Microsoft's backwards compatibility push is a marketing miracle

"Who would have thought that the promise of old games could be such a fantastic marketing device?

"You really have to take your hat off to Microsoft here. They could have so easily pushed it as an exciting feature that the other side don't have and then left it at that.

"You don't actually need those additional titles, but just the value it seems to add for people is staggering.

[DirtyPete]

Im so happy to have backwards compatibility. I think it should have been a launch feature but oh well at least they brought it back. Now all my old games wont go to waste. I hope to start seeing more new games opposed to so many HD remakes too.

[Fro_xoxo]

I'm with you. . I was so happy when Phil made the announcement at E3. .

so many classics from last-gen i'll be able to play again including the ones I missed.

[kraenk12]

People fail to realise only a fraction of their games will ever be playable. I am also curious if more complex, hardware intense games like RDR are ever gonna be released at all.

[Fro_xoxo]

well, the newly updated list:

Alan Wake (favorite)
Bioshock (Favorite)
REACH (favorite)
Fallout 3 - I didn't finish this. .

My favorite games have been appearing on the list thus far.. I don't plan on playing over 100 last gen games.
Just the ones I adore. .

Shadow Complex - an indie classic by Epic games. I missed out on this, it's also been added to the list.

Fan favs have been appearing on the list. There's a voting system for a reason.

[donthate]

When I left my Xbox 360 behind to enjoy the new features of Xbox One, I admittedly didn't think I would miss my Xbox 360 games.

With BC, I have been playing some Mass Effect and Gears of War. I'm hoping to be able to enjoy Borderlands (already have THC on Xbox One), Dark Space trilogy, ME Trilogy, Gears series (we know this is coming) and Ninja Gaiden 2.

Dishonored would have been on that list if it wasn't remastered and given a discount to previous owners. The game is still in my backlog from GwG.

Anyhow, point being free games with the latest edition and ability to play my old games this entire generation is nothing sort of amazing.

Every indication a hundred game this November (I'm in the preview) and hundreds more next year.

I cannot complain about a free feature that I did not expect when I purchased the console.

Very good time to be an Xbox One gamer for sure!!!

@kraenk12:

Yeah, but most of the games you care for is likely to be there. Even if it isn't, it is still a lot better than nothing, and it is all free. So what is up with the negativity then?

[freshslicepizza]

people like the idea even if they don't plan on using it much.

[Bhuahahaha]

yeah me too im glad ms pulled the trigger to bc.
now sony will most likely follow it. every gamer is surely the winner here

[ninsigma]

I can't see ps3 games becoming bc on ps4 but ps2 and ps1?? That could be possible and I would love that!!

Edit: fixed my phones stupid auto correct mistake!

[dcbronco]

BC on PS4 would require additional equipment inside or a new OS. I doubt they will do either. Plus it would kill the value of their Geikai acquisition. The VM design of the Xbox One made BC possible and it makes it possible to emulate many OSs. It's a VM running the 360 OS. It could probably run the PS3 OS too.

[donthate]

The architecture of the PS4 OS doesn't lend itself well to emulating the same way MS is doing it. People complained about how MS is virtualizing their OS into three and how it would be inefficient, but this is the fruit of that labor. It has also resulted in a rock solid and stable OS.

Let say Sony finds a way to run the emulator, it still has to contend with the PS3's architecture that we will just call "difficult".

Frankly, I do not think Sony has the expertise (even an update to the PS4 dashboard is exceedingly slow to release), but on top of that it wouldn't fit into their business model with PS Now.

[Gazondaily]

I don't think it will have the big marketing appeal people think it will. Its definitely a great feature but after two years, as this gen hits its stride, last gen will becoming increasingly less important.

Not saying its irrelevant now mind you; I have a FAT back catalogue and the way MS have executed bc in things like Rare Replay is so impressive. Seriously, I was shocked by how well they did it. Its really weird seeing an xbox 360 ui within your xbox one and one that runs super fast.

It's the beauty of competition. Kudos to MS for whipping this out of nowhere.

[Death]

I'm not sure I agree on the thought that being two years in hurts the appeal. If there are indeed 60-70 million 360 owners that didn't make the jump, the ability to play your existing games and trade in your old console is a great marketing move to retain customers. It's far too early to tell what impact this will make to increase sales, but for now I know I am very happy with b/c on the Xbox One.

[gangsta_red]

I don't think a lot of people see it as marketing appeal as such but just another bullet point to add to all the other features the Xbox One is currently sporting.

The overall package is where the marketing appeal is going to come in, BC is just the cherry on top.

[avengers1978]

There are not 60-70 million 360 owners....

[ger2396]

Your right, if they had announced this day one, they would probably have been in the lead right now.

[dcbronco]

I don't think the desire for BC will die down. It did in the past because there was such a huge difference between console generations. While there is a difference now it doesn't make last generation look so bad it became unplayable. Some of those games will look years from now. Last generation was the start of the point where we approach the uncanny valley. As we cross it, the games that were just short will still have value.

What might make them less playable will be a change in mechanics like what we see with Crackdown mp. Once that hits offline single player, the mechanics change drastically. And that will start next generation.

[Christopher]

I disagree. I completely see the marketing appeal. You're telling gamers "But wait! For $60, you're not getting just one game, but two or more!" Heck, I've seen that marketing appeal already shouted to the rooftops on N4G here. During the Holiday season when parents are looking to get the most for their buck? It will steal the show.

[holysmokesbatman]

I've been playing Shadow Complex on my xb1 and loving it, never had it on 360, BC FTW!

