Microsoft Teams needs to make its way to the Xbox Series X|S

By Sean Endicott
published

People want to call friends and family through their TV, and Xbox consoles and Microsoft Teams could make it happen.

Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Retail Boxes
Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Retail Boxes (Image credit: Matt Brown | Windows Central)

Recently, Amazon announced that its second-generation Fire TV Cube would support Zoom calls (via TechHive). The move made me think about Microsoft's Xbox consoles and how they've shifted in terms of communication.

Back in the days of the Xbox One, you could hop on a Skype call using your Kinect as a webcam. The setup would even follow you around the room using some smart features and zoom. In 2021, words like Skype and Kinect seem archaic when it comes to communication.

With Skype pretty much abandoned on the Xbox platform, the Kinect in the grave (at least for gaming), and Mixer dead, it's easy to forget that the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S even support webcams. You can, however, use a webcam with the new consoles. I think it's time that Microsoft takes advantage of that fact by bringing Microsoft Teams to Xbox consoles.

Not just about work and school, right?

Windows 11 Chat Setup

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

Microsoft Teams is, supposedly, not just about work and education. When Microsoft added the Chat app powered by Teams to Windows 11, it sent a message that it wants the service to be for everyday use with friends and family. If that's genuinely the case, then Microsoft should make Teams available on more of its devices.

Imagine a Microsoft-centered world in which a college student hops on their Xbox Series S to talk with their parents on the Teams-powered Chat app on Windows 11. Do I think that's likely? No. But if Microsoft is trying to convince people that Teams is a viable app for casual communication, it can't assume people will avoid it.

Obviously, Teams wouldn't replace Xbox Party Chat or any other gaming-centric features. That's not what it's meant for, even if it ever makes its way to consoles. It would be for people who want to put a group call or meeting on a bigger screen. Amazon and Zoom certainly seem to think people want to make video calls in the living room.

Microsoft already has the technology

Skype on Xbox One

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

While webcam support isn't highlighted often by Microsoft, you can use a webcam with an Xbox Series X or S. You can also use them with the Xbox One and One S. We even have a guide on how to use any USB webcam with Skype for Xbox One. I'm sure that Microsoft could use the tech it already has to bring a version of Teams to consoles.

The full version of Teams probably doesn't make sense on a console. While the Xbox Series X and S support keyboards, I don't think they're built with sending messages in Teams in mind. Instead, Microsoft could have an experience like the Chat app on Windows 11 that's powered by Teams but catered to its environment.

Would you use it?

Xbox One X, Xbox One S

Source: Matt Brown | Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Matt Brown | Windows Central)

While I would love to see Teams make its way to the Xbox family of consoles, I could be off base. Would you actually use a Teams app on your Xbox? Let us know in the comments below.

If enough people use Teams on their console, a webcam could become one of the best Xbox Series X accessories.

Sean Endicott
Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott brings nearly a decade of experience covering Microsoft and Windows news to Windows Central. He joined our team in 2017 as an app reviewer and now heads up our day-to-day news coverage. If you have a news tip or an app to review, hit him up at sean.endicott@futurenet.com (opens in new tab).

