Rumor: Durango Peripheral Offers Xbox 360 Compatibility

[Earnest Cavalli]

Rumor: Durango Peripheral Offers Xbox 360 Compatibility

According to new rumors, the next Xbox will play Xbox 360 games, but only if you own something called an "Xbox Mini."

Notice the rumor tag on the headline? As always that indicates that you should be consuming a large quantity of sodium before continuing. You've been warned.

Now, according to a new report on VGLeaks, the next incarnation of the Xbox will feature backwards compatibility with Xbox 360 games, but in order to play these titles the console will need to be attached to an Xbox Mini. Supposedly this peripheral includes no disc drive and is instead an "always online" device. As a result, the Xbox 360 discs you own will not work with it, but according to VGLeaks, any titles you've purchased can be downloaded to the Xbox Mini via Xbox Live free of charge. Further, additional Xbox 360 games can be pulled down from the 'net in a similar fashion to the current Games On Demand feature found in the Xbox 360.

Ah, but that's not the only feature of the Xbox Mini. The VGLeaks piece claims that the device is being designed to compete with the Apple TV, and as such will have access to numerous streaming video and audio services, as well as feature interoperability with your extant cable box. Intriguingly, VGLeaks claims that the next Xbox will also feature these IPTV components, but will only play Xbox 360 titles when the Xbox Mini is connected, effectively making the Xbox Mini its own standalone console - think of it as a new, smaller version of the Xbox 360 with additional video services and the ability to connect directly to the next Xbox, saving players from having to attach yet another console to their monitor of choice.

This scheme contrasts with Sony's plan for PlayStation 3 backwards compatibility. As far as we know, the PS4 will not natively play PS3 titles, but will instead be capable of playing them via the Gaikai streaming game service. The next Xbox will functionally replace Gaikai with this Xbox Mini device.

While this is certainly a viable, modern solution to the backwards compatibility issue, it could also prove very expensive. There's no details on how much this Xbox Mini might set a user back, nor word on whether or not Microsoft plans to launch the next Xbox with the Xbox Mini as a pack in. We'd expect not, though the company could release a special, more expensive version of the next Xbox with the Xbox Mini in tow, in a similar fashion to Nintendo's Wii U Deluxe Bundle which includes additional storage and a game among other items for prospective Wii U buyers with an extra bit of scratch to spend on their next-gen gaming habit.

Expect more news on this front to emerge very soon. Word has it that Microsoft will officially unveil the next Xbox in May [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/123136-Report-Microsoft-Details-Next-Xbox-In-May], so hopefully the company will set the record straight at that time.

Source: VGLeaks [http://www.vgleaks.com/microsoft-xbox-roadmap-2013/]

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[Genocidicles]

Something vaguely positive about this thing?

Nah. Smells like bullshit to me.

 

[Church185]

Something vaguely positive about this thing?

Nah. Smells like bullshit to me.

I'm not sure if it is a positive, some sources say the external device is going to cost around $99. So for the Durango you would have to pay a decent chunk of change extra just for backwards compatibility. Though to be fair the backwards compatible PS3's were pretty expensive too.

 

[Chicago Ted]

I don't get what the point would be if I already own an Xbox. Unless it's fairly cheap, why would I want to rebuy an additional peripheral to allow me to play what I already have? And why can't I just download the titles directly onto the Durango itself?

Microsoft seem to be heading in the right direction here, but for every step forward, they're taking a step back. Allowing me access to my older titles for free is a great feature for a new console, after all, it means I already have a vast library of games to play on it, but forcing me to purchase something additional for it, that might be quite costly, misses part of the point.

Also, I have to wonder how many titles would be placed on this service. Are they going to host every single Xbox game for us to download? What about more obscure releases? What if I want to play something like, say, Dark Sector again, which I'm sure no one has really given a thought about for years.

I would have thought that creating a system that has to have all games downloaded and hosted forever would cost more than creating a device that allows for people to simply have their games read off of discs still, but who knows.

 

[Vault Citizen]

I'd be annoyed if I couldn't play my discs but as solutions go this would be pretty cool.

