Microsoft has just announced the new Xbox One Stereo Headset, which plugs into the control pad and is also compatible with other phones and tablets. The Stereo Headset Adapter which will allow players to use other third party stereo headsets on the Xbox One has also been confirmed, and both bits of kit will be available from March with the headset costing $79.99, while the adapter will cost $24.99.
Also announced today were the updates scheduled for March which will improve the multiplayer and party options for the console. As written on Major Nelson’s blog, these are as follows:
- Get to your friends list faster. The friends list will be front and center on the homepage of the Friends app. Click the Social tile on Home, or say “Xbox, go to Friends” to see who’s online and what they’re up to. From there you can quickly send messages and get into a party.
- Party chat will be turned on by default. When you party up, chat audio will be turned on by default.
- Chat with friends playing different games. Party chat will be separated from people playing your game, so you can chat with your friends who are online or you can chat with everyone playing the game.
- We’re adding an “Invite friends to game” option to your multiplayer titles moving forward. Similar to Xbox 360 titles, this will appear inside a games’ menu and offer a simple and quicker way to set up your multiplayer battles. Selecting “Invite friends” will let you invite friends to your game and party.
- We’re adding “Recent Players.” This is a simple list that shows you Xbox Live members you’ve recently played with, making it easier to stay in touch with people, or add new friends after your multiplayer battles.
A lot of those updates look like they should have been part of the console at the start, and I wasn’t even aware some of them weren’t.
Update 13/02: Apologies for the belated alterations, but the list of changes has been altered to a duplicate of that posted on Major Nelson’s blog. As noted in the comments below, what commonly called “cross game chat” did work previously, so these are improvements to the party chat system rather than something wholly new.
Blair Inglis
So the Xbox One didn’t have Cross Game Chat? What?
Aran Suddi
I know. Genuinely surprising.
beeje13
No way! How come they kept that one quiet.
In other news, the ‘login to reply’ buttons have stopped working for me since about a week ago. Thought it was just on my tablet but its just happened again on my desktop. Only a minor issue, but I have to log in on the homepage instead.
Starman
Cross game chat, lol I think they put that in as a joke.
leeroye
$24.99 for a simple audio adapter, LMAO. Id want a complete headset for that money.
SLUMMO316
It already has cross game chat. A few days ago I was playing tomb raider while another friend was playing forza 5 and another was on battlefield 4
Bilbo_bobbins
cross game chat no there on xbox? What the hell lol.
Also Microsoft love the old adaptor crap don’t they.
SLUMMO316
There is cross game chat
bunimomike
Might need to check your sources, guys. (meant nicely)
From the link you provided:
Party chat will be turned on by default. When you party up, chat audio will be turned on by default.
SLUMMO316
At last someone with a brain
BullyBurton
Erm….been chatting to friends across various games since launch. Unless by cross game chat they mean the private chat function across games which is basically party chat restricted to two persons.
Nice to see they are listening to feedback though. A screenshot function would be nice, Upload Studio is way better than PS4 share function but lacks a screenshot option.