Xbox sets up a game preservation team and wants "the biggest technical leap ever" for its next-gen system

Xbox has established a new team dedicated to video game preservation and forward compatibility.

That's according to Windows Central, which today published a report stating that Xbox president Sarah Bond had recently written to Xbox staff to reaffirm the company's commitment to hardware development – which will be welcomed news for many Xbox fans – and a plan to "future-proof" Xbox's digital libraries to "build on Xbox's strong history of delivering backward compatibility".

"It's been nearly six months since we came together as an organisation," Bond said in an email seen by Windows Central. "Our collective achievements in that timeframe are tremendous. Everyone should feel incredibly proud of what we've achieved and excited about the opportunities ahead. We are moving full speed ahead on our next-generation hardware, focused on delivering the biggest technological leap ever in a generation."

Bond also confirmed Xbox has "formed a new team dedicated to game preservation, important to all of us at Xbox and the industry itself".

"We are building on our strong history of delivering backwards compatibility to our players, and we remain committed to bringing forward the amazing library of Xbox games for future generations of players to enjoy," Bond said, with sources telling Windows Central that Microsoft "may have more to share publicly" about this come its annual Xbox Showcase in June.

"At a time when the gaming industry's growth is flattening, ours continues," Bond reportedly said. In January, the firm laid off almost two thousand employees across its Xbox and Activision Blizzard brands.

In other Xbox-flavoured news, earlier today we learned that Gears 6 will reportedly be announced on 9th June 2024. According to new reports, the fan-favourite shooter will be confirmed at an Xbox Showcase reportedly scheduled for that day.