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[Ichirou]

I was just wondering, this is the first generation where all the major consoles are going to be at least partly backwards compatible with previous generation consoles.

I've argued about this with Tsubaki before, as he finds that backwards compatibility is totally unnecessary and adds nothing of value, whereas I feel totally the opposite. Considering how much space consoles take up, and how expensive game libraries can be to build up, it's reassuring to know that your library is never going to be obsolete. I know that my PSX and PS2 games are going to be playable for the next twenty years or so (I'm confident that the PS3's firmware updates will eventually cover most of those 'problem' games that don't currently play on it), so I have no fear about what I'm going to do with them once my PS2 inevitably gives up the ghost. Unfortunately, my massive Saturn and DC libraries may one day be rendered unplayable, save in emulated form, once those two consoles die.

So, how important a factor is backwards compatibility for you guys? Is it something that should be standard in consoles from now on, or is it just a nice bonus feature? Or even completely unnecessary?

 

[Fatghost]

As a consumer, I think Backwards Compatibility is a very important feature.

It's certainly more important for a games console to be BC with the games of it's predecessor than for it to play HD movies IMO.

 

[BlueTsunami]

I say its a pretty big thing during the preliminary launch

It gives the smoothest transition for developers and customers from one generation to the next. Its also wonderful for people who like to revisit games years after.

I just think its value is largest at the beginning of a systems launch for the most part, not so much about a year or so after.

 

[Mato]

For me it's a nice bonus feature, but I wouldn't put off buying a console just for the lack of it. I mean, if I pay to buy a PS3, it is because I want to play RE5 not RE4, which I already have. It's definetely nice but not a must.

 

[Total Hardcore Gamer]

Should be a standard, IMHO.

Like if I were to get a PS3, I'd need something to do while I wait for the initial drought of generic FPS, car games and sports games to end... just having a coaster until the real stuff gets around, wouldn't even have had a passing interest in the DS if it weren't capable of playing GBA games.

I'd say it's pretty necessary.

 

[Ichirou]

Should be a standard, IMHO.

Agreed, and I was thrilled when I read the Wii would be backwards compatible.

I'm also wondering if backwards compatibility might eventually become unfeasible - say, when the PS5 rolls around and they have to make sure it's backwards compatible with not one, not two, not three, but FOUR previous consoles... :T

 

[Son of Godzilla]

Adds nothing. I think I've played a PS1 game on a PS2 all of five times. I've played a Xbox game on the 360 a whopping thrice. Once I upgrade it's nearly impossible to go back for any meaningful amount of time.

Unless it's a retarded situation like the DS/GBA where the GBA is still getting stuff released that's pretty much comparable to DS then **** backwards compatability.

 

[Ichirou]

Adds nothing. I think I've played a PS1 game on a PS2 all of five times. I've played a Xbox game on the 360 a whopping thrice. Once I upgrade it's nearly impossible to go back for any meaningful amount of time.

Unless it's a retarded situation like the DS/GBA where the GBA is still getting stuff released that's pretty much comparable to DS then **** backwards compatability.

Admittedly PSX stuff looks ugly when compared to PS2 stuff but what about 2D games, and RPGs? In those cases, graphics aren't as big an issues, plus PS2 lets you do fast loading on those games...which is a big plus, IMO.

I wouldn't mind the 360's backwards compatibility if it covered Panzer Dragoon Orta...I never bought an XBox but if I had, that would be the first game I would've gotten for it. I hate that you can't play it on the 360. :/

 

[Grayman]

i think it adds a lot of value and lets me play old games that i love or hear about and want to try without fuss. it is similar to every PC i've had being able to play backwards many years. features like improved load times are great too

 

[knitoe]

None.

1) If I wanted to play old games, do it on the old system. 100% success.
2) Most games don't age very well, and thus, little reason to replay them.
3) May add to cost of the system.

 

[Ichirou]

None.

1) If I wanted to play old games, do it on the old system. 100% success.
2) Most games don't age very well, and thus, little reason to replay them.
3) May add to cost of the system.

