ActionTrip has conducted an interview with Rich Wickham, director of Games for Windows, who sheds more light on what perks gamers can expect to get from Microsoft's upcoming OS. Here's an excerpt:

ActionTrip: We wanted to know more about future Vista and Xbox 360 compatibility. Could you offer us a more detailed insight on the way users will be able to connect their home PCs with their Xbox 360 units?

Rich Wickham: As you know, you currently can use your Xbox 360 as an extender with your Media Center PC. That integration is tighter in Windows Vista, and I think you'll see more and more folks connecting their devices on home networks. At home, I stream my photos and music from my PC to my Xbox 360, which is very cool.

Of course, we're also bringing Live to Windows Vista in 2007. Windows gamers will experience Live in titles like "Shadowrun," "Halo 2 for Windows Vista" and "Marvel Online." "Shadowrun" will support cross-platform play between Windows Vista and Xbox 360. I've played "Shadowrun" on Windows Vista against folks on Xbox 360 ? it's a lot of fun, and as you can imagine, there's plenty of Windows vs. console smack talk. We're also working closely with third party developers to make sure there are a broad variety of Games for Windows titles supporting Live in the future.

ActionTrip: Recent tests and benchmarks indicated that a great number of classic PC games run pretty well on Windows Vista. Are you worried about potential compatibility issues with older software?

Rich Wickham: I don't think compatibility concerns should keep a gamer from upgrading to Windows Vista, even from day 1. We've been testing hundreds of games for Windows Vista compatibility for more than a year now. We're very happy with the results so far, and we'll keep working and engaging with our software and hardware partners to make sure we address any issues.