The Google Stadia service might be coming to challenge the Xbox platform by the end of the year, but that doesn’t mean Microsoft is averse to bringing its soon-to-be gaming rival on board.
Microsoft has announced an Xbox Action for the Google Assistant is now available in beta, with a view to a full launch this autumn, following demands from the user base.
The new update, which requires users to sign up with their Google account, will enable Xbox One owners to bark commands at their console using the Assistant.
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Those instructions incorporate many of the key functions you’d use on the Xbox One on a daily basis. Here are some of those commands Microsoft says it has been working closely with Google to incorporate:
- “Hey Google, play Gears 5 on Xbox.”
- “Hey Google, turn on Xbox.”
- “Hey Google, turn off Xbox.”
- “Hey Google, launch YouTube on Xbox.”
- “Hey Google, pause on Xbox.”
- “Hey Google, resume on Xbox.”
- “Hey Google, volume up on Xbox.”
- “Hey Google, take a screenshot on Xbox.”
Microsoft says users will be able to change the default device name from “Xbox” within the Google Home and Assistant apps. This will come in handy for users who have more than one Xbox in the home.
Of course, Google isn’t the first personal assistant to rock up on the Xbox One. It shipped with Microsoft’s own Cortana AI, but that was cut from the team this summer. Last autumn, Amazon’s Alexa arrived on the console via an Xbox Skill.
Here’s how to use the Google Assistant beta for Xbox:
- Join the Google Group with the Google Account you intend to use
- Sign into your Xbox
- In the Google Home app for iOS or Android:
- Tap “+ Add”
- Tap “Set up device”
- Tap “Have something already set up?”
- Search for and select “[beta] Xbox”
- Sign in with the Microsoft account you use on Xbox
- Follow the instructions to link your Xbox and give it a device name.
Let us know how you get on with the Google Assistant on Xbox One @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
