Microsoft has released a new game gifting feature for select Xbox One Insider members. The Xbox Insider Program allows gamers to “get access to upcoming Xbox One features and updates prior to the public release,” but being a part of the testing stage comes with the risk of encountering potential issues that have yet to be remedied before official launches.
Xbox One game gifting is currently in its testing stage, but Insider members have been able to use the feature without any reported issues so far. The feature is accessible through the Microsoft Store on Xbox One consoles, in the same area where users would normally select the option to make digital purchases. The steps to use the game gifting are similar to the normal purchasing process for digital games, but now there is an option visible that allows users to “send a game by email address or Xbox Live Gamertag and attach a personalized name/message.”
The person receiving the gift will get an email with a digital code that can be used with any Microsoft or Xbox One account. Gifting is not limited to Xbox One games, as the feature is also accessible via the Windows Store. However, the Windows version only allows Xbox Play Anywhere games to be gifted and the list of PC games to choose from is slim. Xbox Live gifting is also currently unavailable for PC users; anyone using the feature will have to send gifts via email.
Microsoft has not announced a date for when Xbox One game gifting will be released for everyone, but users can expect more features to be added upon the official launch since it is only in the testing stage at the moment. In the meantime, PC users who still want to send digital games to friends can do so via Steam.