Backwards compatibility will be one of Project Scarlett’s big advantages

Microsoft couldn't exactly win on the power front, or on the top-rated exclusives front this generation but the company doubled down on beating the PS4 in other areas. Cross-play, Play Anywhere, Game Pass and backwards compatibility initiatives all helped change the perception of the Xbox One this generation and Microsoft hopes that advantage will remain with them as we head into the next generation of console hardware.

Speaking with GamesRadar recently, Xbox Game Studios head, Matt Booty, talked about one of the advantages he feels Xbox has with Project Scarlet as we head closer to launch. At the top of the list is backwards compatibility, with Microsoft looking to make four generations of games playable on one console.

“We want – when you invest in Xbox – to know that you're bringing that legacy content library with you. It's why we think we’ve got an advantage with Project Scarlett, because our goal is that any game that runs on an Xbox One will run on Scarlett. You're not porting to a different operating system; you're not porting to a different graphics API; you're just running an Xbox game, right? So we hope that that’s a big advantage in terms of our initial content library.”

Microsoft released its last batch of backwards compatible games for the Xbox One earlier this year in order to fully focus on the next console. Presumably, every game currently on the Xbox One backwards compatible list will also be playable on Project Scarlett and once the console is out there, Microsoft may start looking adding more games to the programme once again with help from fan votes.

Of course, Sony is also working on bringing back proper backwards compatibility for the PS5, so just how much of an advantage this will end up being for Microsoft remains to be seen.

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KitGuru Says: Aside from huge games like DOOM Eternal, Half-Life: Alyx and Cyberpunk 2077, we've also got new hardware on the way and unannounced games to look forward to. It is shaping up to be one of gaming's best years in a long time. Are many of you looking forward to what's in store for 2020?  

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