- Microsoft head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty pointed out that Project Scarlett: backward compatibility
In the 2020 holiday season, Microsoft is releasing an Xbox console that is code-named Project Scarlett. Project Scarlett has a custom-designed AMD processor, high bandwidth GDDR6 memory, and a next-generation solid-state drive (SSD). Plus Halo Infinite will launch during the holiday 2020 season alongside Project Scarlett.
In an interview with GamesRadar+, Microsoft Head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty pointed out that Scarlett has another major “advantage” over its competition: backward compatibility. This means that Project Scarlett will support games made for Xbox One, Xbox 360, and the original Xbox 360.
“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,” said Booty in the interview. “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.”
Earlier this year, Microsoft stopped adding backward compatible titles to Xbox One. The backward compatibility program got put on pause so Microsoft could focus on having Scarlett support four generations of games.
Do not get rid of your Xbox One controllers and accessories yet. Scarlett will also support Xbox One controllers and peripherals.
Sony is also designing the PlayStation 5 in a way that would support PlayStation 4 games. PlayStation Now also has backwards compatibility, but users have to buy the games again.
