• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

How important is backwards compatibility to you?

If you are buying into an ecosystem, why wouldn't you want BC? It's like if I bought an iPad Air 2, but none of the content I bought on the previous gen works on the new one.

This is especially stupid if you have a digital library on last gen hardware. And with original Xbox games or PS1/2 games.
 
BC is a really good feature for NEW customers. Imagine an all xbox kid, grew up with a xbox original and xbox 360 but he decided to get a ps4 this time around this kid would enjoy everything he missed out on
 
It's great. It means I can get a console on launch rather than waiting however many years, or months down the line until something happens for it that maybe interests me.

It also means I can move my consoles out, and create more room around the TV and stop them hogging up HDMI ports. Really wishing I could play my 360 titles on the xbo and it had 360 dlc compatibility.
 
ayob said:
BC is a really good feature for NEW customers. Imagine an all xbox kid, grew up with a xbox original and xbox 360 but he decided to get a ps4 this time around this kid would enjoy everything he missed out on
Click to expand...

Yes, this is where it's most understandable.

Beyond that, though, I'm more interested in what they're doing with the new consoles specifically. Especially for current-gen as it's been 8 goddamned years, and we've heard industry types piss and moan about how they felt sooooo limited with the PS3 and 360.
 
giving people the chance to replay old games is awesome; I'm pretty indifferent about it, since very rarely replay my favourites
 
I'd own an XB1 by now if it was backwards compatible. As it stands my 360 is still the best overall system I have hooked up right now because of it's fantastic library and Netflix/HBO Go/FXX/Xfinity playing abilities.

No other console offers that unfortunately.
 
Doesn't matter. I keep my old consoles now. If it happens, it happens, but I rather not have a more expensive machine in order to run older games when I can simply play them on other capable consoles.
 
Very important. But from a business standpoint I understand (but not agree with) why they don't as far as consoles are concerned
 
It's convenient but it doesn't really matter to me. I don't sell my old consoles, so I can simply play them on the original hardware.
 
I keep my old systems so it's not a big deal, and in fact I quite like that it leads to games being remastered, to be honest.

Example: playing Halo 3 online at 1080p60 with extras like 'Xbox, Record That' is awesome, and with B/C that would never have happened.
 
It's definitely convenient, and if it can be included with minimal repercussions, I'm all for it.

It's certainly not a dealbreaker though.

I buy new systems for new games, so though handy, I don't need backwards compatibility.

I do, however, like seeing older games offered as downloadable titles on newer platforms, since that would give me a chance to replay titles I never played or don't have anymore.
 
Not trying to sound like a troll here but I'd rather have remasters. I'm usually only interested in replaying the "very best" from older generations, anyway, as in top 3-5 games from a given console.
 
Not very. I mean, it can be cool (I haven't used my Gamecube since buying my Wii but I still own it for collecting purposes), but I still own my old consoles. It matters even less in regards to HD consoles since I have a setup wherein I can have several consoles connected to my monitor without any issues.
 
It's important. I have a backlog and hardware eventually gives out. I want my software to work on my new machine, rather than have to hope that when the old one bites the dust, it is still being sold.
 
I don't expect it for Sony/Microsoft consoles, but do for Nintendo's. I'd like all of them to have it though. I was majorly disappointed that the PS4 didn't have PS3 support.
 
It's kind of important, but I care more about hardware than software in that regard. I really liked that the SNES, N64 and GC could all use the same AV cable despite the irrelevance nowadays. I'm also very surprised that I'm still using my GC controller after almost 15 years. I do wish the Wii U did what the PS4 did and allowed the Pro Controller to function as a Classic Controller on the Wii.
 
I got back into gaming in early 2013 so I've really, really appreciated the backwards compatibility on my 3DS and Wii U... And I wish there was the option (besides PS Now) on my PS4.

Even though I won't need it next generation, I hope they still include it for people who may have missed some great games.
 
Everytime I play a game from a previous gen I immediately get that 'better to want than to have' feeling and don't even bother


So no, don't need or want it
 
It used to be very important, but it seems like it's mostly just been abandoned, and I've lost hope.
 
