9 Reasons Why You’ll Love the Xbox One

Backwards Compatibility

Microsoft only announced backward compatibility for the Xbox One at this year’s E3 2015 Media Briefing, but already it’s attracting a lot of attention.

With each new piece of technology users are forced to take stock of what they have and ask themselves whether it’s really a good idea to invest in something new. Video game consoles hurt in this respect, because unlike a smartphone, your games usually get left behind when you upgrade. For example, Sony’s PS4 doesn’t allow you to play the PS3 games you already own free of charge. The same is true of the Xbox One, but not for long.

Read: Xbox One Backwards Compatibility: What You Need to Know

Xbox One backward compatibility means that the Xbox One can play Xbox 360 games – provided the publisher has approved of the feature. A piece of software runs inside the Xbox One, perfectly emulating the software and hardware of the Xbox 360. When users put an Xbox 360 game into the Xbox One they’re unlocking a digital download of that same game. The disc is still needed to play the game, but it beats having to give up your favorite titles when upgrading.

Backward compatibility is already available to members of the Xbox Preview Program. It should roll out to other users later this year. Microsoft says it’ll work with developers to built out its portfolio over time. By this fall there'll be over 100 games.