Katarzyna Petru
Microsoft is testing a solution that could change the way players save and share their best moments. A feature called Highlight Reels is designed to automatically analyse gameplay in real-time and create ready-made clips without pressing the recording button. Interestingly, the technology is not being tested on the classic Xbox console, but on the ROG Xbox Ally X handheld. This Asus device features an AMD chip equipped with a dedicated NPU module for AI computations.
AI instead of a classic DVR
Highlight Reels doesn’t work like a traditional recorder that saves everything in the background. The system is meant to analyse the image in real time and decide for itself when something noteworthy has happened. In practice, this means recognising: impressive victories, key plot moments, spectacular actions in shooters, unusual or funny situations. Everything is processed locally, without sending the image to the cloud. This is where the NPU plays a crucial role, relieving the CPU and GPU and minimising impact on the device's performance and battery. The function is being tested in a variety of games, including Forza Horizon 5, Elden Ring, Fortnite, Overwatch 2, and Call of Duty. This is important because the algorithm must recognise "high moments" in completely different gameplay contexts.
Why are tests being conducted on a handheld device?
At first glance, this may seem surprising. If the feature is intended for the next generation of Xbox, why is it being tested on an Asus device? For months, there have been reports that the next Xbox could be closer to a classic PC running Windows 11 than a traditional console. The ROG Xbox Ally X with the Xbox Full Screen Experience interface provides a convenient testing environment. It’s a mobile device with Windows, an AMD APU, and an NPU, allowing for testing how AI behaves under real conditions. If the future Xbox is indeed a hybrid of a console and a computer, such tests make sense.
Element większej strategii AI
Highlight Reels isn’t an isolated project. Microsoft is developing a whole suite of AI-powered features: Postgame Recaps, which are automated session summaries, Gaming Copilot with real-time suggestions, Auto SR, a system-wide image upscaling supported by AI. In this context, automatic cutting of highlight moments looks like a natural extension of the ecosystem. However, the question arises whether gamers actually need this. The DVR system in Windows can be unreliable, and the Xbox app on PC doesn’t always work perfectly. The new feature could be a significant relief for content creators, but its success depends on the precision of the algorithms.
Highlight Reels shows that Microsoft wants future consoles to be not just a gaming platform, but also a content creation tool. Automatically editing the best actions without pressing the recording button sounds like a convenient solution, but it all depends on the quality of the AI performance. If the algorithms can indeed accurately identify the most interesting moments, the feature could become standard in next-gen devices.
