Xbox rolling out new system update that revives a beloved feature

Xbox are bringing back a feature sorely missed by fans - though not everyone noticed it was gone.

Back in the older days of Xbox, friend requests were a feature for adding mates to the console ready for online shenanigans.

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More recently, this system was eschewed for following users, more like a social platform than a gaming space.

This eventually meant that many users wouldn’t even notice that someone had followed them unless they checked their friends list often and added that person back.

Now, it’s going back to the days of Xbox 360, where you would find a person via their Gamertag and send them an actual friend request that notifies them.

At this point, the user can accept the request or decline it. Of course, once the person is on your list, you can easily delete them if you need to.

This is a feature that was quietly removed and is now being added back to the Xbox systems as announced on Twitter.

When reported on Reddit by user Turbostrider27, the reception was mixed, only insofar as many hadn’t realised that the option to do this was absent.

As RockD79 said, “I had no idea it was missing lol!”

Xbox was quick to mention in a follow-up tweet that this won’t impact your current friends list.

“Also your existing mutual friends will update automatically with this change once we roll it out. You'll stay friends with people who had also added you as a friend previously and continue following anyone who hadn't.”

Back on Reddit, user darkdeath174 said, “I didn't hate the system … but the fact you both had to follow to be "friends" was silly. This is a good improvement, being able to add friends or just follow someone feels like they finally upgraded to the system it should have been.”

The update is being rolled out to Xbox Insiders with the greater user base to follow in the future.

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