Xbox Friend Requests Finally Reintroduced After a Decade

Xbox Revives Friend Requests: A Decade-Long Wait Ends

Xbox has finally reinstated the much-requested friend request system, ending a ten-year absence. This highly anticipated feature returns to the platform, addressing a long-standing community plea.

Celebrating a Two-Way Friendship System

Xbox's announcement, shared via blog and X (formerly Twitter), marks a significant shift from the previous decade's passive social system. "We're thrilled to announce the return of friend requests," declared Xbox Senior Product Manager Klarke Clayton. The new system reintroduces the ability to send, accept, or decline friend requests via the console's People tab, establishing a two-way, invite-based friendship.

Moving Beyond the "Follow" System

The Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S previously utilized a "follow" system, allowing users to view activity feeds without mutual consent. While fostering an open social environment, this lacked the control and intentionality of friend requests. The ambiguity between friends and followers often led to confusion.

The "follow" function remains, enabling one-way connections for following content creators or communities. Existing friends and followers will be automatically categorized under the new system. "You'll remain friends with those who also added you, and continue following those who didn't," Clayton clarified.

Prioritizing Privacy and Control

Microsoft emphasizes privacy. New privacy and notification settings accompany the friend request feature, allowing users to control who can send requests, who can follow them, and which notifications they receive. These settings are accessible within the Xbox settings menu.

Positive Community Response

The announcement has been met with overwhelmingly positive feedback on social media. Users are expressing excitement, highlighting the previous system's shortcomings. Some users humorously admitted they were unaware of the feature's absence.

While catering to social players, the update doesn't diminish the appeal of solo gaming. The best victories often come from individual effort.

Early Access and Future Rollout

A precise release date for the full rollout hasn't been announced. However, given the strong community demand, a full release is highly anticipated. Xbox Insiders on consoles and PC are currently testing the feature. Xbox's tweet promises more details on the full rollout later this year.

Join the Xbox Insiders program for early access. Download the Xbox Insider Hub on your Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, or Windows PC to participate.