James
MyGaming Alumnus
Next-gen consoles not likely backwards compatible, reckons EA
EA dashes hopes with no-backwards compatibility hypothesis
EA dashes hopes with no-backwards compatibility hypothesis
Next-gen consoles not likely backwards compatible, reckons EA
- Thread starter James
- Start date
Saint_Dee
The Phantom Poet
Lycanthrope
New member
Well, to be honest, I think console manufacturers will be digging their own graves if they aren't planning to have backwards compatible consoles.
It will be interesting to see what happens but I'm pretty sure that console manufacturers will be headed towards "future-proofing" their video game libraries, even if that means moving more and more toward digital distribution to eliminate the concern of media incompatibility as technology evolves.
But hey, it's anyone's guess at the end of the day. I just don't think it makes sense to expect fans to either add another console to their TV stand every four years or throw out their old games.
Glordit
Neo Zeon
It sucks! Rather than have people dispose of their current games at least let them get them digitally. Make a system where inserting your Original game disc into said console validates it as original and then could give it to you via XBL or PSN.
On the other hand you don't see this happening on the PC. I want to play Shadow Warrior I can download dosbox and play all I want.
Isengard
No Hobbits Allowed
The problem comes in that each new console has drastically different hardware and to get backwards compatibility means putting the previous gen hardware into the new console. This isn't financially viable at all and as far as I'm concerned isn't necessary.
I'll hold onto my PS3 if I really still want to play my PS3 games.
Lycanthrope
New member
It's not necessarily a matter of putting previous generation hardware into a new console as much as it is making certain that future hardware is backwards compatible (and similarly, that current software is future-proof).
The 360, I think, will be the best off in this regard because its architecture is unlikely to change much and it has an excellent online marketplace.
The PS3, however, is more of a pain because, as we all know, its architecture is insanely complicated and would be a major obstacle for the next generation to support.
So I believe it's likely that Sony will "learn" from their mistakes and make the PS4 (and future generations) compatible with each other. While I have my doubts that the PS4 will be backwards compatible with the PS3, it's a sound strategy to correct that for future generations.
This is where Nintendo, for example, excels.
You don't win customers by forcing them to throw out their game collection every time you release a new console. You can't tell people that you don't want them to sell your games (EULA) and in the same breath make their games collection a very large collection of door stops by the time you release a new console--you're pretty much advocating second-hand sales.
There's an entire debate behind this but in the end backwards compatibility is good for both manufacturers and for customers.
I think that this is why, in the first world, digital distribution is gradually phasing out the desire for physical media. Why buy an anti-piracy, spam-filled mess of a BR disc (which can break or become outdated in five years) when you can catch the same movie or series on Netflix, Hulu or some other country-specific video-on-demand service in full HD for a subscription of about R120 per month.
This is pretty much why consoles have never really appealed to me: there are old games I will always love and always want to play again every so often. I really don't want to buy a R4,000 console and spend between R4,000-R10,000 on games a year that will be obsolete in a few years. I still want to be able to play them long after I've bought them.
And consoles have already taken steps to be more and more "PC-like," so I figure it just makes sense from almost all points of view that they will have to move towards some degree of backwards compatibility (and inevitably online distribution). The question is really just when.
It's my firm belief that the console that can pull that off will be the one that takes the lead in the next generation's battle.
Wonderful. So when your beloved XBOX 360 or PS3 breaks in about 2-3 years time (which it will) and the consoles have reached their end-of-life, so you can't just go out and buy a new one; what exactly are you going to do with the games that you bought? Assuming, of course, you actually bought the legal copies of the games you have.
Having spent thousands of Rands on games alone, I'd be very upset if these consoles were not backwards compatible. Which means in 3 years time I risk not being able to play any of my games which I already own because the console(s) have finally broken and can't be replaced.
Tell me; Did all of the games that worked on Windows XP suddenly STOP working when Windows 7 came out? Short answer - NO. Because that mentality is plain stupid. Basic coding/development common sense should prevail here.
Sony's PS3 was backwards compatible with PS2 games upon release of the first model console. So it can be done.
XBOX is basically a compact PC running Windows. And like I said, your games from Windows XP carried over pretty well to Windows 7....so.......???
Cicero
New member
I dont really play any games later than 2years old, I keep up to date. But even so, my current Xbox is 7years old still going strong, it doesn't really show any signs of giving up.
Regardless, I would rather they spend development time on something else rather than backwards compatibility. Think of it like PC games now, they have to spend a lot of time dumbing down the game for console, so much so that people complain that consoles are holding PC games back. The same logic could be brought in if they want to make it backward compatible, it would be holding back the console from performing at its best.
Lycanthrope
New member
Huh? That's like saying PCs are performing worse today because they can still play some DOS, Win95/98/XP games :wtf:
Juvenile
'til proven sinful
If you have a PS3 or Xbox, I don't see the problem with the next-gen consoles not being backwards compatible.
Instead; focus on what makes the next-gen better. Those (like me) who don't own a console; we'll just have to find some way of getting both consoles. Pricey option, but that's just my viewpoint.
Instead; focus on what makes the next-gen better. Those (like me) who don't own a console; we'll just have to find some way of getting both consoles. Pricey option, but that's just my viewpoint.
Cicero
New member
Not entirely. If they have to keep some sort of standard architecture just to keep backwards compatibility, then that's dumbing down the console. Rather design for the best, make it easy for game designers, and look to the future.
Lycanthrope
New member
I'm talking software architecture. You don't, for example, run 8-, 16-, or 32-bit programs on a 64-bit operating system without the operating system (read: software side) being able to emulate it (granted, with the use of compatible emulation built into the processor--which processor manufacturers include by default). This isn't, however, "complicated" or a "waste of resources" or "dumbing down" anything. Quite the opposite since it increases the functionality and therefore the usefulness.
The only requirement? That the manufacturers think ahead.
Again, I think it would be silly to think that consoles are going to evolve to become anything less than portable PCs (and all that involves) running proprietary software.
Isengard
No Hobbits Allowed
Well if the rumours on the specs turn out to be true then it's certainly more plausible for BC on the next-next-gen. As it stands there's no way the PS4 will have PS3 BC, but they did buy out Gaikai and that might be how they plan to do that moving forward.
As it stands I say just keep your PS3 or Xbox if you really want to be able to play your current games, or go PC and no need to worry about such things...
Isengard
No Hobbits Allowed
1. Do people really go back and play old games? Really?
2. With the new gen consoles being mid level PC specs...PC guys will be able to emulate the 'exclusives' fairly easily
Some of us like to play older games, especially since a lot of them are better than the modern equivalents.
