Despite Microsoft launching its next-gen Xbox, the Xbox Series X, later this year, the Redmond-based tech company wants to make sure that those who will still be investing in the current Xbox One, feel satisfied when investing in Xbox.

　　There are plenty of Xbox One games releasing in the months leading to the launch of the Xbox Series X, including first-party titles such as Bleeding Edge, Ori and the Will of the Wisps and Wasteland 3. We already know that the Series X will run all first-party Xbox One titles, but according to Microsoft’s head of Xbox Game Studios, Matt Booty, the company’s main reason for the ongoing Xbox One support is that it wants its customers to feel comfortable in Xbox as a brand Microsoft doesn’t want people to feel like they’re having to make a choice between the current- and next console generation.

　　In the latest issue of the Official Xbox Magazine (February 2020, issue #186), Booty talked about Xbox going forward, the recent studio acquisitions, Xbox Game Pass and the Xbox content library.

　　We’ve included the relevant parts from the interview down below:

　　Official Xbox Magazine: You mentioned there would be more games announced before the end of the year. We think many people were surprised to see Microsoft announcing new Xbox One games with Project Scarlett launching Holiday 2020, imagining that the Eye Of Sauron would have shifted to its new target. Why continue to support Xbox One?

　　Booty: It’s interesting you bring that up. I think we want people to feel comfortable investing in Xbox. And whether that means that this holiday you’re going to go buy an Xbox One S, or next fall you’re going to go buy a Scarlett – you’re going to feel comfortable either way. And that content library that you invest in is going to go forward, so that you don’t have to feel like you’re making a choice between generations, right? I think that’s important to us.

　　The head of Xbox Game Studios also believes that gaming is becoming an activity that isn’t linked to a season as much as it has been in the past.

　　Booty: I also think that, you know, gaming to some extent is starting to become an activity in people’s lives that isn’t so seasonal. When you think about services like HBO and Netflix that make major content drops, it’s year-round. There’s certainly different kinds of content for different times of the year. I think we can safely say that Marvel movies mostly come out in the summer… Although it’s interesting to see, now, how Star Wars movies have moved from the summer to the winter. There is kind of this thing in the industry where we all used to say, ‘Okay, everyone’s going to compete for the best launch window in October.’ Then it was like, ‘We didn’t want to get lost in October.’ So now some games moved to February. And now February is so crowded, there’s a window in May. ‘And now October’s so crowded, maybe we can do December and August?’ By the time you’re done, the whole year becomes available to launch titles, because I think that’s how people play their games.

　　What is your take on this? Will you still be investing in the current console generation or are you waiting for Sony and Microsoft to release their next-gen consoles later this year? Feel free to let us know below.