Faster Xbox One Game Pass downloads are here (in beta)

Xbox Game Pass
(Image credit: Xbox)

Microsoft promised them at E3 2018, and Microsoft has delivered: faster Xbox One game downloads through Game Pass are here. Microsoft has upgraded its game download service with the new Fast Start feature, powered by its machine learning (ML) server technology.

Of course, this feature is only available at the time of writing within the Xbox One Preview Beta, with some members in the lower-tier Delta ring (where changes come more slowly but are more stable) having access. The Xbox One Preview works similarly to the Windows Insider Preview on Windows 10, allowing players access to less stable, new features before everyone else.

And, this might be the feature to pull you over to the Preview, as Fast Start uses ML to detect which games you’re more likely to try and play, pre-loading the bare essentials for those games to get you into them that much faster. Here are the games that will support this feature in its beta state:

  • The Flame in the Flood
  • Fuzion Frenzy
  • Screamride
  • Spelunky
  • Casey Powell Lacrosse 16
  • Dovetail Games Euro Fishing
  • The Golf Club

It’s still unknown when this feature will make it to Xbox One Game Pass for everyone, but if it’s already in beta testing, it can’t be far off. This should make the battle between Xbox One vs PS4 much more interesting, as Sony’s console has no such game service feature to speak of, much less one that serves up games super fast.

Via Engadget

Joe Osborne

Joe Osborne is the Senior Technology Editor at Insider Inc. His role is to leads the technology coverage team for the Business Insider Shopping team, facilitating expert reviews, comprehensive buying guides, snap deals news and more. Previously, Joe was TechRadar's US computing editor, leading reviews of everything from gaming PCs to internal components and accessories. In his spare time, Joe is a renowned Dungeons and Dragons dungeon master – and arguably the nicest man in tech.

Latest in Xbox One
Xbox One and controller
It's official: Microsoft says it won't make any more new games for the Xbox One
Black and white Xbox One
Now is the best time to buy an Xbox One
Forza Motorsport trailer screenshot
The next Forza Motorsport game may come to Xbox One after all
Elden Ring on Xbox One
Don’t buy Elden Ring on Xbox One
Factory reset Xbox One
How to factory reset an Xbox One, Xbox One S and Xbox One X
Elden Ring
Elden Ring may look amazing even on Xbox One consoles
Latest in News
Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses
Samsung's rumored smart specs may be launching before the end of 2025
Apple iPhone 16 Review
The latest iPhone 18 leak hints at a major chipset upgrade for all four models
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Monday, March 24 (game #1155)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, March 24 (game #386)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, March 24 (game #652)
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, March 23 (game #1154)