Backward Compatibility in Next-Gen Consoles?

jvm writes "A new article at Curmudgeon Gamer speculates on the prospects for backward compatibility in the upcoming generation of video game consoles. Sony's PlayStation 3 will reportedly play both PSOne and PlayStation 2 games, but how it will achieve this is unknown. Building from the facts we know and the rumored specifications, can we look forward to replaying Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker on the GameCube 2 and Halo on the Xbox 2?"

Comments

Backwards is good

[narratorDan]

At this point making consoles backwards compatible is a smart move for makers. Not only do you get to leverage your new exclusive games, but you also get to leverage your installed customer base.

When making any kind of puchase I look at everything from the cost of the new console to the cost of getting enough games for it that I do not get bored after a month. If the console choices do not support my old games I will look at other systems and compare them, if it does support my old games then the choice becomes more of an "upgrade" with minimal cost rather than a replacement with maximum cost.

In my personal opinion if the PS2 did not support the PS1 games then the XBox would have gained a greater share of the console market.

NarratorDan

Re:Backwards is good

[benchbri]

I, for one, don't see a point for backwards-compatability.

In my experience, there are two types of people that buy consoles: 1. "Hard-core" gamers, who have every system available, and save for wont of space, will not need backwards-compatability. And 2: The one-system, locked in, game-of-the-moment players. These are the guys that play the latest incarnation of Madden or Final Fantasy.

Since after the release of the PS2, PS1 game development effectivly stopped, gamers see buying a new console a necessity; the game-of-the-moment players will want the system of the moment (whatever their friends have, or whatever platform their favorite game will be on), and hardcore gamers will get it no matter what. Even if a gamer did want to play a PS1 game, they could pick one up at the mall for US$20, and save themselves >US$100.

Oh come on!

[M3wThr33]

Can we get beyond Sony's horrible naming convention?
The Xbox and GameCube successors are most likely NOT going to include numbers and addressing them as such is just a stamp to your ignorance of memories past.

In other news, since the next MS console is switching processors, gfx chips, losing the hard drive and dropping off the black and white buttons, it probably will not play the old games.

it's just a selling point, nothing more...

[Anonymous Coward]

I had a PSone. I have well over a thousand dollars worth of software for it. I played PS one games for about 10 minutes on my PS2. Yes, I occasionally get nostalgic for Mike Tyson's Punch out and drag out the NES, but after about 10 minutes I feel really stupid for digging that thing out of the closet and I start to dread having to put it back in.

There are software engineers out there working their asses off to give me bigger, better, faster, and more, and all I can say is: "Thank you sir, may I have another?"

When I am playing the "haggling with the hooker" mini-game on GTA 5, I will NOT be pining to play Vice City. When I am mowing down the Covenant with three out-of-state buddies in co-op mode, I will not feel the desire to pop in the original.

It's technology, it changes, bottom line- it'll still be fun. I once paid two thousand dollars for a 486 so I could play Ultima VII. When Exult came out I played it for about 10 minutes. Old games are just that, OLD.

Re:it's just a selling point, nothing more...

[Anonymous Coward]

Then you are something of a minority in that respect. The game industry will always remember it's roots, and though I hate the parallels between this industry and that of motion pictures it can be said the same for movies. People don't really regret dragging out old classics like Casablanca and Citizen Kane because they still stand on their own against todays films.
Likewise, there are many games gone by that stand on their own against the next generation titles in terms of gameplay. It sounds just like you have a different taste in games than many people, but one that is shortsighted in the same way of people who are only drawn to bad, summer blockbusters while ignoring the foundation of the entire medium.

Yes, you'll be able to play Wind Waker on N5

[Anonymous Coward]

"[The next-generation Nintendo console] will be able to use the games already created in the previous generation." - Satoru Iwata, Dec. 2003 Famitsu interview