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New Xbox Titles Through 2007

Posted by Zonk on from the quite-a-commitment dept.

Despite the fact that the next generation of the Xbox console is expected out before the end of the year, via Evil Avatar a story stating that Microsoft is committed to the original Xbox through 2007. From the article: "A Microsoft spokeswoman told Reuters that 2007 is not a hard stop, but rather a guideline for the last releases of new games developed for the Xbox. Microsoft has not said whether its next console will be compatible with the current Xbox."

5 of 59 comments (clear)

  1. I think this is a sign of... by keeleysam · · Score: 5, Interesting

    No backward comptibilty in the Xbox (2/Next), as this seems kind of early to state this, makes me think that high profile titles for Xbox may even come out after Xbox NExt comes out.

    Maybe they will even cross release games?

    --
    Nothing for you to see here, Please move along.
  2. Re:Upgrade Cycle by Jicksta · · Score: 5, Insightful
    In two years, with Xbox support starting falling off, the Xbox homebrew scene will have had two years (from now) to have developed and refined their software.

    Since I'm pressed for time, I'll keep the list of interesting advancements brief:
    • XBox Media Center, already one of the most popular SF.net projects, will be by far the sweetest media suite for any platform.
    • Someone may port the Blackdown Java VM to the Xbox, allowing for any presently developed Java program to be ran on the exotic Xbox.
    • The OpenXDK may be just as functional as its official counterpart, allowing for LEGAL xbox homebrew development.
    • Add about a few dozen more fun homebrew games to the current selection.
    Granted, these are all ifs and maybes, but Xbox hacking will be here to stay, with or without Microsoft's support.
  3. Backwards-compatibility: more likely than not by gxw · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Consider: Nintendo announced at the Game Developer's Conference in SF last month that the Nintendo Revolution (codename) will be backwards compatible with the GameCube...

    Consider: It has been previously confirmed that the PS3 will be backwards compatible: http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/09/02/ 1517232...

    Consider: development of XBOX software through at least 2007 provides opportunity for gateway games (like the new Zelda game that is coming out for the GameCube shortly before Revolution comes out; those that see the new Zelda on friend's GameCube may run out and purchase a Revolution to play it)...

    Consider: all of the hard drives in the original XBOXes will eventually fail, in a few short years -- guaranteed (moving parts and all). Which is easier to imagine: backwards compatibility, or repairing millions of old XBOXes?

    Imagine: the marketing nightmare that lack of XBOX backwards compatibility would generate, in face of the competition...

    The lack of a hard-drive is not a significant problem for backwards compatibility, but the lack of the white/black buttons on the new controller may be. While few games use them well, some games depend on them, including Bioware's Knights of the Old Republic. Perhaps backwards compatibility will require software updates/patches for the games?

  4. Re:Upgrade Cycle by NanoGator · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "It would seem that Microsoft thinks they can get people on the ole upgrade cycle just like they do for their other products.

    Whats next?

    XBOX 2006, XBOX.net 2007, XBOX.sp2 2008?"

    WTH are you talking about? There's at least 4 years between the XBOX and XBOX 2. In the mean time, they're saying "We'll continue to support the original XBOX for 6 years". This isn't good news for current XBOX users?

    Maybe I'm just really tired here, but the only reason I can figure that this was modded up is that there's some expectation that the XBOX will follow the Windows business model. Never mind that it hasn't done that in all the years it has been around. Never mind that it's a game console firmly established in a market with a 5 year life cycle. Never mind that game consoles are not OS's and that Microsoft would actually be smart enough to not try to market them the same. No no no, let's assume MS is greedy and incompetent. Afterall, that's how they became a 20+ billion dollar company.

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    "Derp de derp."
  5. This is not a new tactic. by Dash'n'SlashDot · · Score: 5, Interesting

    On December 10, 1994, most kids were playing second and third generation SNES games, but also on this day, the final NES game was released: Wario's Woods and Nintendo finally retired the system, several years AFTER the SNES took center stage. More recently, third-party developers developed games for the PS1, albeit for a younger audience. Microsoft is just getting this information out in the open before release trying to keep the sales of the Xbox going even though a newer system is nigh.