Xbox One Update Boosts Party Chat Size So You Can Play With More Friends

Microsoft is taking user feedback to heart, increasing the number of people that can use Party Chat on Xbox One and the Xbox App on Windows 10 from eight to 12, starting on Tuesday.

In a blog post, director of programming for Xbox Live, Larry Hryb (also known by his gamer tag Major Nelson), announced that the update would be available for all Xbox users and would roll out from the server -- meaning that players would not have to do anything to get the update.

For players that are part of the New Xbox One Experience Preview (NXOE) another update rolled out on Tuesday which adds party text chat. A button on the bottom of the ‘Your Party’ page brings up the chat, and will also come to the Beta Xbox App for Windows 10.

The update also streamlines Game DVR by combining the Game DVR snap app and the Upload app, allowing users to view game clips and screenshots.

It also includes new animated avatars that “will start showing up in other new places in the new experience.” But for those users that prefer a gamerpic there is the option to switch your avatar.

The menu has been updated for “quick access to common actions,” which now lets players pin an app or game to Home, “launch a recently played game, or quit an app or game with just the touch of a button.”

Xbox One players with NXOE can also now turn their console off or restart it directly from the Guide as part of new settings.