I move constantly so I can only keep one system so it's super important. It's probably one of the things I lament the most; that systems don't have backwards compatibility. I will probably never get a PS3 again but I desperately want to play games that probably won't get put on ps4 like Nier :(
 
It is incredibly important to me. Having such a large collection of games, I often dive into my backlog and being able to play older games on whatever new console is hooked up to my tv is a great feature. Lately I have been working through several PS1 games on my PS3.

Also, thinking ahead, it's nice to have multiple consoles that can play games rather than an entire library being held captive to a single console... for example, if my Saturn or Dreamcast die on me, I have no choice but to replace them if I want to play a Saturn or Dreamcast game. Whereas if my Gamecube dies, I can at least play those games on my Wii. It's a back-up system.

I had hoped that the PlayStation would be fully backwards-compatible moving forward, especially being disc-based, but sadly they have abandoned that idea... :( How awesome would it be to be able to play ANY generation PS game on your latest system?
 
If the PS4 was backwards compatible with all the 1, 2 and 3, I would own one by now. In fact it would have been a day one purchase.
 
Could never find shadow of the colossus on ps2, didn't own any consoles last gen, wouldn't mind having an opportunity to play it :(
 
Pretty damn important. I still use Wii Mode on my Wii U for Xenoblade & Rhythm Heaven Fever. It'd actually be convenient for my PS4 & would see more use from it if it could use PS3 games (though I understand why they didn't go with backwards compatibility). It's not a deal-breaker, though it's a nuisance.
 
To everyone who doesnt care about BC because they have the older consoles. How long do you think these will still live?

The only reason i keep my 360 is because i love to play my Guitar Hero/Rock band collection. I have more than 10 games with lots of DLC and a bunch of instruments. Remember, its a 360. These things are time bombs. So im asking. What will happen to all this stuff when my console dies? I wont even be able t buy a new one as stores are slowly clearing their stock.

Future proofing your games, especially those you are never bored of, should be more important than that.
 
Don't care about it.

I actually bought the 60GB PS3 without knowing it was backward compatible. It was simply the one they had left.
Never used it at all. However, I did use it on my PS2 maybe twice(not too sure though, could be more), only becuase I was too lazy to get my PS1/X from the attic to play games.

Can't think of a PS3 game right now that I really want to play again. If I do, it's still here and all it takes is to swap a power cable into a socket.

Ever since I have my own place I keep all my consoles in a spare room to play games.
A good friend built me a nice closet/cabinet with holes in the back. As mentioned before, it's just a matter of swapping cables now. I guess it has more charm to play a game on the real console it launched on.

Too bad I don't spend a lot of time on games anymore, these days. Posted that and the reason behind it somewhere else.
 
I rarely replay games i have finished. The only game i can remember that i have played through twice the last 10 years has to be TLOU, with maybe a third coming up if i start on the remastered edition for PS4.

With that in mind, BC is of no importance to me at all.
 
Doctor_Thomas said:
Not even remotely important.

Convenient, yes, but not important.

If you own the games, you own the console. If you don't own the games, you have no need for backwards compatibility. If you want to play the older games, play them on the console they were made for.

Everyone loves the SNES, N64 and Dreamcast and none of them had backwards compatibility.
Click to expand...

Since consoles are digital capable now, and everyone uses discs, we don't have the issue of matching cartridge sizes or voltages now. It's theoretically possible for an Xbox 360 to play Playstation 1 games for example, and the only thing that prevents it is corporate politics.

All you'd do is let people buy the old games via the digital store next to new titles.
 
Gastone said:
I rarely replay games i have finished. The only game i can remember that i have played through twice the last 10 years has to be TLOU, with maybe a third coming up if i start on the remastered edition for PS4.

With that in mind, BC is of no importance to me at all.
Click to expand...

Yup. I always react to news of no BC first with 'what??' then realize right away, 'well, I can always keep this other console under my tv for a while longer if I wanted to' Not everyone's situation, with trade-ins and space issues, but it's mine.

