The gaming community was hit with a disappointing blow as Xbox announced that game clips can no longer be shared directly to Twitter from consoles or PCs. While the reason for this change has not been officially confirmed, it is widely speculated that it is due to the social media platform’s new policy that charges companies a starting fee of $42,000 per month for API access.
The Xbox DVR system, which has been a popular feature among gamers for its easy-to-use function that allows users to quickly share noteworthy gameplay moments, has been impacted by this change. Microsoft is now recommending that users utilize the Xbox mobile app to directly share clips on Twitter from their accounts.
Since Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter for $44 billion in October 2022, the social media platform has undergone significant changes aimed at making it profitable. This has resulted in various policy changes, including the removal of blue checkmarks from legacy accounts on the platform and the proposal of charging developers up to $100 a month for “API access with ID verification” to combat “bot scammers” and “opinion manipulators.”
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The gaming industry has felt the impact of these changes, with World of Warcraft losing its built-in Twitter support and numerous gaming companies losing their checkmarks due to their unwillingness to pay the fees. Xbox now joins the list of those affected by Twitter’s new policy.
The Xbox Series X|S consoles and an upgraded Xbox wireless controller made it even easier for gamers to share their gameplay moments with the addition of a dedicated capture button on the peripheral. This button could be set up to capture a specific duration of content, making it a convenient feature for those who only want to share a short clip or screenshot.
While the removal of the direct sharing function to Twitter is disappointing for gamers, the Xbox mobile app provides an alternative solution. Users can still share their clips on Twitter, but it will require an additional step of uploading the clip to the mobile app before sharing it to Twitter.
Xbox’s decision to recommend the use of the mobile app for sharing clips on Twitter is likely an attempt to maintain the popularity of their DVR system while adapting to Twitter’s new policy. It remains to be seen whether other gaming companies will follow suit and implement similar changes to their platforms to comply with Twitter’s new fees.
Overall, this change highlights the impact that social media platforms can have on the gaming industry and serves as a reminder that companies must be adaptable in order to keep up with these changes. While the direct sharing function to Twitter may be gone for now, the gaming community can still continue to share their amazing gameplay moments through alternative methods.
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