Half Of Xbox One Owners Have Used Backward Compatibility, Says Phil Spencer

GameRevolution: "Microsoft's investment in software-based backward compatibility on the Xbox One has been a crowd-pleaser. Although it's been a great reason to invest in the console, many have argued that it's underutilized. The assumption is that very few Xbox One owners bother to take advantage of the feature. However, that couldn't be farther from the truth."

[Malice-Flare]

also helps that the XB1 is cheap...

[starchild]

I think backwards compatibility is a valuable feature for any platform. Good games don't stop being good games just because something newer came out.

I love backwards compatibility on my PC and I play older games all the time intermixed with the newer games. I can understand why Xbox One owners are generally happy about this feature.

If the PS5 ends up having backwards compatibility it will be a very good thing. It's something I'm hoping for. I still have my fat PS3 that plays PS1 and PS2 games and I won't get rid of it. It plays my PS1, PS2 and PS3 games, while I have my Pro for all the PS4 games.

[DigitalRaptor]

What Overload said ain't exactly false, is it?

I personally think backwards compatibility is great feature. If you can engineer it and do it well then kudos. I wish all consoles could do it. What this here statistic means is that 50% of people may rather play old games than be interested in new ones, and possibly one of the reasons why there is such a huge gulf between their lineup and that of the main competition.
------

@ Kribwalker

Yeah, you can play multiplatform games just fine, but didn't you have to wait 10 months for a AAA exclusive retail game of great quality? The previous year it was another 10-month drought, and what bookended that 10-month period was 2 remaster collections. Backwards compatibility might be a great feature, but using it as a filler for "dead times" between releases like Overload said is not great, and should be questioned in all honesty. Any gamer can hook up a cheap 360, or pass the signal through their XB1. BC is no substitute for new, exclusive first-party games - sequels or new IP. MS have done a great job here and should be commended, but the rest is just food for thought.
----------

@ Lenrulesdaworld

Did you not read? I said.... "AAA retail exclusive of great quality". QB was AAA and sold at retail, but not exclusive, and not particularly great. The next candidate would be FH3.... 6 MONTHS LATER, and it's not even exclusive.

The rest of your list was INDIE games that are timed exclusive. I also mentioned that you could play multiplatform games just fine, but I was talking about exclusives and MS has been a complete embarrassment in that regard up until the holidays.

Overload is NOT false. He talked generally, but was referring to exclusive games. When you actually draw closer to these games, that is when you can see where his problem lies. A ton of people might enjoy BC, and I never ever said it was a bad thing, but MS is putting more effort into getting games onto the XB1 via BC than bringing out brand new exclusive games and IPs. That is the same company who said they have spent $1 billion on making exclusive games for the console. $1 BILLION, and where are the receipts in form of the games?

I like BC, but I would rather have a greater experience via a remaster than be too lazy to setup an old console for which I have the games for. PS Now offers that choice, but another choice is to actually play the original console. I would never refuse a better looking, sounding and playing game on a newer console.
-------

@ KillBill

He was talking about exclusive games. In that regard, he's accurate.

You mention preference, but I'm not saying you have to prefer all of them. The difference in quantity and diversity between XB1 and PS4 is staggering. I never hated on BC. I said I like the option, but let's be real - MS is doing more now for BC, than bringing out new exclusive games throughout the 12 months of the year. It's a way for them to make it look like they actually have heaps of new exclusive games coming out, next to PS4 that actually does have that in spades.

A remaster would be better because it's a significantly better looking, sounding and playing version of a game you loved. I would choose that any day.
-------

@ Christocolus

You can forget the whole high-fiving those who live with their heads buried in the sand. What I said actually holds weight. I guess the best way you deal with that knowledge is denying it and tell your friends that those speaking out about it are full of BS. Sorry, but it's not like that at all. Xbox exclusive lineup is meagre.

[Lenrulesdaworld]

no we did not have a drought, as QB released in April, prior to that we had ark, elite dangerous followed by we happy few, everspace as well solace project as a 1st on console for almost the entire year, plus multiplats, Indies, etc. There's a ton of quality titles to play whether 1st or 3rd party, exclusive or timed. The only people who don't know this are the people who don't actually have xbox one but seem to think they know everything about it or people who have xbox one but have few interest in it's games except for 1 or 2 console exclusives. So yeah overload is false & yes people do do enjoy BC, PS gamers would as well if the feature were available on PS4 instead of PSnow. How many would of just played or bought LoU or UC 1,2,3 if it were BC instead of buying the remasters, a ton.

