Discord on Xbox is dropping its reliance on your phone

Discord on Xbox is about to do what it should have done in the first place.

As reported by The Verge’s Tom Warren, the Discord experience is getting a huge update for Xbox owners. Currently, in order to use Discord through the Xbox, you first need to join an audio channel from the Discord app on your phone. Then, you’ll have the option to transfer the audio call from your phone to your Xbox. It’s an extra step that many have complained about since the feature launched.

However, Discord and Xbox are looking to get rid of the phone requirement entirely with an update that is already available to Xbox Insiders on the Alpha and Skip-Ahead Alpha rings. As you can see below, the experience now lets you navigate through all of the Discord channels you are a part of and hop in and out of audio channels at will:

They allow you to browse all voice channels across all the Discord servers you’re in. Connecting no longer requires you to transfer the call with the Xbox or Discord mobile apps, and once your account is linked for the first time, you can freely join straight from your Xbox.

There’s only one thing missing now

Even better, when you join an audio channel on Xbox, you’ll also be prompted with audio settings right on the system, like muting your microphone, switching to game chat, and others that Xbox gamers are used to when in Xbox Live chat.

The only thing left, as Warren points out, is the ability to participate in text chats directly through the Xbox. I imagine that isn’t as necessary of a feature for most gamers, as the number of people with a keyboard and mouse hooked up to their Xbox is likely pretty slim.