Xbox Revives Friend Requests After 10-Year Hiatus

Xbox has answered the pleas of many gamers by restoring the friend request system. Read on to learn more about this much-missed feature’s return to the platform.

Xbox Addresses Longstanding Community Plea for Friend Requests‘We’re So Back!’ Xbox Users Exclaim

Xbox is reinstating a long-requested feature from the Xbox 360 era: friend requests. Announced via a blog post and on Twitter (X) earlier today, this news signals a departure from the more passive social system that has been in place for the past decade.

"We’re thrilled to announce the return of friend requests," exclaimed Xbox Senior Product Manager Klarke Clayton in their official announcement. "Friends are now a two-way, invite-approved relationship, giving you more control and flexibility." This means that Xbox users will once again have the ability to send, accept, or decline friend requests through the People tab on their consoles.

Previously, the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S employed a "follow" system, where users could see each other’s activity feeds without explicit approval. While this fostered a more open social environment, many missed the control and intentionality associated with friend requests. Although the system differentiated between friends and followers, the distinction was often unclear with no way to filter actual mutual connections, blurring the lines between friends and casual acquaintances.

While the friend requests return, the "follow" function will remain for one-way connections. With this, users can follow content creators or gaming communities and stay informed on their activities without needing a reciprocal follow.

Existing friends and followers will be automatically categorized under the new system. "You’ll remain friends with people who had also added you as a friend previously and continue following anyone who hadn’t," clarified Clayton.

Furthermore, privacy remains paramount for Microsoft. The feature’s return will include new privacy and notification settings. Users will be able to control who can send them friend requests, who can follow them, and which notifications they receive. These settings will be accessible via the Xbox settings menu.

The return of friend requests has been met with a flood of positive reactions on social media. Users are celebrating with comments like "we’re so back!" and are quick to point out the silliness of the previous system, which left them overwhelmed with followers without so much as a notification.

There is a playful undercurrent to some reactions, as some users didn’t even realize that the function was ever absent. While this system appeals more to social gamers looking to build online connections, it doesn’t lessen the enjoyment of playing solo. After all, sometimes the greatest victories are earned independently.

The precise release date for the wider rollout of friend requests on Xbox hasn’t been announced yet. However, Given the significant demand from fans, it’s highly improbable that Microsoft would reverse this feature, especially now that it’s currently being tested by Xbox Insiders on consoles and PC "beginning this week." According to Xbox’s tweet, we can expect more details about the "complete rollout" later this year.

In the meantime, you can join the Xbox Insiders program and be among the first to experience the feature’s return. Simply download the Xbox Insider Hub on your Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, or Windows PC—it’s as easy as sending a friend request.