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[Lightning Lord]

And who would be interested in an xbox 360 now that hasnt had the chance to buy one since 2005? cmon

Potential customers?

I didn't get a PS1, but that didn't stop me from getting PS1 games when I got a PS2.

 

[Spirit of Jazz]

BC is something I've never understood. I don't buy new consoles to play old games, I can keep my old console hooked up if I want to do that.

So on a machine which is being marketed as one box which handles all my entertainment needs I should be expected to set up an entirely different system to play games on my games console? It's a fucking bullshit statement, if people didn't want to play old games on their machine they wouldn't be buying versions of said games on the xbla/psn stores.

It simply comes down to "Why would we pay to integrate a feature which would reap no fiscal reward when we can force consumers to repurchase old titles if they want to play them again." He's a cunt for not being honest and nobody should be defending this stance.

 

[Air Zombie Meat]

Up there with rumble as a last gen tech. And it'll probably be contradicted by a future ms console with bc too.

 

[vg260]

Microsoft’s Mattrick says he doesn’t think compatibility is really a problem. He said only 5% of customers play older games on a new videogame system anyway, so spending time and money to develop technology to allow them to play older games isn’t worth it.

Garbage. He's refusing to consider the fact that HD was a new standard visually unlike this one, and digital libraries did not exist. Not to mention customer expectations based on other platforms. Big difference.

 

[DaBoss]

Isn't it possible that backwards compatibility was not a big deal before now, but is a big deal now because more and more stuff is being purchased digitally and because Apple has trained people's expectations? I feel like doing a survey of how many people played Xbox OG games on Xbox 360 and using that as a go-forward decision making point is probably a little foolish

Yea, I feel this is how people are going to feel with their digital content.

 

[GANGSTERKILLER]

Say that to my face Mattrick! I double dare you!

Spoiler

MS = becoming the old cocky Sony. Great.

 

[Amey]

Going from 360 to 1 is backwards.

 

[Owzers]

Isn't it possible that backwards compatibility was not a big deal before now, but is a big deal now because more and more stuff is being purchased digitally and because Apple has trained people's expectations? I feel like doing a survey of how many people played Xbox OG games on Xbox 360 and using that as a go-forward decision making point is probably a little foolish

I didn't even associate that digital games were designed for the systems architecture no differently than retail games. In my mind the digital games were tied to the online service and since the service transitions my games would too. It's ignorant of the tech, i acknowledge that, but it stings nonetheless.

 

[Jake Tower]

Just think about when Microsoft changes the definition of backwards compatibility to include the previous game in a series or a game from 1+ years ago, and shuts off the authentication for them.

#XbONEd

 

[JWong]

We're looking at the Xbox One, then going backwards.

 

[bigbaldwolf86]

BC is a good option for those who don't have the old consoles and like retro gaming. I love that I can play PS1 games on my Vita as well as new games. Not even being able to transfer XBLA titles is crap as well. I bet some people have invested a lot of money on Live over the years and it's all going to just disappear as though it was never there (unless you keep your Xbox that is)

 

[Akira_83]

Turn the head on the ps4 who would be interested in ps3 exclusives if they getting a ps4, plenty of people because Sony is still releasing things for the PS3, and has a decent amount of exclusives.

buy both then? if there are that many awesome ps3 games coming up surely you can justify the paltry $250 price point for a ps3 these days

 

[waypoetic]

He is kinda right , hardly anyone gives a shit about BC.

A lot of people don't care about BC, but "being backwards"? c'mon now

 

[Dural]

Before this last generation I was always of the opinion that if it took away from the power of the new system I wouldn't want BC. After all the money I've spent on classic games for the 360, I do think there needs to be BC. There is no reason the classic games from the 8 and 16 bit era can't be easily emulated on the One. Do they really think they're going to build confidence in their digital distribution model when all previous Live purchases mean dick on new hardware?