[KillBill]

It is false.

You can't make a blanket statement of there being a lack of games when in fact there are numerous games on the system.

And the amount of games another system has is no merit to quantity of games Xbox One has. Especially seeing that the vast majority of games owned by consumers are multiplatform games. So the addition of one console having more exclusive games that barely effects software purchase rate is moot.

And when it comes to said exclusives it is the consumer preference on titles that makes even that choice still a non-factor between having a so called lack of games. As a consumer could like or hate every title on a system... it's called preference.

And hating on BC because why...? Why would a game that is remastered to play on PS4 and have to be purchased again to play it on said console a better thing than a game that costs nothing more to play on Xbox One if already owned? Or if not already owned at least given 2 FREE titles each month to play. Or if purchased costs a heck of a lot less than remastered versions of games for PS4. Because it gets counted as a Current Gen game now where BC games for some reason can't be counted as a title played on Xbox One?

It is all a game played by guys that want to beat up on the other console because they have nothing better to do. Got to get that virtual cred for knocking on something they don't own.

Know all systems and at least spout some truth before making blanket statements that just aren't close to being factual, other than from a warped FB perspective.

[christocolus]

@Lenrulesdawoeld and @Killbill

Well said. These people are only looking for negatives and downplaying it as hard as they can cos this feature is great and it puts Xbox in positive light. Nothing more.

[Hoffmann]

Backward compatibility is always great, I wish every gaming platform would have it but I understand that it is sometimes very difficult to do it.

[TheBurger29]

Should be easier the way consoles are now.

[darthv72]

I just got a One and noticed that I already had 30 games that could be installed from the various GwG releases over the last several months that i took advantage of on my 360. I have yet to try and insert an actual 360 disc in the unit though. I'm enjoying playing Ryse at the moment and will try out the BC soon enough.

[whitesoxfalife1976]

nice darth, i love my list of 360 games that i have but im still waiting for one of my favorite series to come over hopefully before the of yr SPLINTERCELL AND CRYSIS AND OK OK METAL GEAR HD COLLECTION....

[christocolus]

Nice. I use it from time to time. I was finally able to continue RDR where I left off.

[darthv72]

I was reading about how to transfer saved games and it requires using the cloud save feature on 360. That will work for me but my son's saves would not be eligible for transfer. He has a silver account while i am gold and one profile cannot access the save data of another (that i know of). It's a shame they did not allow for USB transfers especially since you can use a flashdrive for game saves.

I have not finished alan Wake and that one is in my list of games to install so i might just have to cloud my save game and try out this feature.

[christocolus]

I also used the cloud save feature to pull up my Alan wake saves. It's a pretty nifty feature. resuming where you left off.

[gangsta_red]

If it wasn't for BC I would have never experienced the joy that is Xcom. Now I'm playing Xcom 2 and it's seriously the best game ever.

[Angeljuice]

Xcom has been a firm favourite of mine since its OG PlayStation release.

Xcom 2 is awesome, I've just finished it for the second time and want to play it again. Load times are 3 times shorter now (after updates).

[gangsta_red]

"Load times are 3 times shorter now (after updates)."

I'm on my second play through and the shorter load times blew me away. For real, I used to be able to do house chores in between missions the loading times were so long.

[christocolus]

Agreed. trying to finish the first game now. it's really good.

[stokedAF]

Only half? That's surprising.

[Christopher]

Not really. Majority of people only use their consoles to play the latest games or the like. People like myself with over fifty games to my name on XBO alone (includes BC), are not the norm.

[stokedAF]

I mostly only play new games as well but half of all one users haven't installed a 360 game they had laying around? That's a huge number. Not having many games is even more reason to boot up Red Dead or Skate 3.

[Kribwalker]

I'm sitting with 184 games on my xbox one right now

https://s24.postimg.org/xkw...

Mind you I have been DL all the free games as well

[game4funz]

It's not that everyone has older games lying around. I don't.
edit: @stoked
It actually debunks the whole xbox players got the xbox one to play old games idea.
Obviously the majority play newer games.

