Microsoft has started testing a new 'dark mode' for Xbox that promises to go easy on your eyes during late-night gaming sessions.
"Night Mode has now been added as a new feature in Settings!" Microsoft announced in an Xbox Newswire blog post (via GamesRadar). "Users can now dim and filter their screen, as well as dim their console & controller LED brightness."
The new feature can be triggered manually, or by setting up a sunset-to-sunrise schedule. Players can also initiate a 'Blue Light Filter' designed to protect their peepers by altering the screen temperature to a warmer colour.
Night Mode also includes the option to disable HDR, which can remove too many bright highlights when gaming after dark, tweak the precise amount of blue light filtering and set the console to switch to a dark theme at a certain time of day or year.
As of now, Night Mode is only available to members of the invite-only Xbox Insider Alpha Skip-Ahead Ring, so it's too early to say whether all of the above features will roll out to the general public.
If you're in Skip Ahead Ring, you can experience Night Mode now by opening the Guide menu and navigating to Settings Menu. Open Preferences and then select Night Mode.
Microsoft hasn't specifically said when Night Mode will launch for the masses, but we'd expect to see it trickle down to all Xboxes – including Series X and Series S – sooner rather than later.
It's not the first time the company has attempted to make its products easier on the eyes. Last month, the tech giant unveiled "the first TUV/Eyesafe certified" gaming monitor, designed to reduce strain on gamers’ eyes during extend play. The 28-inch Acer XV282K KV is due out in the States from September, priced at $950.
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