 

[Paradicia]

We're looking at the Xbox One, then going backwards.

Literally, 359 steps back to be exact

 

[E-Cat]

I'm more concerned about the XBone being forward-compatible.

 

[Lambtron]

Isn't it possible that backwards compatibility was not a big deal before now, but is a big deal now because more and more stuff is being purchased digitally and because Apple has trained people's expectations? I feel like doing a survey of how many people played Xbox OG games on Xbox 360 and using that as a go-forward decision making point is probably a little foolish

The digital stuff is exactly why this move away from BC is pretty frightening. How long are the 360 or PS3 PSN stores going to stay up? What happens when they go down and I can't redownload anymore? Too bad I guess!

 

[Lagspike_exe]

The worst 24 hours in Xbox division history. This was a total train wreck for them and I'm not even sure if they're aware of this.

 

[dreamfall]

Really, somebody needs to instruct these guys to speak more eloquently regarding sensitive issues like backwards compatibility and an always online console. It seems I keep jumping into threads to read about people from Microsoft's camp saying all the things that everyone was afraid to hear.

Why is he so abrasive about not being backwards compatible? Just explain that it's not happening, without the snark. Frankly, I would love backwards compatibility but I can understand if it won't work.

 

[Shig]

Isn't it possible that backwards compatibility was not a big deal before now, but is a big deal now because more and more stuff is being purchased digitally and because Apple has trained people's expectations? I feel like doing a survey of how many people played Xbox OG games on Xbox 360 and using that as a go-forward decision making point is probably a little foolish

Yeah, exactly. When people left their original Xbox's online content behind, all they were losing, on average, was a couple of Halo 2 map packs.

With 360, there are a great many people who have sunk hundreds upon hundreds of dollars into digital content. To say the landscape hasn't changed is ridiculous.

 

[Retro]

I think quite a few people are missing the point in this thread. People don't necessarily want Backwards Compatibility as a convenience (i.e. "I don't have to have multiple systems plugged in"), they want it as a safeguard against future hardware failures (i.e. "I don't want my 360 to crash and have a ton of games I can't play ever again"). If we're making such a big deal about ownership of games, BC is simply the side of that discussion concerned with the games we already own. Because without supporting their older hardware, Microsoft is basically painting you into two options; buy the games again when (and if) they become available as downloadable titles, or fork over money for new hardware (which has no guarantees it won't break either).

Given the 360's long, well-documented and oft-times hilarious record of hardware failures, I don't think the pro-BC side is wrong, or even overreacting in this case.

 

[Owzers]

The digital stuff is exactly why this move away from BC is pretty frightening. How long are the 360 or PS3 PSN stores going to stay up? What happens when they go down and I can't redownload anymore? Too bad I guess!

You'll be able to purchase them again on the next system on their virtual console

 

[Shambles]

In conversation with WSJ

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2013/05...r&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=buffer94b3f

Sounds like a person and a company with a mindset I'd be wise not to support.

 

[Akira_83]

BC is a bad thing now?

There really is a defense force for anything

its not a bad thing

its just purely a bonus that should be treated as such

its not a negative if the console doesnt have it

no system before the PS2 ever had backwards compatibility did it? was it an issue before then?

if you really want to play Max Payne 2 that bad, you have some choices. keep your xbox or 360 around and play it on that, and stop complaining you cant on the Xbox One... or get the superior version on steam

there has to be an option there

 

[gunstarhero]

Guess I'm part of that 5%.

Especially now, with all the money dumped on XBLA. I dont want to re-buy Pacman CE on XO when I have it on my X360.

If he said this LAST gen, then I would have agreed with him - but it's a different expectation with digital games.

 

[Stumpokapow]

I didn't even associate that digital games were designed for the systems architecture no differently than retail games. In my mind the digital games were tied to the online service and since the service transitions my games would too. It's ignorant of the tech, i acknowledge that, but it stings nonetheless.

