Xbox has started putting in some real work to make a comeback in the console race under the leadership of Asha Sharma. The company recently gave physical game discs a digital future at a time when PlayStation is preparing to move away from physical media starting in 2028. It also picked up Hideo Kojima’s PHYSINT after Sony decided to walk away from the project.
Microsoft has also been making changes to the console experience itself. Xbox has now released another batch of features for members of the Xbox Insider program, including better Remote Play quality, background downloads during cloud gaming, more personalization options, and improvements to party chat.
Remote Play is getting a quality boost
Xbox Series X and Series S owners in the Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha Insider rings can now test Remote Play at up to 1440p resolution. Microsoft has also increased video bitrates, which should result in sharper image quality on supported devices and sufficiently fast connections.
Downloads can now continue in the background when a player is streaming a game through Xbox Cloud Gaming, provided network conditions allow it. Microsoft previously let Insiders start streaming games while they were downloading or updating, but downloads would not continue in the background during the cloud session. Xbox Series X and S consoles are expected to see the biggest benefit from the change.
Xbox is adding more customization too
Players can now choose their console startup animation, including options from previous Xbox generations. Profiles can display up to five earned badges, and individual badges can be hidden from public view. A new local search tool also makes it easier to find specific games and achievements inside larger lists.
Voice Clarity is another useful addition. The feature reduces everyday background noise during party chat and is supported by most games released since 2020. Microsoft is also testing behind-the-scenes changes to improve party reliability and security.
These features are currently limited to Xbox Insiders, and Microsoft has not announced when all of them will reach the wider Xbox user base.
