Sony's PlayStation 4 can already stream gameplay to viewers around the world over Twitch, but the Xbox One won't be offering similar functionality until sometime after launch. In a statement published today on Xbox Wire, the company said, "We know the ability to instantly broadcast gameplay is something the gaming community is excited about, and we are too." But apparently it's not something that will be ready come Friday. "We are working to ensure the initial Twitch on Xbox One broadcasting experience meets the expectations of the Twitch community, so while this feature won't be available right away, we'll let you know as soon as it is ready," Microsoft says. It's now aiming to launch Twitch streaming "in the first part of 2014," but the company doesn't get more specific than that.

Like Sony's implementation, Microsoft will let users both broadcast gameplay and provide live voice commentary to interact with viewers. But Microsoft is reserving Twitch live streaming for paid Xbox Live Gold customers, whereas Sony makes the functionality available to everyone. In the interim, gamers will be able to watch other, non-Xbox One Twitch feeds with an official app that will be available as a free download on November 22nd. You'll even be able to watch a Twitch stream while playing another game with the console's Snap feature; achievements will be awarded to those who spend the most time watching.