27 Comments
  • I'd use it on the Xbox. Teams is fantastic!
  • You talking Teams for Business, or Teams Personal?
  • They should bring back the Kinect for Xbox. A Xbox version of the new Azure Kinect would be wonderful. 🙌
  • I agree, the Kinect should be brought back. The latest gen consoles are able to power the kinect without issues. Also they can use usb 3.x instead of the proprietary connector. There are few adapters on the market for PC - So it is doable.
  • I've been saying forever that they could launch an Xbox branded webcam that just happens to support kinect and not even have it be the primary selling point, just an extra for those who want compatibility, and sell it in the same price range as a brio or realsense. X|S wouldn't need the dedicated processor so that brings down the cost considerably.
  • Can I agree with you twice?
  • Teams IS just for work and school as far as the vast majority of consumers are concerned. I would use this in a heartbeat, but would have a hell of a time getting anyone else on Teams. Teams for personal use desperately needs a rebrand.
  • Microsoft should call Teams for Personal Use - Live Messenger, use the Teams back end and give users the option integrating party chat to it. For some folks it would invoke the branding of Windows Live Messenger and some would interpret it as Xbox Live Messenger. Sure, there will be some grumbling from naysayers but that's par for the course as with anything. As something like “Rooms” doesn't make much sense on Xbox if it's not a full fledged Teams app. Rooms as a branding makes more sense on the desktop. As it's vague enough to allow people to project their personal space subconsciously.
  • Until we all switched from Skype to teams, Skype was great on the Xbox, my wife would see my texts while watching TV while I was at work. Take calls from her family, etc. Even sms text would pop when we had windows phones.
  • I can't believe anyone would actually agree with putting Teams on Xbox. Unless it's ZERO additional work to port the Windows app to Xbox, the resources would be better served promoting it on devices where people will actually use Teams, like Windows, iOS, and Android phones, tablets, and PC's, not a game console. It's already going to be an uphill battle gaining user adoption in the consumer space. They'd be better off putting the extra manpower towards working to ensure its success on devices where Teams would matter most. Offering Teams on Xbox would be like opening a hotdog stand at a vegan convention. Sure you can do it, but it wouldn't be the wisest investment.
  • It's only a uphill battle due to the branding. The term 'Teams' as a branding invokes work related attribution. Even more so now as many people would have used (and still using) Teams for remote working. Rebrand the app, if it's a full fledged Teams app then “Rooms”. Otherwise “Live Messenger” if it's a simple chat app or something along those lines.
  • They haven't been aggressively marketing teams for personal use so far but I'd expect them to ramp that up as part of the campaign for 11 when it launches.
  • To your analogy a regular hotdog stand might not be a good idea, but a vegan one would. Teams needs to market and brand itself successfully for consumer needs and wants which are different from work
  • And they should develop a native (fast, light and touch friendly) UWP client
  • Yeah, I would. I loved Skype on the Xbox one. I currently use "group me" on my series X to talk to my employees. I think teams would do great on Xbox.
  • I really don't know why they have two chat solutions. They already have a huge install base in Xbox and PC using Xbox chat. I don't want a second app noone is signing up for to communicate. They should have built in the Xbox chat and integrated that more instead of this personal teams crap that is gonna fail. Teams for business is cool, this personal one will end up In the dust.
  • Nah, it doesn't really. The most requested feature from gamers is more and better games, not a corporate messaging tool.
  • THIS IS THE WORST IDEA EVER! KEEP TEAMS AND WORK OFF A DAMN LEISURE ITEM.....
    YOU DON'T WANT EMAILS WITH YOUR VACATION BEERS...
  • I use the Skype app all the time on my Series X to talk to my parents. Love how I can get my whole family in one shot and we all just chat away. I would definitely use Teams. But not a full blown version just the chat/video features.
  • I'd love to see what percentage of users regularly use a webcam. Given that webcams on consoles have never taken off, I can't imagine it's worth Microsoft's time to bring Teams to Xbox. And if they do, definitely don't call it Teams.
  • I'd really like this idea. Even when you're playing friends can drop in for a call. Maybe a possibility to switch from Teams to Party-chat and vice versa for seamless communication
  • Right. Because this was a good idea when it was included in the launch Xbox One.
  • A more integrated and cross platform communication tool would be nice but it should not be branded as Teams. Funny because the W11 version should be able to easily integrate with busi ess and it doesn't. Wrong things in the right places
  • I use skype on xbox often, why not teams if it is made so convinent on windows 11
  • You already can. Go to Teams.microsoft.com on your Xbox and plugin a USB webcam... Boom you've got it. I even bookmarked the team's website on my Xbox browser so that I can join meetings on my Xbox pretty easily. And the webcam works perfect (some cheap Logitech webcam)
  • I bet Microsoft wishes it launched a camera and microphone for the series x/s and kept voice commands...
  • Other have made similar comments, but the biggest issue is the branding, TEAMS. TEAMS personal doesn't even make sense. I am not a team. Teams Consumer maybe, but MS really needs to incorporate some teams features into Teams, and explain it. Right now it's Skype with a calendar. I actually see some use cases for Teams for consumers. Scout Troops, Kids Sports teams/clubs. I am on a committee that puts on an annual event. It would be great to be able to create a TEAM. Right now I can build a chat group. I don't have a common calendar, message board, shared (common) storage, todo/assignments, etc. That would be great. Not sure the majority of that needs to be on an XBOX, but that might make it more accessible for things like the scout troop or sports club memebers.