Xbox Boss Says Backwards Compatibility is About Preserving Games

The commercial benefits are obvious but Phil Spencer wants players to see how games have evolved.

Posted By | On 04th, Oct. 2017

One might wonder about Microsoft’s strong commitment to backwards compatibility. The company announced backwards compatibility for Xbox 360 games on the Xbox One at no additional cost whatsoever but this year, it went ahead and added original Xbox titles to the backwards compatible roster as well.

Sure, it’s good business for Microsoft but according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer while speaking to Wired, there’s more to it than that. Spencer believes that backwards compatibility is about preserving games and allowing new players to see how the medium has progressed throughout the year.

“I see games as an art form. Console games can get lost when hardware generations go away. It can become more challenging to play the games of our past. There’s something to be learned from experiencing what I played as a kid. There’s good business there for the content owners, but as players, it’s nice to be able to understand how our artform has progressed.”

Which is pretty noble, especially considering how large the roster for backwards compatible Xbox 360 games on the Xbox One is currently. The list will be slightly smaller for original Xbox titles though and Microsoft has yet to provide a comprehensive list of the same.

How important is backwards compatibility when the Xbox One’s release lineup is kind of bare? That remains to be seen especially in light of the Nintendo Switch’s stellar launch year and the PS4’s solid library.


Amazing Articles You Might Want To Check Out!

Share Your Thoughts Below  (Always follow our comments policy!)



Keep On Reading!

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead Will Have a Microphone Noise Detection Feature

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead Will Have a Microphone Noise Detection Feature

Stormind Games and Saber Interactive's upcoming horror title will catch any sound you make if you turn on your...

Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO Launch Trailer Resurrects a Classic Opening Theme

Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO Launch Trailer Resurrects a Classic Opening Theme

The trailer features Hironobu Kageyama's iconic opening theme, "Cha-La Head-Cha-La", set to high-octane battle...

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Video Reveals Campaign Details

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Video Reveals Campaign Details

Raven Software speaks about the upcoming Black Ops 6's single-player campaign, which will serve as a follow-up...

Destiny 2: Vesper’s Host Dungeon Trailer Teases Fallen Threats, Reveals Icebreaker

Destiny 2: Vesper’s Host Dungeon Trailer Teases Fallen Threats, Reveals Icebreaker

Launching on October 11th at 9:30 AM PT, the dungeon sees players venturing to a spooky derelict Braytech stat...

Nintendo Switch Online Playtest Announced for “New Feature”, Starts October 23rd

Nintendo Switch Online Playtest Announced for “New Feature”, Starts October 23rd

The playtest will be available in the US, UK, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, and Italy. Registration opens on ...

Dead Island 2, Return to Monkey Island, and More Coming to PlayStation Plus Game Catalog This Month

Dead Island 2, Return to Monkey Island, and More Coming to PlayStation Plus Game Catalog This Month

Meanwhile, PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers will also get access to a couple of survival horror classics i...