Xbox One April Update Brings Party Chat and Achievement Fixes

Microsoft is introducing some new Xbox One features to its Preview program as the first of two waves in preparation for its April system update.

The Big M has revealed three new features coming to the Xbox One's Preview program for next month's console upgrade. The Xbox One's Preview program is a closed program designed by Microsoft to test out its updates before fully releasing them to the masses. Users who are a part of the Preview program are asked to provide feedback for these updates through an app on the Xbox One. Be warned, if you do decide to join the program, that means that you will be testing new software — software that is not completely bug-free.

Preview members will have gotten three new updates today: party chat improvements, game hub links and achievement notifications. The Party App will make it easier for users to set up their communication devices (whether it be a headset or Kinect), add microphone level adjustments as well as notifications when certain party members cannot hear you for various reasons.

The next addition includes game hub links which will allow users a clearer path to discovering game hub content apart from activity feed items. There's also an added link to each game's main hub on its Xbox Store listing. The last addition includes Achievement descriptions appearing whenever they are unlocked, so you don't have to go rifling through your list of Achievements to see what you did to earn it. The achievements app also has a few technical performance updates added as well. Stay tuned as we'll let you know what else April's big system update will bring to the Xbox One.