Cortana won’t arrive on the Xbox One until 2016

By David Nield October 3, 2015

Windows 10 Cortana menu — Greg Mombert/Digital Trends

Microsoft’s Cortana app won’t be making the jump to the Xbox One until 2016, according to the company’s Larry Hryb (aka Major Nelson). The digital assistant had previously been expected to arrive in the major software for the console update scheduled for November.

That update is still happening — and Microsoft continues to add more beta testers to the new Windows 10-powered Xbox One experience — but Cortana won’t be part of the mix this year unless you’re one of the early testers of the software. “For those who have asked about Cortana, our plan is to add Cortana to the Xbox One experience preview later this year,” says Hryb. “From there, we’ll ensure that the experience is tuned for gamers before we officially launch Cortana in 2016.”

Microsoft wants its digital assistant to follow you everywhere you go, hence its expansion from Windows Phone to Windows 10 desktops, Android, and iOS. After all, there’s no point putting reminders and important information in Cortana if the app isn’t around when you need it.

With Windows 10 code making up the core of the next Xbox One update, Cortana integration was a natural progression, and Microsoft has already shown off how the new app will work in several demos. It’s not certain what’s caused the delay but it sounds like it needs some tweaking before it’s ready for millions of gamers to start playing around with.

The new update due next month pares down the home screen interface, adds a trending section (to show off content popular on the Xbox network) and makes media content easier to navigate around. It’s also going to mark a broader roll-out for the backwards compatibility feature that lets you play a selection of older Xbox titles on the latest generation hardware. A revamped Xbox app for Windows 10 is also in the works.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Contributor

Dave is a freelance journalist from Manchester in the north-west of England. He's been writing about technology since the…

Gaming

You can’t share Xbox screenshots or videos directly to Twitter anymore

The Xbox Series S console on its side with controller.

It is no longer possible to upload and share screenshots and videos to Twitter from Xbox consoles or the Xbox Game Bar on PC. The move comes amid growing tensions between Microsoft and Twitter owner Elon Musk, who recently made a controversial change to the platform's API rules.
While Microsoft has not confirmed if this change is permanent, this disabling comes after Twitter rolled out new access tiers for its API, including an Enterprise tier that reportedly costs $42,000 a month. It seems that Microsoft has opted not to foot that bill, instead disabling Twitter's integration with Xbox on console and PC altogether.
Shortly after the feature was disabled, the official Xbox Twitter account posted a step-by-step process of how players could still get their Xbox screenshots and clips on Twitter by sharing them from the Captures menu in the Xbox mobile app. When asked by fans why the change occurred, all Microsoft would say is that "we've had to disable the ability to share game uploads directly to Twitter."
https://twitter.com/Xbox/status/1649198865961332737
So far, Xbox is the only console manufacturer to disable this feature, so we'll have to wait and see if Nintendo or PlayStation follow suit. Still, considering how common sharing screenshots and videos taken while playing a game has become on social media, it's a surprising change for Xbox to make.
If this is an intentional, permanent change, it also seems to indicate that Microsoft won't be playing ball with Elon Musk's Twitter changes. The two are currently in a social media war, as Microsoft will also be ending Twitter support on its advertising platform, while Musk teased that he might sue Microsoft. No longer being able to share screenshots or clips from one's Xbox to Twitter comes as a consequence of this feud.

Gaming

All Xbox One games with mouse and keyboard support

The protagonist of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla shouting in battle and wielding two axes.

While the last-gen Xbox One isn't as powerful as the Xbox Series X, it's still a worthwhile console and has a huge library of great games.

If you're looking to stay competitive while playing online multiplayer games versus next-gen console and PC players or are just looking to avoid some wonky console interface that's difficult to navigate, you may want to try using a keyboard and mouse with your Xbox One. A keyboard and mouse will give you better precision than your standard Xbox One controller so you can keep up in cross-platform games without shelling out money for a top gaming PC.

Gaming

Redfall won’t get its 60 fps Performance Mode until after launch

Players approach a vampire in Redfall.

Most games for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S let players choose between a Quality Mode that emphasizes resolution and a Performance Mode that ups the frame rate. While Redfall will eventually have both of those, it's only launching with one of them, and it's not the one you'd hope for from a fast-paced shooter.
Arkane Studios took to Redfall's official Twitter account to explain that the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S versions of the game will only have Quality Mode when the game comes out next month. The Xbox Series X version will run at 30 frames per second at a 4K resolution, while the Xbox Series S version shares that framerate at a lower 1440p resolution. Thankfully, the tweet does confirm that a 60 fps performance mode will come at a later date via an update.
https://twitter.com/playRedfall/status/1646158836103880708
This announcement is disappointing for console players who prefer higher framerates for their fast-paced action games. As Redfall is an intense open-world shooter with lots of combat with flashy effects, the game will potentially feel more sluggish than it should be to play at only 30 fps.
WB Games Montreal's Gotham Knights and Focus Interactive's A Plague Tale: Requiem got into similar hot water last year when they only supported 30 fps on consoles. While those games have not gotten 60 fps updates since their October 2022 launches, Redfall fans can take respite in the fact that the game will eventually get a Performance Mode patch post-launch. If only being able to play Redfall at 30 fps is that big of an issue for you, maybe put off playing it on Xbox Game Pass until that Performance Mode update releases.
Redfall will launch for PC, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S on May 2. The post-launch Performance Mode update does not have a specific launch date yet.