Gaming meets cinema sound as Dolby Atmos heads to Xbox One, Windows 10

By Kris Wouk December 14, 2016

Xbox One S — Dan Baker/Digital Trends

It’s official: Technologies more known in the world of home theater are coming to game consoles. First it was 4K resolution and HDR (high dynamic range), and now its object-based surround sound, as Dolby and Microsoft announced Wednesday that Dolby Atmos is coming to the Xbox One, as well as Windows 10.

While standard surround sound only represents sound coming from in front of you, behind you, or to the left or right, object-based surround sound adds another dimension, throwing height into the mix. This is done by using another set of speakers either on the ceiling or mounted on top of surround speakers and facing the ceiling.

Recommended Videos

“At Team Xbox, we are all gamers first, and bringing Dolby Atmos support to Xbox One and Windows 10 gaming next year will bring you even further inside the action and sound of your favorite titles,” Mike Ybarra, Xbox head of platform engineering, said in a statement “A big thank you to the team at Dolby for their partnership; we’re excited to share more with the Xbox community next year.”

This makes the Xbox One the first game console to support object-based surround sound. Dolby Atmos will be supported for both games and video, and while both will be made more immersive by this type of sound, it could also have unique advantages for gamers.

“With Dolby Atmos, sound moves precisely all around and above you,” Spencer Hooks, Dolby Laboratories director of gaming, wrote in a post on Xbox Wire. ” “You can hear where your allies and enemies are in three-dimensional space. Snipers on the roof? You’ll hear them over your left shoulder and know where to aim to take them out. The same goes for an attacker with a jetpack hovering behind you.”

For the full experience, you’ll need a Dolby Atmos-ready A/V receiver and speakers, but Dolby Atmos can also be experienced with headphones as well. For those using their console with a home theater setup, Xbox also announced this week that Blu-ray Bitstream passthrough, which includes Dolby Atmos support on Xbox One and Xbox One S, is on the way for Xbox Preview members. This allows the console to pass Blu-ray audio to your A/V receiver untouched, for the highest-quality sound possible.

Dolby Atmos will be available for both the Xbox One and Windows 10 platforms starting next year. Gamers looking for a sneak peek can already see Dolby Atmos in action in the Blu-ray app, currently available in the Xbox One Preview program.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…

Computing

Microsoft is backpedaling on future Windows 10 updates

The Windows Update screen in Windows 10.

Windows 10 is on its way out, with support ending in October 2025. That isn't changing, though Microsoft's approach to rolling out new features in the meantime definitely has. In a surprising move, Microsoft announced in a June 4 Windows Insider Blog post that it is bringing a Beta Channel for those Windows Insiders currently running on Windows 10 version 22H2.

This means that despite the end of support, Windows 10 users will continue to get some new features that were initially restricted to Windows 11, such as the new Copilot app. It's also possible that other features may be on the way, but Microsoft has not released any further information on the subject. It was originally stated that Windows 10 version 22H2 would be its final feature update, but that appears to not be true anymore.

Computing

Scores of people are downgrading back to Windows 10

The screen of the Galaxy Book4 Ultra.

Microsoft continues to struggle with the adoption of Windows 11 among its users. Recent data from Statcounter reveals a notable decline in the operating system’s market share, specifically compared with Windows 10.

After reaching an all-time high of 28.16% in February 2024, Windows 11 has experienced a drop, falling below the 26% mark.

Gaming

How to sail solo in Sea of Thieves

A ship sailing peacefully in Sea of Thieves.

Sea of Thieves is meant to be played as part of a crew. You and a few friends loot and plunder the seas (and other players) as a team. That's not the only way to sail the seven seas, however. If you'd prefer to sail alone, you can also take to the ocean on a smaller, more nimble ship. Taking on the pirate life without any help can be especially tough -- you don't have any backup in emergencies, and if you run up against a crew of other players, you'll have to take them on at a disadvantage.

It's possible to succeed on the high seas all by your lonesome, though, if you play to the strengths of working alone. You are smaller, quicker, and stealthier than other crews and the galleons you might have to face. If you're smart about it, you can win battles, escape emergencies, sneak past enemies, and plunder a whole bunch of loot. Use these tips to maximize your effectiveness as a solo buccaneer.
Sail on Safer Seas