Always a fun bonus, but I remember getting my BC PS3 and playing PS2 games only a handful of times. Mind, I bought a PS3 10 months after it came out, so I had a few more PS3 games to choose from, but that also proved I didn't need a new console for at least that long anyway.
 
Pretty important for me. I skipped the DS and PSP so I'm playing a lot of classics on my handhelds.
 
It's nice if they manage to sneak it in (occasionally I play a DS game on my 3DS) but it wouldn't be a dealbreaker nor would I really miss it if they didn't.

I don't even have time to play all recent games, let alone replay all my old ones.
 
I never used to think it was too important, but having PS2 games available to download on the PS3 is rad as hell, and I want more of that.
 
It used to be important but not anymore.

Playing PS1 games on a 50 inch is more of a game of stretched pixel counting. Playing it on the Vita is a good cure for me.
 
It is not a deal breaker for me but it is definitely a nice thing to have. I really hope ps4 can play ps2 classics soon since I am itching to play them on my vita :)
 
The Wii U plays Wii U, Wii and GameCube games. Having access to three consoles worth of game libraries is great.

Then again, I mostly play on PC, where "backwards compatibility" is a given.
 
Quite important tbh. Right now there are 8 consoles connected to my living-room TV for my retro gaming needs and every new console is a fight with the missus. I'm forced to get rid of one device before the new one is allowed to join the park. It doesn't help that new consoles get bigger and bigger. It's so much easier if there is BC.
 
I have decided that it's not important for me and is only really useful if the console is able to output at the native resolution of the content.

PS1 and PS2 games on PS3, for instance, do not seem to support 240p or 480i output and, as such, one must rely on the scaler. Same deal for Wii U which upscales Wii games and doesn't support 240p.
 
I think it's very important to me. I like having easy access to my old games whenever I want and am greatly disappointed 2 out of the 3 new home consoles don't support it.

Also salty that I can't play my copy of Gitaroo Man Lives! on my Vita too.

A lack of BC also is the main reason I never buy digital and will frequently pass on game or import physical copies of games that are digital-only in NA. Knowing that anything I buy will be tied to a download/digital system that will become obsolete in a few short years, cutting access off from my games forever, just keeps me as far away as possible from going digital on these new, closed platforms. Then there's the issue of not being able to use them on any other system too. For as much as they get wrong in this space, Nintendo is the really only company to offer full compatability with their previous digital libraries so far.

If we could be allowed to make physical backups of our game libraries i'd likely be singing a different tune.
 
It wasn't the biggest deal for me before since I'd only ever own about 10 games max in a generation back in the day, but now that I have like 20 to 50 games, it's a huge deal.
I will likely never get a PS4, and if Nintendo's next console doesn't play Wii U games, I won't be getting that.

Handhelds don't matter as much since they're not competing for a TV, but it's still nice.
 
Busaiku said:
It wasn't the biggest deal for me before since I'd only ever own about 10 games max in a generation back in the day, but now that I have like 20 to 50 games, it's a huge deal.
I will likely never get a PS4, and if Nintendo's next console doesn't play Wii U games, I won't be getting that.

Handhelds don't matter as much since they're not competing for a TV, but it's still nice.
Click to expand...
Do you sell your old consoles? I know there are arguments about space under or around the TV but it's really not hard to at least set up an area where you can easily swap consoles in and out with minimal fuss.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Xbox asks for backward compatibility suggestions
Opinion Retro Game Dev  2 3 4
193
766
RedC replied
[Windows Central]Rejoice! Microsoft's Xbox Backwards Compatibility Program is coming back this year — "we’re committed to keeping games from 4 gen."
35
719
Gonzito replied
  • Poll
How important is game preservation to You?
2
52
1K
seething left replied
[MLiD] PS6 Portable Leak - Yes, it has Backwards Compatibility. PS6 Performance, Exclusives, AI's Impact on Gaming.
News Rumor Hype 
41
670
Bojji replied
[WC] Microsoft and Xbox are "actively investigating" a rampant 'can't connect' issue for backwards compatible Xbox 360 games
2
58
566
Tobimacoss replied
Top Bottom