stream their console on the platform. Now Xbox players won’t have to take that extra step with the console’s new Twitch integration.
Twitch was previously integrated through the Xbox One dashboard in 2014 using the original Snap interface which allowed players to stream directly to the service. The integration was removed back in 2017 which was more than a year after Microsoft started up their own game streaming service, Mixer which the company officially shut down last year.
That’s the major news of the upcoming update but additionally, Insiders are also able to play Xbox Series X|S games on Xbox One through Xbox cloud gaming. A date of when the update will be available to the public hasn’t been officially confirmed but hopefully it will drop sometime next month.
