Xbox is testing support for longer gamertags for Insiders in the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring, allowing users to create gamertags of up to 15 characters. This change reverts to a previous limit lifted due to player requests for more flexibility in choosing usernames. Gamertags must remain unique; if a desired gamertag is not unique, it will be limited to 12 characters.
The company will continue to support gamertags with non-Latin characters at the 12-character limit. Additionally, Xbox has introduced game hubs in game cards for Xbox 360 titles. Insiders will now see their achievement progress and captures when opening a game card for any of their installed Xbox 360 games. Detailed achievements for these titles will also be visible on player profiles.
Another feature allows Insiders to play a game while it is being updated if it is available to stream through their Game Pass membership. Players can begin playing on the cloud while the update downloads in the background. The game card will display the option to play on the cloud during the update. Furthermore, users can add released and upcoming games to their wishlist directly from game cards.
Participation in the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring is invite-only. Interested players can express their desire to join by launching the Insider Hub on their console and selecting Activities, then finding the “Joining new rings” option to complete a survey. Xbox will assess factors such as feedback quality, participation in quests, and gaming habits when inviting users.