[objdadon]

Lol at this title!

[GNCFLYER]

Lmao. I was th8nking the same.

[PlayableGamez]

Loving this feature... Just got done playing some Kameo... It's a great feature to have if you missed out on some Xbox 360 titles last gen.

[lemoncake]

Last gen games were so loved people are still willing to go out today and buy overpriced ports of them for the new gen, says it all.

[Saijahn]

Exactly, they'll hate BC but purchase a remaster when that money can go towards a new game. But to each their own. We're getting closer to holiday season so the more money I can use on new games by saving with BC the better.

[Lon3wolf]

Marketing miracle or not, it's good to have and I am glad they have added it, now for Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey to be ok'd and made working (multi disc games) :D

[Articuno76]

TBF BC is one of those things that I don't miss if I don't have it, but it's always welcome when it's included.

[GNCFLYER]

I missed out on tlou, and tomb raider last gen and glad I did.

I think the biggest buyers of remakes are all the people that switched from xbox.

[ninsigma]

Never thought much of the bc announcement. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was great and something else to differentiate itself from competition is never wrong but I didn't think of it as a huge selling point to possible new buyers at this point in the gen. But the value it adds to the gears remaster is incredible. Like seriously, it is the remaster with the most value out of any of them (except maybe rare replay :p). I was delighted when that was announced! If there are going to be more offers like that, it makes the Console a lot more compelling buy. Imagine we got Alan wake bc for buying quantum break?? Or the first 2 crackdowns for buying crackdown 3?? It could really start adding huge amount of value to xbox games and really increase initial game sales if they limit the offer to those who play the game within a certain time from launch, as is the case with gears. Bc for bc sake is not the game changer. That title belongs to the possible added value to new games by including bc of old ones for free. Just gotta wait and see if the capitolize on that and do it again.

[DJustinUNCHAIND]

I'm happy it's there, since now publishers seem to be bundling previous entries in the series as an incentive to buy the Xbox One version. Won't make much of a difference to me since I only own an X1 but I can definitely see it swaying multi-console owners favoring the X1 purchase over PS4, speaking strictly about value.

[Sly-Lupin]

Backwards compatibility is hugely important to me. It's a shame that Sony is so insistent on re-selling consumers games we already own.

[marioJP87]

I'm hoping it will support Tenchu Z.

[Petebloodyonion]

I will repeat this again!
The true purpose of BC isn't to allow you to replay your physical 360 games it's about:

1) Adding value to new titles compare to Ps4. Now the debate isn't only about 1080P vs 900P but also about one come with a couple of free games.

2) Chance to sell more old games or DLC on the one. What if I don't have the 360 title? Expect the possibility to buy the title digitally.

[SEM7ONE]

Simply amazing!

[22CobraKing]

It is a good feature to have but it isn't going to be that big. Who really is going to be 360 games this year with Halo 5, Fallout 4, battlefront, black ops 3 out. BC is only good for when their is dry months and/or want to revisit games once in a while.

[captainbigballs]

ps fanboys clearly salty about backwards compatibility, people say it doesn't have marketing weight lol i finally bought mine last week after watching e3. just mad sony fans, move along

[ShaunCameron]

Pretty much. They still haven't fully gotten over Sony removing BC from all the subsequent model PS3's and deep down they're miffed that Sony didn't include BC on the PS4 due to technological constraints and trying to keep the manufacturing and overall retail costs down. Otherwise, they would have another PS3 case.

[AstroCyborg]

its more like listening to fan feedback sony needs to start listening to their fans

[Dreadnort]

Even if Sony were able to emulate the Cell CPU accurately there is still one other obstacle that needs to be overcome. They would need come up with a solution for the Nvidia to ATI driver, like MS did with the emulation profiles.

But even then alot of xbox games suffered from graphical glitches, lag, stuttering, artifacting and audio issues. it's not unreasonable to assume that similar things would be present in PS3 games too if they had gone that way. Probably why they chose the PSNow method, far less hassle as I am guessing that the games are streamed directly from PS3 consoles or at least a server like system running PS3 architecture.

I wonder how many 360 games will be able to take advantage of the added power of the XB ONE. We've already seen Mass Effect with it's quicker loading times and more stable framerate, I imagine this is largely down to the two consoles using video display chips from ATI, as well as an apparently faster internal HDD. Is it fair to say that other games may be similarly improved ?

If the games are given a boost even a minor one, it will mark the first time that Console BC has actually improved older games.

Furthermore if Sony and MS upgrade within the same X86/ATI hardware in their next consoles we could see BC really giving older games a new lease. Imagine playing Witcher 3 on PS5 or the next Xbox with even better framerates, faster loading and for example. Hell why not be able to download a patch to improve the visuals too.

At the moment this is wishful thinking I know, but it doesn't hurt to fantasize. PC owners can buy new CPU's, GPU's and HDD's to see an instant boost to older games that may have run poorly on their old hardware. Why can't we console owners have the same advantage when we buy the next offerings from MS or Sony ?

[Truthandreason]

I'm thankful I can play Too Human when I feel the urge.

Wait, what do you mean it's not on the list!!???

[Paleblood]

I honestly don't understand how there is people who rather play old games than the new released amazing games. I believe there is a lot of bla bla bla and marketing stuff.

When reality strikes, we will see the truth for what it is.

[MellauxGMNG]

"When reality strikes, we will see the truth for what it is."

Lol the reality and truth is that the xbox one is backwards compatible, nothing else to it really.