No, no, you're right from a tech perspective. But I don't think most people think of it from a tech perspective, but rather from an economic perspective.

If I buy Call of Duty: Nuketown 2091: Ghosts of War Bombs on Xbox 360 and I can't play it on Xbox One, I resell it on eBay or trade it in. Likewise, when Microsoft shuts down Xbox Live for Xbox 360--hopefully far in the future--at least some of the game I've purchased will still be playable in my current hardware or if I buy a used 360 online somewhere later on.

If I buy Braid 2: A Dialectic Theory of Enlightenment on XBLA and I can't play it on Xbox One, well, I'm hosed. If Microsoft shuts down the services and I don't have things downloaded or I'm not authorized, well, I'm hosed.

 

[Akira_83]

I only use my PS3 for PS2 games anymore. But that's not the point. Parents like to hear that the money they spent last gen won't prove to have been for something that's suddenly vanished.

is the PS3 literally going to vanish from homes when PS4 comes out?

 

[jmdajr]

I understand why it's not compatible, but really.... don't say it's because people don't care.

 

[chickdigger802]

Thank god MS was such a dick to indies so that most of the best digital games are also on steam.

Also thank's steam or maybe even microsoft with the whole gfwl initiative that brought native 360 pad support api thingy which makes playing ports way less of a hassle than last gen.

 

[Ushojax]

It's a shame but he's right. People don't buy new consoles to play old games.

Clearly people don't care that much, just look at the PS3. I love BC when it's done right (Wii, 3DS, PS2, etc) but it just takes too much work these days.

 

[Akira_83]

Potential customers?

I didn't get a PS1, but that didn't stop me from getting PS1 games when I got a PS2.

and if PS2 wasnt backwards compatible you would have never picked up a PS1 to play the games? sounds like you were only interested due to convenience

if someone wants to play old games that bad, there are ways. ive been doing it for my entire life

 

[Zia]

Well, he's right. Why would you want to play Call of Duty, Killzone, Madden and Battlefield on old consoles once the new editions are out?

 

[Kai Dracon]

As with all surveys one must wonder how questions are phrased.

Are a lot of potential respondents still thinking about hazy memories of their old PS2 collection?

Have many people really thought about the fact that you maybe can't trust sony or ms to leave up their digital stores and servers for PS3 and Xbox 360 games?

How many people respond "I buy new games for new systems" while imagining that doesn't count for digital purchases? How many will be shocked to discover they can't log into the new game consoles with their PSN ID / Gamertag and redownload their "apps"?

 

[Kazuma Kiryu]

Yeah I was just about to ask. Where were those people talking trash about BC for PS4?

You know, i don't necessarily disagree with the guy, you can find several posts of mine saying i don't care about BC several months before the ps4 unveil.
What's pretty funny in these past 24hours is that this really seems like microsoft's "e3 2006" moment. These quotes are really starting to sound like something kutaragi would have said years ago.

 

[RPGamer92]

My sides

 

[captmcblack]

I've played a ton of PS1 and PS2 games on PS3, and some GCN games on Wii. Not having to re-buy games I want to play again if I already have them is great - how could that be bad for anyone? Not losing access to older games if they stop being sold digitally for nebulous reasons (server down! licensing issue, can't be sold! play the new version, not the old one!) is great - how could that be bad for anyone? Being able to preserve my old machines and not have to hook them up/wear them down only to make a yearly run through an old JRPG is great - how could that be bad for anyone?

BC is always, always, always a good thing. Anyone trying to spin it as a bad thing/detriment or anything worse than "a nice, but unnecessary extra" is wrong. I get that you shouldn't cut a machine down for *not* being BC, but it is definitely a quality bonus to have.

 

[Shtof]

That's a horrible way to communicate with the press. MS is in a shared second place this gen and they're this arrogant? Imagine if they'd been on top?