 

[StriderShinryu]

Hmmm.. that's actually rather interesting. If I was going to buy the next Xbox, it would be tempting to buy one of those add ons as well.

 

[Doclector]

It could be a viable solution, but I don't see many going for it unless the pricing is reasonable.

But yeah, colour me interested.

 

[CriticalMiss]

Sounds kind of dumb. I'd imagine anyone who wants to buy a Nextbox and play 360 games already owns a 360 and could just use that to play them with. It's not that much hassle to change over the cables on your TV, some TVs even have multiple inputs for just such occasions. And it isn't going to save you much space unless this thing is tiny. It might even become redundant like the HDDVD drives they sold which are now gathering cockroaches in the worlds landfills.

 

[mad825]

Old news?

This was briefly touch upon from the "What the Tech" rumour via Rumor: Next-Gen Xbox Will Cost $300-$500, Be Always-Online [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/123124-Rumor-Next-Gen-Xbox-Will-Cost-300-500-Be-Always-Online] article a few days ago. The code name is apparently called "stingray" costing $99.

 

[Rad Party God]

So, the WiiU will be the very best console for backwards compatibility. How sad.

 

[HavoK 09]

why get a mini xbox when you still have a working xbox360?

 

[JokerboyJordan]

I have had enough about every fucking rumour about the Nextbox being reported as "news"..

I hardly remember anything about the PS4 before it was launched (save for the controller design). Can we just calm it down a bit with all these damn rumours, and actually wait for it to be released?

 

[Callate]

Between this and the apparently increasing likelihood of "always-on" and/or blocking of used games on Microsoft's new console, it's really beginning to sound like the top option for the "more money than sense" market.

 

[mechalynx]

So let's review.

Playstation 4: Backwards compatibility is only possible through an internet connection via the GaiKai streaming service.

Durango: Rumored to only be backwards compatible if you buy an additional peripheral that streams the games through a required internet connection.

Wii U: Full backwards compatibility with all Wii games and hardware peripherals, with no internet connection required.

Say what you want about how Nintendo is "only for kids and nostalgic nerds" but it seems to me that they're the only one of the Big Three that understands how to treat their customers properly.

That's not entirely true, I'm afraid. WiiU is backwards compatible, but the titles will be console bound once you download them. That means if your WiiU bricks your Wii games are useless and you'll have to buy them all over again.

http://kotaku.com/5982965/nintendo-fan-is-unhappy-with-nintendos-200-answer-to-his-400-wii-u-problem

I'd buy a Wii U tomorrow if not for this type of bullshit.

 

[Johnson McGee]

So instead of insert disc->play game I can buy peripheral, prove I own game (using the old XBox 360 I presumably have and screw you if you just want a couple 360 games you missed out on), download it even though I have the disc in hand and play provided my internet is working.

That amount of streamlined sleakness is like a metaphor for the current state of the gaming industry.

 

[gigastar]

Seems like a typical cash grab from Microsoft.

"Yes, your new Xbox could play all theese old games you amassed over the past 7 years of 360 ownership, but we require another $100 to make it happen."

Unless its actually a standalone instead of a peripheral, then ill eat my words and say its a legacy device doomed to the same fate as the PSPGo.

why get a mini xbox when you still have a working xbox360?

You seem to forget that the 360 isnt exactly biult to last. Biult to work, yes, but id be surprised to see any working examples a few years after MS cans the official support for it. Not to mention that the Sword of Damocles is already hanging over its online functionality.

Though to be fair the backwards compatible PS3's were pretty expensive too.

And worth every penny because 2 years after i bought the backwards compatible PS3, Persona 4 came out.

 

[Sheo_Dagana]

Seems to me like all of this next-gen stuff is looking pretty bad already. Time to update the 'ol graphics card...

Also, I hope they'll finally release a name for the next Xbox. I'm tired of hearing people call it the 720, because that name makes no fucking sense. Granted, neither does Durango, but still...

 

[BrotherRool]

That makes a lot more sense than an always online console. This is hopefully where that rumour came from

Also, I hope they'll finally release a name for the next Xbox. I'm tired of hearing people call it the 720, because that name makes no fucking sense. Granted, neither does Durango, but still...

NeXtbox?