Last year, a study by the Video Game History Foundation discovered that around 87% of classic video games have been lost. Part of the reason is that newer generation consoles are usually not compatible with older games. Xbox President Sarah Bond wants to do something about it.
Sarah Bond recently sent out an email to her staff—including members of Activision Blizzard who joined the family around six months ago—outlining the direction of the company. The Xbox president shared everything from how powerful the company’s next console would be to how the company was working on preserving classic titles beyond the lifespan of their console generation.
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“It’s been nearly six months since we came together as an organization. Our collective achievements in that timeframe are tremendous. Everyone should feel incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved and excited about the opportunities ahead,” wrote Bond in the email. “We are moving full speed ahead on our next-generation hardware, focused on delivering the biggest technological leap ever in a generation.”
“We are innovating in Gaming AI, focused on delivering player-first, developer-first value for discovery, engagement, and creator velocity.”
Microsoft has continued to experiment with the use of AI in games. Jez Corden of Windows Central learned that it would be a huge part of Xbox’s gaming future. Bond also shared how Microsoft was working to integrate Activision-Blizzard games and Battle.net into Xbox Game Pass and P Game Pass.
“We are integrating Activision Blizzard King titles into our services — we launched Diablo IV into Game Pass, and Xbox has quickly become the #1 platform for D4 players,” Bond emphasized. “We are integrating with Battle.net, all while launching CoD: Warzone Mobile and preparing for the upcoming Hellblade II, Avowed, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.”
Xbox execs launch game preservation team
Online game services and digital licensing models have made games more fragile in the sense that they can easily be taken offline permanently. This has become a huge problem against video game preservation. The problem is even worse in mobile gaming where platform holders can easily kick games out of their platforms—and out of existence.
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Mobile games are not the only ones at risk of going extinct. Nintendo has shut down stores and services ending many games. Microsoft is also closing part of the Xbox 360 store this year for new purchases.
Xbox has been expanding its library of backward-compatible games which has brought so many Xbox 360 games to Series X|S. In part of the email sent by Bond to her team, she said Microsoft has set up a dedicated team to ensure future-proofing of the current Xbox game library against future hardware shifts. The role of the team is to make sure that every game released on Xbox remains accessible to future hardware shifts.
“We have formed a new team dedicated to game preservation, important to all of us at Xbox and the industry itself,” Bond wrote. “We are building on our strong history of delivering backward compatibility to our players, and we remain committed to bringing forward the amazing library of Xbox games for future generations of players to enjoy.”
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According to The Verge, more of this news will be revealed during the Xbox Showcase scheduled to be held on June 9, 2024. Bond also used the opportunity to thank Kareem Choudhry who would be retiring from the company after 26 years.
“Earlier this week, at the goodbye party for Kareem Choudhry, a longtime leader in Xbox, we shared stories about the obstacles we’ve overcome and the incredible things this team has done,” Bond wrote. “As I was listening to those stories, I realized that Team Xbox embodies those same three qualities.”
