[quote]If I upgrade to the Xbox One, do I need to start over with new characters or would my character carry over?[/quote] Yes, they will carry over. [quote]Is the Xbox One backwards compatible with my current 360 games (Destiny, Halo Series, GTA5) or do I have to buy new games no matter what?[/quote] It will be by the end of the year. [quote]Any other benefits to sticking with Microsoft?[/quote] - Voice controlling your tv with kinect. - Windows 10. You'll be able to remote play your video games on any Windows device connected to the same network. - Better controller with an elite version coming soon.