Backward Compatibility on the Xbox 360 has been a hot topic among gamers ever since the 360 was announced. Microsoft eventually promised that the new console would be able to play some Xbox games, and launched with a backward compatible list that included more than 200 titles.
The Xbox 360's ATI GPU and IBM CPU were vastly different from its predecessor's, which housed a Nvidia GPU and Intel CPU, forcing Microsoft's engineers to rely on emulators. This technological hurdle yields a list of backward compatible games that includes Barbie Horse Adventures, but doesn't include critical darlings Psychonauts and Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay. In addition, some games that were once on the list have now jumped off, such as Freedom Fighters, Sid Meier's Pirates!, and Mortal Kombat: Deception.
GameSpot News talked with Albert Penello, Microsoft's director of global platform marketing for Xbox, to find out the ins and outs of backward compatibility, and why some games make the list and others don't.
basically the reason why sequel's or sports games aren't BC is because they want you to buy the 360 version.
ur right paul microsoft are obviouly losing money so they need to get the extra Gs from somewhere so they are forcing their fans to buy more 360 games unlike sony who delay everyting but whom are getting loans to fix some of there problems, which will creat more so get the nintendo and be wowed by last gen graphics and motion sensing and go to bed with an dead arm.(by the way i meant motion sensing not the other thing)
First and foremost it's about developer support. Developers/Publishers are MS's #1 clients and they need to be serviced by giving their costly projects longevity.
Secondly, is the end user; you and me. I woud love to unload my Xbox to a garge sale or the lake house but I still need it. My library of X1 games is substantially larger then my 360 library(44:0).
My X1 games are essentially worthless and I wont commit to the 360 until I can maintain the depreciated value I have made to date.
I assure you that there would be more 360 sales if there was a complete comittment to backward compatability.