Microsoft is restoring native Twitch streaming to the Xbox user interface by adding the service back into the Xbox Guide, enabling players to broadcast gameplay directly from the console with integrated controls and webcam support.
What the integration offers
The rebuilt Twitch feature in the Xbox Guide mirrors previous in-console streaming functionality and provides in-session controls. Players can adjust game and microphone volumes, enable party audio, view a list of current viewers and monitor stream duration via an on-screen overlay.
Stream settings include selectable resolution and bitrate ranges from 360p at 500 kbps up to 1080p at 6500 kbps. Microsoft also states that USB webcams are supported, and most plug-and-play devices should be detectable as a camera option for broadcasts.
Availability and background
Earlier access to the new integration was limited to Xbox testers who could try the feature. Microsoft removed the original Snap-based Twitch integration in 2017; Twitch later supported streaming from Xbox through its own app. The reintroduction into the Xbox Guide marks a return of in-console streaming convenience.
Rollout timeline
Microsoft estimates the wider rollout of the new Twitch integration will occur in the coming months.
Source: The Verge
