Backwards compatibility has been one of the talking points around the Xbox Series X since its reveal, following the work done to enable Xbox 360 and original Xbox games to work on current-gen Xbox One consoles. With the launch of the Xbox Series X, Microsoft is aiming to have everything ready on day one.
At least, everything that doesn’t require a Kinect, Microsoft’s discontinued motion-tracking camera that originally shipped with the Xbox One. The Xbox Series X will support a lot of existing Xbox One accessories, including the Xbox One controller, but the Kinect is one of the rare omissions. That means backwards compatibility will exclude any games that require it.
The rest, including every Xbox One title, should be ready for the Xbox Series X launch later this year. That includes the existing backwards-compatible library of Xbox 360 and Xbox games, which Microsoft stopped adding to in the run up to its next-gen launch. As before, backwards compatibility will require no additional work from developers, with Microsoft’s solution also allowing for faster loading times and better visual performance on more powerful hardware natively.
Microsoft has made a slew of announcements recently, including confirmation that xCloud will launch in September and be included for free with Game Pass Ultimate. The Xbox Game Showcase is also taking place on July 23, with the first look at Halo Infinite and numerous first-party reveals.
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