Major Xbox Update Bring Avatars Back, Alexa Support

A major update has arrived for the Xbox One. And with it, we have Xbox Avatars once again. If that isn't enough, it also introduces Alexa and Cortana support.

The October 2018 update launched on Thursday. The headlining feature for the patch was what Microsoft called "new Xbox Avatars." Originally unveiled during E3 of 2017, the tech company delayed the project for unknown reasons. It was introduced to the Xbox Insider Program in June, working out the kinks for its final release.

The biggest focus of the new Avatar system was the level of inclusiveness they now provided. The new avatar editor includes more gender neutral clothing, a wider variety of body types, and more depth of representation for those with disabilities (prosthetic limbs, wheelchairs, etc). Like before, users will also be able to purchase additional cosmetics for their avatars, usually representing particular game series like Halo.

While less anticipated, Voice assistants are the other big feature present in the update. The console now supports Cortana and Alexa for their voice command needs. With the Kinect officially discontinued, users can't rely on the peripheral to vocally command their consoles. Instead, they can connect their Xbox to an Echo Dot (or whatever tool you use) to tell Alexa to launch Battlefield, for example.

If you're the type to put off updating your Xbox, this might be a good time to commit to the download.