I agree that Micorosft is building an outstanding ecosystem, and it should be the standard in the future. All software on all devices regaurdless of form factor. Knowing that I can buy any peice of software from the Microsoft Store, and have access to it on any Microsoft device I plan to buy is exactly where the elctronics and software industries should be heading.

As a gamer, I appreciate both the past, and the future of gaming. I am extreamly pleased with Microsofts work to set our history in stone. I absolutely hope that Sony is also working to give us access to more, if not all of the PlayStation catalogue via native playback and PS Now.

Ultimately, in the future, I would really like to see the option to buy everything from wearables, to top end home equipment from Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo. All running on the same base level OS, with a unified library of apps, services, and games.

As a follower of capitalism, this logic worries me. Competition breeds more unique content because companies are vying for the attention and dollar of the consumer. The consumer should always have the power. If we get too convinient the corporation will take the power from the consumer swiftly and slyly. In a healthy competing market you can always shift choices, have all of the choices or have none of the choices (generally to shift your focus elsewhere). If we had one brand, they would  not do much to seek our approval because their base is set in stone. Imagine a world where Microsoft had no competition. If you wish for no choice...you'll see the real side of a corporation once theyve monopolized the market.

You can thank Apple as to why Windows is still so competitive. It was Steve Jobs who was committed to creating synergy to premium, lifestyle-based products. This is why you see Microsoft doing trying to replicate the same concept with everything. 

I just want all of my games universal like my MP3s are universal or by movie discs are universal. I think that being tied to a single device is keeping gaming from being all that it can be. 

I'd be cool with a new standard in performance every few years as long as it's capable of running everything that came before. My 2001 DVDs still work on a device I can buy today but my 2001 video games (depending on the console) only run on my 2001 device. That sucks.

you can always go the emulation route on PC

So basically BC is awesome and officially making things available on PC that the mod community would have done anyways (and usually for free) is even better....

ok, got it.

That's a nice idea, yet my dvd player doesn't play VHS tapes, nor does my CD player play casettes or records. At some point technology makes a jump at which it will cost a lot extra to keep supporting the past. Should consoles from now on always stick to x86 architecture to keep supporting the past? Plus optical discs won't be around forever either.

Should XBox One not have dropped Kinect?
Should Switch not have dropped the second screen?
Should PS4 have stuck to the cell?

MS has been smart to keep their SDKs compatible accross gens. Or have they? MS hasn't secured a first place yet and aren't doing so hot atm. Focussing on delivering the best games for the hardware seems to be more appreciated than universal games.

Perhaps next gen we'll get universal BC back again on Sony and Nintendo systems. Or they'll switch to a new architecture and don't support this gen at all besides remasters. It won't make much of a difference in sales.

In that case (which actually I thought about earlier) most of the movies that were on VHS are made available in DVD/Blu Ray format (or even digital!) so even if your current hardware isn't compatible with previous formats, it's pretty likely that there's some way your current hardware can legally watch a version of your old movies or play your old music.

That's all I want. I know games age really fast whereas other media (books, music, movies) are more timeless. I'd love for games to reach a point where they aren't lost to the passing of time because the hardware that runs it became obsolete.

I'm pretty much full digital these days. It's cool to see some of my digital purchases from long ago still available on my current gen stuff. Anyway, I'm rambling. Gotta get up for work in a few hours. Have a good night! 

😄

If MS is truly bringing about an end to generations, then I think that's a great thing. I see no reason why every game that I purchase shouldn't be playable on every future console (within reason), and that any game released today shouldn't be able to play on hardware purchased a year or two ago. In other words, I think that consoles need to become PCs in terms of scalability.

Nobody makes money on hardware. So, stop making people buy it. Let them spend their money on games, which are profitable. Then they can buy hardware when *they * want to. Hardcore gamers can upgrade every year or two if they want, and always have the best experience. Casuals can upgrade less often, and still play current games. The way I see it, everyone wins in this scenario.

If we're just talking about BC as it stands today, I think its nice. But, I've played exactly one XB360 game on my XB1. So, I don't see it as a big deal.

Its the way of the future. Having a strong eco system is what makes Steam successful.
UWP is still in its early days however Steam was no different at launch. In fact at launch Steam sucked. I had such a hard time trying to get Half Life 2 working on it. It wasn't pretty.
I always collect my PC games on Steam however there have been occasions where Win Store earnt my money. Games like Snake Pass for example is play anywhere and i couldnt resist the value there.
Alot of gamers seem to choose to hate UWP or Win10 however through actual experience games like Gears 4, Horizon 3, Ori and Halo Wars 2 all work great and better if your PC is more powerful than a X1.
Like everything that's new, people hate change. Time will tell if it works out. I gave a chance 14 years ago and look where it is now.

Old games are remade or made available for new systems as well. Far from all, yet also far from all VHS tapes have been transferred to DVD. Many of my favorite childhood tv shows are nowhere to be found.

Full digital is a solution as long as old file formats keep being supported. Even though I have some of my old dos games, there are always issues trying to run one.

Anyway I'm rambling as well. Just played an apparent ps1 game in VR (some pirate game, can't look up the name as I'm getting access denied atm on psn), and an Apollo 11 mission documentary with textures for moon and earth from the sixties as well by the look of it. Kind of an immersion breaker when you're floating over a giant pixelated earth.