Xbox will 'respect the investments that people have made' and encourage backward compatibility in the future

(Image credit: Microsoft)

The most recent Xbox Podcast with the CEO of Microsoft gaming, Phil Spencer, the president of gaming content and studios at Xbox, Matt Booty, and the president of Xbox, Sarah Bond, saw the three discuss the future of the gaming console but also how it would always stick to its roots.

After Spencer discussed all the big hitters like exclusivity at Xbox and what players may be able to expect when it comes to future hardware, he briefly mentioned how Xbox would treat consumers who can't keep up with the busy console release schedule.

“When we look at future hardware generations and what we’re gonna support, making sure that we respect - which is the word I use, respect - the investments that people have made in Xbox going forward, is fundamental,” Spencer said during the podcast which is now available to view on the official Xbox YouTube channel.

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"One of the cues, I think, us as being part of Microsoft take is looking at Windows, and how Windows, over decades, has maintained software compatibility with things that are built on it," Spencer explained. "I can still go back and play some of the games that I loved playing on Windows from decades ago, and it will still run. We try to bring that same view to consoles."

This is excellent news for those of us who aren't prepared to purchase every new console right away at release. "Compatibility and the ability to not only play the games, but my saves are still there with our cloud save systems, to try to keep the services up as long as we can so people can play is a tenet of what we are as Xbox," Spencer concluded.

If you're searching for more games that you can play on older consoles, then check out the best Xbox One games and the best PS4 games available right now.

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Elie is a Features Writer for TechRadar Gaming, here to write about anything new or slightly weird. Before writing for TRG, Elie studied for a Masters at Cardiff University JOMEC in International Journalism and Documentaries – spending their free time filming short docs or editing the gaming section for their student publications.

Elie’s first step into gaming was through Pokémon but they've taken the natural next step in the horror genre. Any and every game that would keep you up at night is on their list to play - despite the fact that one of Elie’s biggest fears is being chased.