Do Backwards-Compatible Consoles Matter Anymore?

FleshEatingZipper writes: Obviously, many more people bought Xboxes this generation than PlayStations (well, when you exclude their handhelds, and legacy hardware, and worldwide sales..) so it would make more sense for Microsoft come up with a solution than Sony. The question remains, though: will anyone care?

[dungeonboss]

Depends. To some it does, to others it doesn't. The Wii U has BC due to a 'Wii inside a Wii U', and the internet went crazy and said the 'Wii U sucks because you can't play Wii games directly from the Wii U menu'. Then Sony announced that PS4 would not have BC at all and rumor is that neither will next Xbox, and the internet went: 'oh well, we don't need BC anyways'. I guess it all just depends on personal preference. I tend to keep all of my old consoles, so I couldn't care less about BC.

[Sam Fisher]

Yes it does, now my sneaky a$$ has to have a ps3 and maybe a ps4 (still thinking about going pc this gen, both consoles are kinda f-ing this next gen to me). Instead of having 1 expensive hardware, where it has everything in one box/cube/ball (whatever the hell its going to look like this gen)

[iGAM3R-VIII]

Well if you actually liked the PS3 you would keep it like me, I still have my old PS2 and my 2005 xbox but because I barely play games on it, I sold the games but not the consoles.

Anyway, tbh I don't really think it is a big deal, I usually keep my old consoles anyway and when I buy a new console I barely play on my old console anymore

[UnwanteDreamz]

BC matters but if it is missing I wont cry.

I still own a PS3.

[Dj7FairyTail]

Good I am not needed here.

[Seraphim]

Do we need it? absolutely not. However it is nice when they're able to provide that feature.

years from now when my PS finally takes a shit what do I do? I can pull out my PS2 and start using that for PS/PS2 games. PS2 craps out eventually. Break the PS3 back out and play PS/PS2/PS3 games. Lol....

On the other hand if I were say, able to buy a Classic on PSN and that game carries over to any and every future platform. Big bonus. Instead of being hesitant to buy said games I'd be all over every single one of them. Often just wasting money knowing dam well I'll likely never get around to playing them.

Seriously though. Having the feature is always a nice addition to a new console. But at the same time I think it's only truly beneficial to those who trade their old units in for the latest. Personally I've always kept my consoles (cept Sega) & it's quite rare I actually use BC with any new console. PS3, maybe once, PS2, maybe a few times.

[NYC_Gamer]

I'm not worried about the feature since keeping my old consoles

[jcnba28]

Yes it does because I don't want 5 consoles sitting under my tv. The ps3 alone is huge, I don't want to have that sitting in my living room for another 8 years.

[MysticStrummer]

Not to me. I never used my PS2's BC. Ditto for PS3's BC.

[MysticStrummer]

"Obviously, many more people bought Xboxes this generation than PlayStations"

lol Didn't even notice this BS. Article fails in the first sentence.

[UnwanteDreamz]

If you keep reading the rest of the sentence the second part negates the first. You missed the joke.

[LastXeno]

Apparently not, says the Playstation fan-base.

[MysticStrummer]

BC consoles started with Playstation 2, a huge seller, so why wouldn't PS fans have an opinion about BC?

Edit - My mistake. BC did not in fact originate on PS.

[Dj7FairyTail]

Because they are brainwashed by PS3.

[malokevi]

Occasionally I will try and play my old Xbox discs. It really erks me then they dont work.

I attempted to play Cell Damage the other day, to no avail. I really wish they would release that game as an arcade title. Wacky cell-shaded fun is something I miss.

One more modern military FPS and I may have to take the path of least resistance (death, that is.)

[B-radical]

Dan ‏@superDaE 7 Apr
@listens2music Xbox Next will most likely have backwards compatibility.

The possibility is there. IMO its a good thing to have not only does backwards compatibility play old games but plays them at there best

[Why o why]

For me yeah IF i cant play my ps3 games on the ps4 and my ps3 dies...then what. Re buy digital versions of my hard copy games....nah mate. Buy another ps3....the unattractive new slim....nah mate. Ive too many games to just not want to play them anymore.

[Godmars290]

It was great that Sony did it for the PS2, pity it became the issue that it did w/PS3.

Of course if they hadn't dropped it not only would it have likely held back the PS4, become only a bigger issue if dropped, HD collection probably would be a thing. 360 gamers wouldn't be getting the chance to play PS2 classics.

[MadMen]

This will be the gen they phase that idea out and phase in
software emulation + getting the game virtually only

Why?

Because they can make double their money, your buying a game twice.

or

They can make money by charging for the Emulation Software download say 19.99.

