Xbox Series X|S gamers just got a cool free feature upgrade

Microsoft is currently rolling out a cool new update for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S containing several new features including a really useful way to invite friends into a game and a way to make online chat a little less disturbing. The catch is that some of the features needs you to have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, but you do, don't you?

The reason Game Pass Ultimate is necessary is because the new Jump In With Friends feature uses Microsoft's cloud gaming service. When you're in a game and you're doing something particularly exciting you can send a clip to your friends; if they open the clip they can start playing the same game instantly, or fairly instantly at least. They won't be taken to the exact same spot as they would if you were doing this on Google Stadia, but it's still pretty nifty.

You can breathe easier with this new Xbox feature

Another useful, and long awaited, feature that's coming to this update is for both the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S: noise suppression for party chats. If like me you find background sounds such as controller clicks, ambient noise and heavy breathing both distracting and irritating, your Xbox will be able to silence it. Sadly there's no such silencing for friends who are telling really boring stories, but I live in hope.

This particular feature was announced and went into testing in May, but it's now rolling out to everyone. It's only for the consoles for now, but Microsoft says it'll be rolling the noise suppression out to other devices in the near future too.