My rebuttal:

1) Your old system's disc drive is eventually going to wear out and die. Backwards compatibility assures you that your games will not be obsolete just because the machine you originally played them for has gone the way of the dodo.
2) This is true for a lot of games, but not all. Classics compilations are proof of that, IMO.
3) Can't argue with this, as it's undoubtedly true.

 

[Zaptruder]

As nice as it is, it's not that big a deal to me, because I have to admit that when I was younger and not working... I was a big time pirate So none of my old games are compatible anyway!

Besides... I'd only really care if it offerred high compatibility and significant enhancements... i.e. something that can beat out fan coded emulators and old consoles.

So if they manage to add enhancements to their software emulation, I'll be intrested in buying some older games just to play them enhanced.

 

[Buggy Loop]

1) I get to keep my current collection of good games + Less hardware around the TV, less cables behind the TV, less geeky looking room
2) True for PSX and n64, but the ps2/gc/xbox gen didnt have any blatant issues with the way it rendered the graphics, it will age a LOT better
3) Add costs? Selling my gamecube + games i didnt want to keep just paid 50% of my Wii purchase.

 

[Brashnir]

It's not important to me in the least. It's just a cute novelty feature as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Ichirou]

I think that now that games are all disc-based, it's more reasonable to expect them to be backwards compatible...I mean, I think it would've been unreasonable to expect the Gamecube to have a cartridge port for N64 games, or the Saturn to have a port for Genesis games (though I remember when it first came out I thought it'd be backwards compatible with Sega CD games and that made me excited :lol ).

 

[dock]

It's pretty important as far as I'm concerned, as important as Blu-Ray/HDDVD being backwards compatible with DVD.

Without backwards compatibility you're faced with a major upheaval of your living room. You need to decide what to do with all those games you've spent money on over the years, and if there's no backwards compatibility it actually devalues your collection slightly.

Nintendo is too late with its backwards compatibility. It would have been in a much stronger position had the SNES played NES games, or the N64 played SNES games. During the whole N64 era I was wishing I could have played games like Yoshi's Island, super Castlevania and Super Mario Kart on it. Same goes for the Saturn with the Megadrive/Genesis.

It smooths over the launch period massively, and it also retains the option of producing high quality games on the previous platform. As someone working on PS2 titles at the moment, I'm grateful for it. I'm sure plenty of PS3 owners will buy God of War 2, just as lots of PS2 owners bought Final Fantasy 9.

 

[Elios83]

It's a very important feature in my opinion.It brings three key advantages:

1)It makes the transition between the two formats smooth (many people have still a few PS2 games to play and they can do it with just one console)
2) People buying the new console can experience all the great games of the previous one if they've never bought it before.So they're buying two (or more) consoles in one.
3)It lets a format continue to live. When a console is not produced anymore and the old units naturally start to break off,there's the huge risk that lots of classic games could become unplayable.

 

[Hydro_Alexis]

If wii has wii controls on the n64 for backwards compatibility game over.

 

[Panajev2001a]

For me ? A lot .

 

[Confusion Illusion]

Like some already said, its good because it allows a smooth transition from one generation to the next. I like to play games old and new and don't have space for a bunch of consoles so BC matters to me.

 

[Jonnyram]

For me personally, it means nothing.
After the PS2 came out, the only PS1 game I played was FFIX and I played that on a PS1.
Since the 360 came out, the only PS2 game I've played was FFXII.
When a new gen starts, I can't wait to get rid of the old one, basically.
I think 2D games hold up, but last-gen 3D is consistently terrible.

 

[charlequin]

It's vital. I played tons of PS1 games on my PS2 -- I just replayed FFVII like six months ago. I have a collection of older games and damn right I expect to be able to play them on my current system. The fact that X360 isn't really BC is actually a pretty big minus sign for buying one yet -- there's a lot of Xbox titles I missed by not having one, so I'd instantly have a much bigger library to draw on if the BC actually worked.

Generally I tend to find the "no it's not important" responses pretty crazy. Whether it's something you picked up in the process of graphics whoredom or some sort of weird "well gaming isn't actually good so why would you play old games?" thing I find it totally alien.