What you need to know
- Microsoft has announced that stories are coming to the Xbox app on iPhone and iPad.
- Players will be able to post clips and more to their stories.
- Stories are only available in Australia at launch.
Microsoft has today announced a new update to its Xbox app for iPhone and iPad that adds Stories to the mix. While only initially available to those in Australia, Xbox stories will be coming to more countries in the future.
The move was announced via a blog post that outlined the new feature, saying that it will allow gamers to "showcase your skills and keep up to date with your friends." The stories will function much the same way as stories that are already available in other apps, including Instagram. Microsoft says that Xbox stories will last for 72 hours and that they can include game clips, screenshots, and achievements.
The stories channel is located right on the home screen of the Xbox app. To create a story, click the + button on your gamertag located within the stories channel, and then select the game clip, screenshot, or achievement that you want to post from the gallery. Once selected, you will go to a story preview page where you can choose to add a caption to your post and then click the post button located on the bottom right. The stories channel shows content from the last 72 hours, and anything you share is also posted to your activity feed on your profile.
The same announcement also confirmed that Xbox consoles are gaining the ability to add a Quality of Service (QOS) tag to their network traffic. Doing that should allow modern routers and home networks to prioritize gaming traffic to ensure a lag-free experience.
Those who already have the Xbox app installed will likely see an update waiting for them, although only Australians are getting that new stories feature for now. Everyone else can download the app now — it's free.
