Xbox Boss Explains Why Backward Compatibility Is A Necessity

There have been some arguments in the past about the value of backward compatibility in a console. Some have stated that it's not very practical in the business sense, while others have been more supportive, explaining it's vital to enjoy gaming experiences from the past, while also playing titles in the present.

And no one's been more supportive of backward compatibility than Microsoft. Ever since it announced the debut of the program last year, its Xbox One backward compatibility program with Xbox 360 has featured over 400 entries, including popular games like Red Dead Redemption and Call of Duty: Black Ops II. The program will expand even further later this year with key original Xbox titles, like Crimson Skies: High Road To Revenge.

So what's the importance of backwards compatibility? According to Xbox boss Phil Spencer, quite a bit. While speaking with Wired UK, Spencer revealed just how vital it is. "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 art form has progressed," he explained.

And he's got a point. Players these days are thrilled to see various classic games make a comeback, either through HD collections re-released by publishers, or with some form of reimagining that keeps the general focus of the game intact, while still introducing something new. (Case in point – Metroid: Samus Returns.)

With that, Microsoft's backward compatibility program should continue as planned, with new releases coming out on an almost weekly basis, and the original Xbox games set to be announced somewhere down the road (though maybe not by the holiday season as originally intended). There's definitely interest in the program, especially with sales of games like Red Dead and Call of Duty picking up tremendously with their compatibility on Xbox One.

We'll see what Microsoft has planned in the weeks ahead. Hey, guys, think we can get Split/Second?