 

[Linkhero1]

Not that I agree with him or anything, but BC is the last thing I care about at this point. They have a lot more on their plate than they can chew and their screwing it up. I don't care if the X1 lacks BC, at least with physical releases. I care about their used games policy, the forced online, the necessary use of the kinect, etc.

 

[rpmurphy]

Isn't it possible that backwards compatibility was not a big deal before now, but is a big deal now because more and more stuff is being purchased digitally and because Apple has trained people's expectations?

Exactly.

With unified digital marketplaces where developers are freely able to patch in hardware compatibility (something that MS should learn to do), and developers being able to code at a higher abstraction level than before, backwards-compatibility (forwards-compatibility for software) should be easier to do than ever before. Perhaps there's less expectation for complex software being able to take advantage of this, but that shouldn't stop it whole. The mindset of the consumer has changed, and they should be adapting their platforms accordingly. Maybe it's too late for them to overhaul an archaic system, but hopefully they are doing this for their current marketplace.

 

[Tsunamo]

Bad choice of words Don.

 

[Wickerbasket]

its not a bad thing

its just purely a bonus that should be treated as such

its not a negative if the console doesnt have it

no system before the PS2 ever had backwards compatibility did it? was it an issue before then?

if you really want to play Max Payne 2 that bad, you have some choices. keep your xbox or 360 around and play it on that, and stop complaining you cant on the Xbox One... or get the superior version on steam

there has to be an option there

It's definitely a negative that console's don't support BC or allow use of your previous digital content. Why should I buy digital content at all on their platform if they're not going to support it in the future?

When I buy digital content on iOS and PC, I know it will be supported by future hardware.

People will have to accept the lack of BC and their loss of digital content on consoles if they want the new system, but the lack of BC is a serious negative in many people's eyes.

 

[magawolaz]

Terrible phrasing, but otherwise I agree with him. I quickly learned Backwards compatibility didn't influence my choice of a gaming console when I only picked up a next gen system after the PS3 dropped it.

.

 

[marc^o^]

its not a bad thing

its just purely a bonus that should be treated as such

its not a negative if the console doesnt have it

no system before the PS2 ever had backwards compatibility did it? was it an issue before then?

if you really want to play Max Payne 2 that bad, you have some choices. keep your xbox or 360 around and play it on that, and stop complaining you cant on the Xbox One... or get the superior version on steam

there has to be an option there

You can't resell your old system to help buy the new one. You have to get enough space to put 2 consoles instead of one next to your TV (not WAF at all), you need to have an extra HDMI port available on your TV... No backward compatibility sucks.

 

[plagiarize]

I hate being able to go back and play old PC games whenever I want.

OH WAIT NO I DON'T. I guess I'm backwards for spending dozens of hours playing Doom 3 and HL2 recently.

I replayed Max Payne 2 last year. Bite me.

 

[phosphor112]

At least Sony gave a straight answer as to why it's not included unlike MS's head literally insulting people.

 

[ZeroCDR]

When it comes to Xbox One, BC is not important to me. Xbox 360 does everything I want in regards to playing 360 games (Able to output an upscaled 1080p signal all times).

I only want BC on PS4 because PS3 is really finicky when it comes to outputting a 1080p signal for most games. My HDTV is visually at its best and also nearly lag free at 1080p. I don't want to sink another few hundred dollars into an external scaler to do it for me.

 

[speculawyer]

I agree with them on this. Backward compatibility is often requested but rarely used. If you want backwards compatibility just keep your current xbox 360.

 

[Archie]

Someone should tell Valve to remove games that are over 5 years old from Steam. No one wants to buy/play them anymore.

My graphics card died a few days ago and I've been playing GOG games on my crappy laptop while I wait for it to get repaired.

Backwards compatibility is awesome.

 

[Coolwhip]

He is probably right, but it sends a bad message. Especially after that smash hit of an Xbox reveal.

 

[X05]

That's a pretty funny statement considering the company's primary moneymaker relies on exactly that.