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PSA: The Xbox Phone App Allows Universal "Pre-Downloads" For (Almost) Any Game

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
A lot of folks might already be aware of this, but hopefully this is helpful for those who aren't.

Some games let you pre-download content early so you are ready for release date, however interestingly enough, with the Xbox phone app, you can essentially pre-download *any* game on your console as long as content for it is up on the Xbox servers. If you try to launch a pre-downloaded game without having bought it, the console will ask you to buy it in order to play it.

This comes in very handy if you've ordered a bunch of games or are going to a store to pick up specific games, you can pre-download them to your console (and this gets the latest updated/patched version, so you won't have to wait for 20GB patches either), and by the time you have your copy in hand, you just need to insert the disc in and get started immediately. Also works just as well for digital only folks to have all the game data ready so they can start playing as soon as the game goes live at 12 : 01 AM or whenever.

Example: The Resident Evil 4 remake is just shy of 2 weeks away, there is no official pre-download for buying any version of the game early, however, using the phone app I am downloading the game to my console right now.

It shows up as a 67GB download, which makes it the biggest RE game as of yet.


dPsu90V.jpg





magutaE.png
 
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Black_Stride

do not tempt fate do not contrain Wonder Woman's thighs do not do not
Microsoft really needed to be advertising this feature more.

Its also useful to predownload games that get announced for Gamepass or (games with gold LOL!!!!!)
So as soon as the clock ticks over you can start playing said game.

But preloading any game that has preload is also super useful if you are excited for a game.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Microsoft really needed to be advertising this feature more.

Its also useful to predownload games that get announced for Gamepass or (games with gold LOL!!!!!)
So as soon as the clock ticks over you can start playing said game.

But preloading any game that has preload is also super useful if you are excited for a game.

Yeah, that's probably my biggest use case, getting any of the GP announcements I'm looking forward to ready.
 
Honestly the Xbox and GP apps are both very handy. Very easy to share screenshots or video uploaded through the app. GP app is basically like Netflix app.

For some reason though, I can't get it to let me select the downloads. Worked for like a year, but now it wont detect the system remotely. Its on in the settings but just doesn't work. Oh well.
 

cireza

Banned
A lot of folks might already be aware of this, but hopefully this is helpful for those who aren't.

Some games let you pre-download content early so you are ready for release date, however interestingly enough, with the Xbox phone app, you can essentially pre-download *any* game on your console as long as content for it is up on the Xbox servers. If you try to launch a pre-downloaded game without having bought it, the console will ask you to buy it in order to play it.

This comes in very handy if you've ordered a bunch of games or are going to a store to pick up specific games, you can pre-download them to your console (and this gets the latest updated/patched version, so you won't have to wait for 20GB patches either), and by the time you have your copy in hand, you just need to insert the disc in and get started immediately. Also works just as well for digital only folks to have all the game data ready so they can start playing as soon as the game goes live at 12 : 01 AM or whenever.

Example: The Resident Evil 4 remake is just shy of 2 weeks away, there is no official pre-download for buying any version of the game early, however, using the phone app I am downloading the game to my console right now.

It shows up as a 67GB download, which makes it the biggest RE game as of yet.


dPsu90V.jpg





magutaE.png
Very useful feature indeed. You can preload your game and then simply buy it later, for example.

I don't understand why anyone would put a lol reaction to providing info like this. Is sharing useful tips dumb or something ?
 
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After downloading almost 200 GB for Atomic Heart. I'm never Preloading a game again. PRE and gaming don't jive. Pre-Ordering, Pre-Downloading. Just sadness.
 

DonJorginho

Banned
Just another feature that makes me glad to have an Xbox Series X, so glad I jumped back into the Xbox ecosystem this gen, I love the PS5 but the Series X has many novel features i never realised I needed.
 

Xcell Miguel

Gold Member
After downloading almost 200 GB for Atomic Heart. I'm never Preloading a game again. PRE and gaming don't jive. Pre-Ordering, Pre-Downloading. Just sadness.
Not all games release a "day one" patch that update almost all of the game's files, many preloads just get a small patch and don't require almost a full download again.
Atomic Heart was just a rare case.
 

DonJorginho

Banned
Ezekiel_ Ezekiel_ do you get off on adding lol reactions to posts even if it makes no sense? 🤣 Not hating btw, you do you man, whatever gets you happy, but I'm curious is all.
 
Ezekiel_ Ezekiel_ do you get off on adding lol reactions to posts even if it makes no sense? 🤣 Not hating btw, you do you man, whatever gets you happy, but I'm curious is all.
The trick is to throw in at least something negative about Xbox. I dodged the LOL this time because I noted that the app doesn't work for me on the downloads.

Mention that the Xbox app used some mobile data or something and you're good bro.
 

Roberts

Member
Honestly the Xbox and GP apps are both very handy. Very easy to share screenshots or video uploaded through the app. GP app is basically like Netflix app.

For some reason though, I can't get it to let me select the downloads. Worked for like a year, but now it wont detect the system remotely. Its on in the settings but just doesn't work. Oh well.
I think I had that as well for a while. Not sure what I did, but it works again. On iphone.

Speaking of screenshots, I wish you could transfer more than one screenshot at a time from xbox app to photos library.

Have used this feature a lot when I am not home and feel like playing something that I haven't installed.
 

mrmustard

Banned
I don't understand why anyone would put a lol reaction to providing info like this. Is sharing useful tips dumb or something ?
Don't worry about that, emote spam is only a tool for console warriors who are afraid of being banned.
 
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