Microsoft Exec: "If You're Backwards Compatible, You're Really Backwards"

[an annoyed writer]

They really don't want this thing to sell, so they? Look, I bought my WiiU, my PS2, my old PS3, and my XBox 360 to play backwards-compatible games, as well as new ones. That's about $1,000 combined right there, if not more. My old systems break down, especially if they use disc drives. Calling preserving history backwards is backwards in-of itself. Unfortunately, Microsoft seems to be thinking with its ass, and being proud of doing so. It's depressing.

 

[Mr. Q]

I have gazed into my magic 8-ball, Don Mattrick, and I foresee an event that will change your life. After the Xbone has "proven" itself in the market place, one of the big wigs at Microsoft will come to your office and will proclaim these two little words to you and to the entire Xbox staff...


See you in the unemployment line, ya douche-bag!

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

I don't get why everyone is hating the guy. He is right once you understand the context of what he says. In order to have backwards compatibility you'd need to use the same shitty old architecture from the previous generation or to find a way to put it inside the new console alongside the new architecture. And that is just not a viable option.

 

[5mj7R7yf4Dwr3gdZyyu9PeGNwYjlNrjzuh3iTXQG]

So the one in XBone is about the all in one thing. The XBone is the last television peripheral you will ever need.

Unless you have lots of XBox 360 games. Then you'll need to keep that plugged in too. Because backwards compatibility is too uncool for Big Micro. Because playing XBox games is apparently too uncool for Big Micro.

XBone. I may never get tired of that. XBone. For us members of the PC Master Race the XBone is the gift that keeps on giving. (Sadly, kinda like Win8)

XBone.

238U

 

[Proverbial Jon]

I'm forever playing old games, especially PS2 and DS games. I'm not the sort of person who ditches games after a single playthrough.

In fact I'm so backwards I'm pretty much going forwards again.

 

[ToastiestZombie]

I'm getting fucking sick of companies making stupid decisions, then insulting the people that get angry at them. Face up to the problems and stop going "hurr durr you're just silly!". Microsoft is the least humble of the big three by far. What did Nintendo do when the 3DS was failing? Dropped the price, gave existing customers games and Iwata took a voluntary pay drop. What would Microsoft do? Call us backwards-ass twats who aren't buying the new console because they "don't get the magic!".

Yeah, I mad.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Oh my word... Really? Today has just been... what the fuck dude? Did you not learn anything from that Orthy fiasco?

I doubt his numbers. Even if he is correct, I could think of other reason for people not playing back-catalogue games other than just not wanting to. Even if those wouldn't make a significant difference, then I expect more diplomatic language and less contempt from people who are asking for my money.

You've already made me disappointed in you Microsoft. The worst thing you want to do right now, if you want my business, is make me angry.

 

[Something Amyss]

Oh christ, that was an incredibly dumb statement.

It seems like that's Microsoft's new thing.

On topic, BC usually only matters early on. You want people to be able to play games on your console early when there's few titles. Then again, Microsoft doesn't seem to want their console to have much to do with games, as it's apparently more a cable box with voice commands that HAPPENS to play games.

 

[Negatempest]

I really wanted to say this once, "I am the Five Percent."

 

[Infernal Lawyer]

"If you're backwards compatible, you're really backwards,"

This is coming from the people who want to release sequel after sequel after sequel without taking the risk of coming up with any new IP. What if I want to play the first in a series before I buy the third installment, so I have a better sense of the story? Nope, sorry, that would be silly, because wanting to play a game that is only inferior in graphical quality would be 'backwards'.

Tbh, that's all I see improve in AAA games these days. Graphics and physics engines. The gameplay is often getting worse, the AI are STILL dumb as bricks, and even when it comes to graphics, we're at the point where anything else that can possibly be improved graphically is just so much pointless eye candy that gets lost and forgotten in the heat of the game. Am I going to be cooing over every pore or my avatars face, or am I going to be shooting bad guys?

Secondly, for that last point, after my 3DS broke just before a year had past (it was replaced free of charge, thankfully), I've given up on consoles and handhelds in general. Do you know what's backwards? Having to pay hundreds of dollars every fucking year because the manufacturers can't make the damn consoles stick together for more than a year. So yeah, once my second 3DS breaks, it's the PC master race for me (unless I don't hear hundreds of reports about the WiiU crapping out).

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

well, that has to be some of the stupidest crap I've heard in awhile. Kindly go fuck yourself, Mattrick. It's like these guys are from a different universe.

 

[FoolKiller]

I understand the limitations regarding backwards compatibility but what they seem to not even acknowledge and fail to recognize is that if they don't support at least the downloadable arcade games (XBLA) with the next gen, it will be tricky convincing people to pay for a game that has a shelf life.

I only purchase games on Steam because if I get a new computer I can still play the older games. If I lose all my XBLA purchases then I don't need a new console.

