Xbox proudly brings back iconic old feature everyone thought still existed

Xbox is bringing back the gaming platform’s more traditional format of friend requests, which has hilariously made many gamers realize they’d actually been gone in the first place.

Microsoft has decided to bring back Xbox’s classic friend requests after several years of keeping it shelved—and fans were immediately confused. Many perplexed followers immediately questioned why it wasn’t a day-one feature on the Xbox Series X, while even more were simply gobsmacked the feature had ever been removed until they had to be reminded the Microsoft platform had actually been using a ‘follower’ styled system reminiscent of social media.

With the change, Xbox promises it’s friendship system will be more laid-back when it comes to sending, accepting, and deleting friend requests. Xbox also clarified this’ll still include following and being followed by other users, though. Xbox Insiders have gained access to a test version of the feature, and Xbox noted plans to divulge more in coming months.

Many may not have noticed, but with the arrival of the Xbox One the platform shifted to an interaction system more focused on followers. That change occurred in 2013, and at the time, it was a more novel concept, with social media platforms like Vine on the rise and Twitter going public. Although social media integration has taken some forms on gaming systems, it hasn’t replaced platforms in the way Xbox seemed to think it would. Many gamers have simply adapted after a decade, and few other game platforms adopted a focused ‘follower’ format, which led to confusion.

Plenty liked friend requests so much they didn’t understand why Xbox would have ever gotten rid of them. That wasn’t the first or last time Xbox made a decision that plenty hated. Older users who remembered and preferred requests thanked the platform for returning friend requests, and according to the fans, this was a step in the right direction. Xbox has faced tough blows this year, but the company has emphasized a dedication to its player base. Making sure that user interaction is just-right could be one big step in the company’s long game.