Speaking to GameSpot, Microsoft Game Studios VP Phil Spencer advised gamers to keep hold of their Xbox 360s if they want to play XBLA games.
"Those games will continue to run on your Xbox 360 for as long as your Xbox 360 runs," he said.

"The box is not backward compatible and we think for somebody who invests in a large digital library that you want to keep your [Xbox 360]."

Spencer indicated that Microsoft intends for the Xbox 360 to co-exist with its new console, and reasoned that accessing Xbox Live accounts on both system was intended to facilitate this.

"You don't have a separate identity on Xbox One or [Xbox 360]; it's the same, you are you. My friend's network is the same on both boxes, my achievements are the same. So we think that service component is an important component to keep constant across both devices.!

Following its Xbox One reveal event, Microsoft confirmed Xbox One is not backwards compatible with Xbox 360 games. According to the company, the lack of support was due to fundamental architectural differences between the two consoles.

"[Xbox One is] architected to take full advantage of state-of-the-art processors and the infinite power of the cloud," it read.

The platform holder also promised to support its previous console "well into the future" with games and new apps. It went on to promise a 'huge' Xbox 360 reveal at E3.