[stokedAF]

I understand that some don't keep their old stuff and some only play one or two new games every year. But half of the One users don't have (or haven't played) a physical or digital 360 game on their Xbox? That's a substantial claim and it surprised me. It seems even more likely with the less dedicated gamers or a less diverse library of games. I would have guessed 30 percent higher at least.

[bluefox755]

They give out free 360 games each month, yeah? I would expect that most players would have at least tried one by now. Though I wouldn't say "have used" is a very good indicator of demand. I "have used" the browser on my PS4, but only to try, lol. I wouldn't be too heartbroken if they got rid of it.

[KillBill]

I still have so many games that I own and have not even played yet. So the idea that others are possibly just playing current games over games they might have played already can't be that odd an idea.

[kraenk12]

I guess it's the same problem I have with the Steam sales. I got such a huge backlog of great games that I have never even touched once...all due to the fact if being an adult and not having enough time for gaming. I barely find time to play the must play new releases.

[XXanderXX]

I do and having bought the game on 360 is a Plus .

[SublimeStylee2]

Obviously lol what are you supposed to play when the system barely gets any exclusive game support? Try making a game MS!!

[firelogic]

"It is currently estimated that 25 million Xbox One consoles have been sold, meaning that roughly 12 million consumers have used backward compatibility AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER, give or take a few due to multi-console owners."

The uppercase part is the key. Of those 12 million, how many actually make decent use of it. How many have actually played through an entire game with BC?

[rainslacker]

Based on MS last talked about numbers about time spent playing games, and the assumed install base at the time, it was 4 hours per system sold. Half of that would be 8 hours per user. Of course, some people will only play an hour, others may play religiously.

The real question isn't how may have actually played through an entire game with BC, because even new games typically have less than 10% of the people who purchase play to completion.

There is no real question IMO. People that want it can have it. I doubt it's much of a selling point though, but can't complain about the feature itself if it doesn't take away from anything else.

[richyque]

its the only constant flow of games they get.

[Fist4achin]

There are still a lot of old gems available from the 360/ps3 generation. I'm still running through a backlog. I just finished Alien Isolation that I picked up for cheap...

[richyque]

@Kribwalker "exclusives"

[corroios]

So its another flop? Only half have try it? This is good in what world?

[kstuffs]

When Sony is zero.

[Kaneki-Ken]

PlayStation 4 sold 50 million while Xbone sold less than 30 millions. Proves that PlayStation 4 can still sell more without backwards compatibility.

[SublimeStylee2]

@sm00thninja

yup and a few more you failed to mention :) and we also got amazing free updates adding 4k and hdr to many 1st party Sony games extending and adding new incentive and performance updates. :)

don't worry when Scorpio is released I'm sure you can still play all those 360 games. The almighty powerfull console of BC.

Its great over here in Sony's yard. Not so much bullshit to shovel. :)

[Shadow Man]

I'm waiting for the silent hill the had collection to make it to Xbox one.

[Petebloodyonion]

The only benefit I really get from BC (aside from playing old game) is thrust in digital purchase.
When I purchase a digital title, I forfeit my rights to trade the game, I would at least expect to be able to carry my titles on a newest console like I would do with Steam.
At least with BC some of my games are still in my library and some even upgraded to the Xbox1 version of it (Pinball Fx2 to name 1).

[BigGamersSmallTalk]

Love the feature! Always being able to use your game library and controllers/accessories is an amazing prospect for console gamers. Hard to say which I love more on my Xbox One, backwards compatibility or EA Access.

[DivineAssault]

Thats one of the main reasons i might get a scorpio.. The exclusive xb1 titles arent too interesting to me.. Some I would surely buy but the BC has to be on scorpio because im not buying the xb1s.. I still have some good 360 exclusives i would like to be able to play on "one" console..

[SublimeStylee2]

I actually own an xbox one s for the uhd. I bought gears was amazing. Forza is amazing. I loved ark untill the ps4 pro version ( it's so solid frame rate and amped up visuals and resution) halo master chief collection was junk halo 5 was junk. Dead rising junk. I bought ryse played 1 hour junk!!!! Skyrim was awesome on xone I prefer it to ps4 version. I make a good living. I buy what I want!! I don't talk shit about something I don't own. And I love the uhd. Just because I criticize MS does not mean I think they are just garbage lol you fanboys really can't see different points of view. I have an xbox one so I know there are barely any good games.so does anyone else who owns one.