gogogow said:
It's been said a few times already. The problem is going from UMD to flash-based cartridges. With DS->3DS Nintendo is basically using the same format. I would be real mad and pushing over magazine racks everywhere if Vita was using UMD and my PSP UMDs wouldn't be BC. See N64->Gamecube.
I would think it must be obvious to any GAF poster that they're switching formats here; it needs no explanation. Perhaps you didn't read the post I quoted, but he suggested UMDs should also play on 3DS for a charge. That is a ridiculous claim and beside the point, since Nintendo supports the entire DS library. In fact, speaking of DS, that system initially supported Game Boy software despite it also being a completely different format. It is the platform holder's responsibility/decision to support their legacy hardware and software.
This is a pretty lousy effort on Sony's part to be "backwards compatible." The company may as well just pass the savings on, rather than dedicate resources to this time-wasting "transfer." Something is clearly broken when you can easily pick up 90+% of the PSP for less than this fee.
By the way, you need not remind us of how the N64->GameCube transition faired. Actually, thinking about it, every non-debut system without backwards compatibility at launch has either failed or lost the manufacturer considerable marketshare. See PSP Go, N64, GameCube, Game Boy micro, pretty much all SEGA hardware... The only time I can think of that a system hasn't failed is during the Super generation, and that was pretty much a neck-and-neck two horse race.
I'm not suggesting we'll say Vita has failed in retrospect. It's just an observation you brought to my attention.