Modern games get patched all the time, and there are few things more low-key annoying than sitting down to dig into a meaty RPG or hop into a quick deathmatch only to see youâve got to download an 8GB update. You start scrolling TikTok or dropping memes in the group chat and by the time you realize the gameâs finally ready, the nightâs over and youâve got to get to bed so you donât feel like hell in the morning. It happens all the time with Baldurâs Gate 3.
This should soon be a thing of the past on Xbox Series X/S, at least for some games. Microsoft recently confirmed an âUpdate Pre-Downloadâ feature is being tested on the Insider program to install updates ahead of time so they donât interfere with when youâre actually trying to play. âGames that enable support for update pre-download will allow updates to be downloaded days before they are scheduled to release, so you can jump in and start playing right when the update goes live!â the company wrote in the latest release notes.
It would be nice if games would just auto update when auto updates are enabled.
â Retro Replay (@RetroReplay1980) May 13, 2024
Multiplayer pirate sim Sea of Thieves will be the first game to support this feature, though it will presumably work on many other games as well by the time itâs rolled out for everyone. PlayStation 5 already has something like this so many third-party publishers already support a version of it. And since Microsoft has bought up many of the biggest games, I expect things like Call of Duty, Diablo 4, and Overwatch 2 to utilize it as well.
Microsoft has been working on some other neat features, too. Mouse and keyboard support for cloud gaming has arrived for a bunch of games including Cities: Skylines, The Sims 4, Fortnite, and Doom 64. The company also recently revealed a new accessibility peripheral called the Xbox Proteus controller. Itâs modular, supports all sorts of different wireless configurations, and looks like the futuristic microbots from Big Hero 6. The device ships this fall starting at $300.
