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Game gifting comes to the Xbox One's online store

If you're an Xbox Insider, that is.

Timothy J. Seppala, Engadget

If you've ever wanted to gift an Xbox One game but didn't want to saddle the recipient with a physical copy (or an impersonal gift card), you're in luck. So long as you're part of the Xbox Insider Program, Microsoft's promised game gifting feature is now available for Xbox One titles through the console's online store, including some Windows 10 games that support Play Anywhere. You can either send a title directly to one of your Xbox Live friends or to an email address. The recipient only has to redeem a code to claim their game.

This certainly isn't a new concept -- just ask anyone who's ever handed out a freebie on Steam. It's also unclear if this is exactly how gifting will work by the time the feature reaches the public. Still, this is more than a little helpful, and not just for birthdays or holidays. If you've ever had a friend who wanted to join in an Xbox multiplayer match but couldn't afford to buy the game on the spot, you can do it for them.