Xbox Friend Requests Finally Reintroduced After a Decade

Xbox Revives Friend Requests: A Decade-Long Wait Ends

Xbox gamers rejoice! The much-requested friend request system, absent for a decade, is making a triumphant return. This announcement, shared via blog and X (formerly Twitter), marks a significant shift from the previous "follow" system.

Xbox's Senior Product Manager, Klarke Clayton, celebrated the news, highlighting the renewed two-way, invite-based friendship system. This offers users greater control and clarity in managing their online connections. Friend requests will be accessible via the console's People tab.

The previous "follow" system, while fostering an open social environment, lacked the direct connection and control of friend requests. The ambiguity between friends and followers often led to confusion.

While friend requests are back, the "follow" function remains for one-way connections, ideal for tracking content creators or communities. Existing friends and followers will be automatically categorized under the new system. Those who mutually followed will become friends; one-way follows will remain.

Microsoft emphasizes privacy, introducing enhanced settings to manage friend requests, follows, and notifications within the Xbox settings menu.

The announcement has sparked overwhelmingly positive social media responses, with users expressing excitement and highlighting the flaws of the previous system. Some users even humorously admitted they hadn't realized the feature was missing.

While the full release date remains unannounced, Xbox Insiders on consoles and PC are currently testing the feature. A broader rollout is expected later this year. Join the Xbox Insider program to be among the first to experience this long-awaited update. Download the Xbox Insider Hub on your Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, or Windows PC.