While your friends list will transfer over to the Xbox One when you upgrade to the new console, that doesn’t mean that you will be able to chat to your buddies who are still using the Xbox 360. Nope, inter-generational might not actually be possible.
Major Nelson has confirmed on Reddit that communication between the two systems may be an issue because they use very different communication models. While the Xbox 360 has a chat system, the new console will be using Skype. Major Nelson confirmed, saying:
Exactly. I need to talk to the engineers, but for the reasons mentioned above it will be challenging.
Back in the day, when Don Mattrick was still at Microsoft, he said that players could still use party chat to communicate. I also wonder if people will be able to use Skype for 360 in order to keep their conversations going.
Do you think this will pose any problems? Were you planning on playing Titanfall or Watch Dogs with people from a range of platforms? Or, like backwards compatibility, is this a feature that gamers will rage about but rarely use?
Last Updated: July 22, 2013
Ultimo_Cleric N7
July 22, 2013 at 13:32
Will it be possible on the PS4? If so, lets just moan about it and they will change it ^^
Martin du preez
July 22, 2013 at 15:33
PS3 haz no RAM for cross game chat,so I doubt it’ll work cross gen O_o But what do I know
Admiral Chief Groot Wors
July 22, 2013 at 13:37
Heh, DAT HEADER!
So much win there!
Uberutang
July 22, 2013 at 13:38
I have found that different generations of hardware makes no difference on TeamSpeak.
Vampyre Squirrel
July 22, 2013 at 13:40
Or on Mumble
Uberutang
July 22, 2013 at 13:42
Or ventrillo or raidcall 😛
Options. Options everywhere!
Vampyre Squirrel
July 22, 2013 at 13:43
And too much latency to make them work…
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
July 22, 2013 at 13:57
TeamSpeak is actually less bandwidth intensive than … say… Skype. In fact, even on a 1Mb line, you should be able to use it comfortably with zero impact on your late night war session.
Vampyre Squirrel
July 22, 2013 at 15:04
Very true… I’ve noticed that too.
Thanks for making my smart ass comment seem worse than it is 😛
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
July 22, 2013 at 15:12
Hehehe!
eXpZA
July 22, 2013 at 15:05
I remember playing Americas Army / Call of Duty 1 on PC, using Teamspeak with my 64k ISDN connection, and having no issues. A 1 meg line should destroy TeamSpeak.
Vampyre Squirrel
July 22, 2013 at 15:15
lol… it does… I was once playing WoW, downloading and using TeamSpeak on a 1 meg line with no issues… to be clear, TeamSpeak had no issues, WoW twitched like someone with a tazer stuck up their butt
matthurstrsa
July 23, 2013 at 07:26
I can confirm that TS plus Borderlands 2 with 2 buddies works perfectly on a 1mb uncapped line, no matter the time of day. Likewise for Neverwinter, where I actually use Skype without incident.
Vampyre Squirrel
July 22, 2013 at 13:42
Lol! This is actually nothing new, I can’t chat to a friend that’s on Windows Live while on Xbox Live… I can see that they’re online and what they’re playing, but that’s where the communication ends.
Typical Microfail!!! I really wish Microfail and the devs of games could make games (like Fable 3, Farcry 3, BoarderLands, etc) cross platform multiplayer friendly.
John Ambitious
July 22, 2013 at 13:43
I hate Mondays
RinceWind
July 22, 2013 at 13:47
I expect another one of these sometime soon…
Trevor Davies
July 22, 2013 at 13:53
…after a protracted debate. mwuahahahha..aahhaa. hah. *cough*
InsanityFlea
July 22, 2013 at 13:48
That sucks. I have no plans on getting the xbox one.
Rudi
July 22, 2013 at 13:49
would have been a problem if I had any friends on xboxlive 🙁
Matthew Holliday
July 22, 2013 at 13:51
I used to use pidgin to chat to my skype, msn and Mxit contacts all at the same time.
why wouldnt it be possible for them to design a similar platform for xbox?
Argentil
July 22, 2013 at 13:51
Now this is something worth petitioning for. I can cross-chat on my Vita and PS3, I can also chat on Steam for Android (ofc, the same must be true for steam users on Linux and Mac).
This is such a major oversight, I can’t see the logic in abandoning XBL Chat. It’s heralded as a great service. Skype, comparatively, is just kinda alright. They need to get some cross interaction going there. I imagine they will, but Xbros, you need to kick up a stink.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
July 22, 2013 at 13:56
Real friends don’t allow their friends to get Xboned!
RinceWind
July 22, 2013 at 14:02
Well said. Now, explain to me, what is this ‘friends’ everyone is talking about?
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
July 22, 2013 at 14:06
Casual acquaintances you meet online, or people who were kind enough… not to teabag your corpse – during a heated gaming session… 😛
RinceWind
July 22, 2013 at 14:10
Ah, okay. I think I have heard someone speaking about this…
Vampyre Squirrel
July 22, 2013 at 15:05
That’s a very accurate description
Trevor Davies
July 22, 2013 at 13:56
I’m surprised by this, would have thought it’s something they would have done.
Matewis Jubilai
July 22, 2013 at 13:58
The doggie needs a hug
Umar Kiiroi Senk?
July 22, 2013 at 13:59
So they are forcing Skype and abandoning 360 chat system? …… #illuminati ……. The NSA is out get you.
OVG
July 22, 2013 at 14:00
Stupid. No incentive to carry over. If one has to start all over from no backwards compatible games, 360 controllers, friend chat or whatever then it is far easier to jump brands.Having cross platform chat is a MARKETING WINNER for converting the 360 owners over to the next gen.
jGLZA
July 22, 2013 at 15:45
So can I use skype on the PC to chat to people on their Xbone? That’d be pretty cool.
Drewidian
July 22, 2013 at 15:58
Or on your phone. Dave from an XBox One – “Hey jGLZA, We need help on this level. Can you come help us out?.” jGLZA from your phone “Sure give me 5 minutes to get home and I’ll jump in.” Achievement Unlocked…
Ahmazin
July 22, 2013 at 17:20
I’m just preparing myself. The days of the Xbox 360 are coming to an end. Happened with my original xbox when the 360 came out. They dropped support for it almost immediately.
Mike E. Delta
July 22, 2013 at 17:33
Man, I barely get to talk to them now! If there’s Skype on the One and they have Skype at all, I’m pretty sure we can work around it…but they don’t even use that! I don’t even know what the point is, no one wants to talk to me. =(
*runs away crying and jumps off a cliff*
iPrimal
July 22, 2013 at 21:21
They added party chat post launch. Why can’t they go back in and replace it with Skype? Or does everything have to be about the almighty dollar with these guys?
yepi3
July 23, 2013 at 09:54
Thanks so much for this article.
yepi 6