 

[Azure Knight-Zeo]

I know there's some technical stuff going on, but I find it never ceases to amuse (and annoy) me how most of the "advanced" systems can't play games from their inferior counterparts. The WiiU might not have the biggest processer or library, but if I get one atleast I can play all my old Wii games as I wait for Bayonetta 2 and SMT x Fire Emblem come out.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

I suspect that he won't be an executive for much longer. And when he's wondering why every hates him and wht he said and he's begging for his job, we'll only have this to say;

I fear this GIF will be used an awful lot here in coming months, and if Execs keep making statements like this it will be used for very good reasons.

I wonder how long it will take before these companies realise that ignoring all criticism and requests of their customers while trying to craft the future of the industry is completely stupid. No other industry, no other service provider does this, and it's just going to end in disaster.

Aww who are we kidding, when the whole thing crashes they'll just blame it all on piracy and entitlement.

 

[Dr.Awkward]

Okay, I'm going to say it.

When you decided to use a standard-sized disc, you inherited the BC Curse.

Think about it - Sony has been plagued with "backwards compatibility" demands by PS1 owners since 1999, hoping to play their PS1 games on the PS2 since both were made by Sony. After Microsoft debuted the XBox 360 in 2005, it too suffered the same questions about backwards compatibility. And then, although confirmed, Nintendo also got the same treatment when it showcased the Wii U.

And this all happened for one reason - They all went to a disc.

If you blindfolded a person, and each laid one PS1, PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Wii, and Wii U disc in front of them, they would not tell the difference between any of them. He or she would luckily guess which is which because they, for the most part, all use the same physical shape of media - A disc with a hole in the center, all sized at the same radius. There's really nothing to set them apart, and as a result, many people would just assume that a disc that is meant to work with one console will also work in that console's successors. There's also the problem of knowing what works with which - How would one know if a game meant for one console doesn't work for another if they aren't familiar with the logos or names?

But you know what wasn't hit by BC demands? Solid-state media. ROM cartridges can be shaped to work in a specific console, and can be distinguishable from each other as a result. To look at modern solution, USB flash and SD cards in large sizes are really starting to become affordable, and perhaps by dropping the disc and going with a USB or SD-based cartridge, we can once again find ways to distinguish one game from another, and provide a automatic reason why one game won't work in another console, such as it not able to make contact with the pins or not even fitting properly into the slot. (Not to mention the faster access speeds and console hardware extensions, too.)

 

[Orks da best]

Ok I can understand why some gamers are having a fuss, (this is the group that think mass effect is there IP after all...)

But honesty why is this a problem, out side of the really old games and old consoles?

Its not like the Xbox 360 will be pema shut off or crumble to dust once the Xbox 1 comes out.

No it will be still there and still working, unless you got a faulty model or take poor care of it.

So in order to play your old games, wait for digital versions to come out or play it on the old console.

Note that I am not saying anything about Sony or the Wii, since I don't have those consoles.

But, why is this such a big deal, no consoles new hardware means that older games have problems running, if at all. How many games on the Xbox 360 will be able to run perfectly on the new Xbox 1? I doubt a good amount, nor many from the original Xbox.

And lastly, I think this is what he means by backwards. If you play older games and not the newer ones, then why do you need the new console if you have a working current one? And why are you continue to player the older games repeatable instead of trying out newer games? Its simply a matter of playing older games on a new console instead of using the new console for new games and the old console for old games.

And its not like consoles are that hard to use. Plug in or swap out for different generations to play different games

Can we stop all this bitching please? It getting old and ridiculous.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

I guess I'm part of that 5% then, because I've played Battlefront, Fable 1, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 1 and 2, Halo 1 and 2 and Burnout: Revenge on my 360. And I didn't even own the original Xbox at any point.

I'd be quite surprised if they're not actually making these numbers up on the spot.

 

[RJ 17]

The backwards compatibility issue isn't really a concern of mine...my old 360 (which I've had for 5 or 6 years now) finally decided it didn't want to read game discs anymore so I traded it in towards a spiffy new new one which, apparently, wasn't the big waste of money that I'd thought it'd be with the next gen just around the corner and the official declaration of "No Backwards Compatibility For You!"

What buggers my britches is the official "Yeah, fuck used and rental games" declaration. Oh sure, you CAN play a used or rented game...you'll just have to pay XBox live the game's current listed price. For renters: why not buy the frickin' game in that case? For used game gamers: why the fuck would you want to pay twice for it?

That's what pisses me off the most. Well that and the fact that they're stuffing the Kinect down our throat by making it manditory. At this point I'm honestly thinking of switching back over to Sony, since XBox has stuffed so many bad ideas into one console that it should be called the EA XBox One. Hey-ohhhhh!

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

People wanting backwards compatability are backwards you say?
Then what is naming your third console Xbox One if not backward?
What is requiring indie devs to have publishers if not backward?
What is focusing on TV apps on a games console that requires a TV in the first place, if not backward?

I can get why both Sony and Microsoft have took backwards compatability out, what with new architecture and keeping down the price. However is there really any need to be so flippant about people's concerns about the lack of backwards compatability?