Microsoft says you should have “confidence” in building a digital library on Xbox

As part of the massive Xbox business update that confirmed four Xbox exclusives are going multiplatform, Microsoft also set out to seemingly calm the nerves of Xbox fans who might be concerned about the Xbox platform disappearing. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer announced today that Microsoft will “respect the investments that people have made in Xbox.””When we look at future hardware generations and what we’re gonna support, making sure that we respect, which is the word I use, respect, the investments that people have made in Xbox going forward is fundamental,” Spencer said during the Official Xbox Podcast. As we now know, new Xbox hardware is firmly in Microsoft’s future plans, which means the Xbox ecosystem isn’t going anywhere. In the same podcast, Xbox president Sarah Bond even confirmed that we’ll hear about new Xbox hardware later this year and that the next generation of Xbox will deliver the “largest technical leap” we’ve ever seen.

Doubling down on its commitment to the future of Xbox, Microsoft posted a statement on Xbox Wire, saying “Xbox players should have confidence in building your digital library in the Xbox ecosystem,” and that its commitment to game preservation is “unwavering.”

“We will continue to reward that with the most robust, player-friendly experiences, including backwards compatibility, cross-play, cross-save progression, convenient cloud gaming, and more,” the statement reads. “Xbox consoles will continue to provide a flagship experience for players; it’s where you get the best value and convenience, it’s where Game Pass provides unprecedented access to an ever-evolving library of games. To be clear: Game Pass will continue to be only available on Xbox platforms.”

Elsewhere during the podcast, it was confirmed that Diablo 4 will be coming to Xbox Game Pass in March.