Its a win for them to leave it out and not look back

[nevin1]

It would of been cool if I can play Uncharted online with freinds rather they have PS3 or PS4.

It would of been cool to have BC on the next Xbox since I never had a 360.

[Jek_Porkins]

Damn right it matters, we've been introduced to an ecosystem with Achievements and Trophies and those things along with our ID's need to carry over and continue on.

I think the people that say "Just keep your old consoles", probably don't have all of them, it'd be very difficult to keep a PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox 720 and Wii U all hooked up, and it'd be horribly cluttered. Hopefully the Xbox 720 is BC, I don't believe rumors, so I'm keeping fingers crossed.

[Why o why]

Yep

[SKUD]

True, also assuming that eveyone who says that is a tech and can get spare parts to keep their old consoles running down the line. LOL NOPE. Its a pain in the ass just to replace an X360 DVD drive thats out of warranty.

[Whymii]

Yes. Yes it does. There are plenty of people with large libraries of games that will become more or less worthless the moment the new consoles arrive. They can't trade or sell their old consoles to buy the new one without selling all of their games as well. Console platforms are about access to games and anything that limits this access is simply wrong.

When it comes down to it, what are the reasons for not including BC? It's not cost because that can be amortised over the production life of the system. No, it's DRM and ensuring that there is less competition for sales of the new system's software against the old.

[sonicjam]

It never mattered back in the nes, snes, n64, and GC days. Why should it matter now.

[Whymii]

We also used to load games off audio cassettes, controllers had 1 button, and the maximum colours on screen was 16. Why go backwards, no pun intended. Restrictive practices need to stay in the past. The technology for BC is not expensive so why remove it and make people's game libraries worthless. Could you imagine if Apple did that with every iPod release. Even they aren't that arrogant.

[just-joe]

Because as tech got better, it has become an option and without it seems silly. Funny seeing the company who basically introduced the concept won't be doing it.

[sonicjam]

Yeah but you're buying a ps4 just to play ps4 games not to play your old games if you want to play your old games then don't sell the old console. Also Nintendo was the first company from what I remember to bring up BC on gameboy color.

[djthechamp24]

people talk so much about not having Backwards-Compatible but they are not willing to pay the extra money.

[Whymii]

Over the cost of developing a new console, how much extra would BC actually be? The cost of producing the original hardware today is next to nothing compared to manufacturing new. Even if it was relatively dear, there are other options. Given how people keep on spouting how many times more powerful the new consoles are compared to the previous, then emulation should at least be possible. Not ideal, but possible. N64 and GC titles certainly look awesome scaled up on my PC.

[Qrphe]

Sony can emulate PS2 titles on the PS3, but they'd rather just charge us for it.

[punisher99]

"Obviously, many more people bought Xboxes this generation than PlayStations (well, when you exclude their worldwide sales..)"

Well thats not saying much. How do you start your story off contradicting yourself?? lol

[telekineticmantis]

Ive told about the PS4 it does. Sony must find a way to make the PS4 recoginize PS3 games and load it up on Gaikai.

[Mustang300C2012]

The cost isn't worth it in the long run. I will keep my PS3/360 for my games personally. I get the convienience but it cost too much just for a short term fix. Meaning majority of gamers over a cycle are not playing previous system games on their newer console.

[oof46]

At the beginning of a new console's life cycle it is, but it becomes less important the further along a system ages.

[BitbyDeath]

Doesn't bother me, if i really want an old game i'll just buy it again as a digital copy.

[mydyingparadiselost]

I would like it to be there but if it's through Gaikai I won't pay a monthly fee to play games I already bought, and I will NOT buy either next gen system if their xbl/ psn purchases don't transfer in some way. I don't have the kinda money flowing out of my ass that allows me to rebuy the same games and content over and over again just cause. I'm tired of the gaming industry wanting peopl to buy their games over and over again for recurring profit.

[ziggurcat]

they never did matter.

[Novistador]

You guys are being way to complacent, you may have to re-buy games to play them on the Ps4. Or hook up your ps3 and play that, its like someone saying. Oh i just bought this new gaming computer... but i better leave my old outdated pc here just in case i want to play some games on it.

[MadLad]

Yes.
Very much so, I feel.

[gamegenieny]

The biggest reason to me BC needs to be there (ps4/xbox720) is digital distribution. With "day one digital" and all these psn/xbla games i don't want to hear i have to buy them again. This is why i dont support digital only on consoles. Why would i buy a game on psn now that i know it won't be BC ? They need to find a way to make BC work especially for PSN games. Games like simpsons arcade and the like should work on PS4.