Poll: Backwards Compatibility

[51gunner]

Backwards compatibility is great because it lets you keep old games when you update & trade in old hardware. It also works in your favor if you bought a new console and want to experience the older games in a series.

Say you buy a shiny new PS3 to play Metal Gear Solid 4 on: will MGS 1 play on it so you can get into the whole series? (I actually don't know if it does or not, but it illustrates my point). It makes it easier to draw more fans to a long-running series if they don't need to buy multiple consoles to play it all.

 

[timmytom1]

Personally I have yet to sell a game and I love when I can play my xbox games on my xbox 360. It's for when I get bored of the xbox 360 games I already have and want to play something which I don't have a more modern version of like Burnout Revenge. I also played GTA San Andreas on my 360 because it's a nice break from how crazily serious GTA IV is. At least San Andreas was funny.

Not all xbox games are BC same with ps2 games for the ps3 as i understand it.

 

[Valiance]

I think it's great but a terrible selling point.

Like I think it's good that the DS has it - it's convenient...but I'm not buying the DS to play GBA games. I can do that on my GBA!

I like the fact that the 360, PS3 and Wii are backwards compatible, but I'd prefer new games rather than just playing old games.

Especially since I still have my gamecube, n64, etc...

But it always raised me the question of "Why wasn't the Dreamcast backwards compatible with the Saturn?" Possibly the only flaw in the DC's design. ;P

 

[G. Alarimm]

Absolutely. It's a pain to have to switch out systems whenever I want to play older games, and when your old system kicks the bucket you have the newer one.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

I know this much:

If I ever bought a Wii, over 1/2 of the games that I'd play would be Gamecube games.

The Wii itself has much crap mixed in with 10 games that I'd actually play.

 

[joystickjunki3]

I think it's great but a terrible selling point.

Like I think it's good that the DS has it - it's convenient...but I'm not buying the DS to play GBA games. I can do that on my GBA!

I like the fact that the 360, PS3 and Wii are backwards compatible, but I'd prefer new games rather than just playing old games.

Especially since I still have my gamecube, n64, etc...

But it always raised me the question of "Why wasn't the Dreamcast backwards compatible with the Saturn?" Possibly the only flaw in the DC's design. ;P

I completely agree w/ that statement.

To answer the DC and Saturn issue: Major hardware differences. Think of how the 360 needs a harddrive and an update to play original Xbox games. The Saturn had 2 processors, and several very different components.

 

[Pseudonym2]

It's great for all the games I missed out out on. I went back and got everything from Halo 1 to Psychonauts.

 

[blood77]

We all know that crappy games are released season after season and it takes a while before games we actually want to play come out, that fact is never going to change. Backwards compatibility helps with this by allowing us to get the new system without having to abandon our old games. So when the new ones that we wish to play come out we don't have to go around trying to buy the system as well.

I feel that it isn't so much as a selling point as it is a deal with the companies. They say that "Our system just came out and most of the release titles suck, but if you wait a bit, and buy the system, then better games will come out eventually."

 

[Fraught]

Of course it is. I would give both of my lungs to get PS2 backwards compatibility on my PS3.
Why did Sony do that? WHY?!?!?!!

 

[Eric the Orange]

the reason is that they want you to buy new games for your new system. They take a huge hit when you buy a system and refuse to buy games for that system because you're buying used games for a system they've largely put behind them.

The american president of Sony has even said that's exactly why the PS3 doesn't have backwards compatibility. The PS3 isn't doing as well, and they need people to buy lots of PS3 games - preferably new PS3 games.

They're re-releasing the PS2 to make up for the lack of backwards compatibility.

But really how does that apply to the DSi situation. As far as I know there are no games that play on DSi that wont play on DS or DSlite.

the DSi's lack of BWC is technical space for the extra gizmos etc.. and really, it IS backwards compatible - to DS games

So that means there are DSi exclusive games?

 

[Eric the Orange]

I think it's great but a terrible selling point.

Like I think it's good that the DS has it - it's convenient...but I'm not buying the DS to play GBA games. I can do that on my GBA!

I like the fact that the 360, PS3 and Wii are backwards compatible, but I'd prefer new games rather than just playing old games.

Especially since I still have my gamecube, n64, etc...

But it always raised me the question of "Why wasn't the Dreamcast backwards compatible with the Saturn?" Possibly the only flaw in the DC's design. ;P

I thinks its also more of a space saving issue. I have all my consoles back to the Atari, but I cant get more than 4 on 1 TV.

Plus older consoles do break down. I've had to buy like 3 NESs.

 

[Ushario]

Its a good selling point but it isn't something that is always possible or feasable.

 

[Eric the Orange]

Wow, look at those numbers 95%. Someone should let Nintendo and Sony see where the public oppinion lies.

 

[Slash Dementia]

I wish the 360 would update the BC list because their last update was in 2007. My original Xbox died and I don't see the sense of buying another Xbox to play those games that aren't on the list... (why isn't Prince of Persia: WW or Legacy of Kain: Defiance on their list?!?)

Yes, the BC is a selling point to me.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

Its a given that it has to be added to hardware even if its a 50-100$ add on without it they are making a mockery of the history they have built up around their respective consoles.

 

[PhoenixFire31]

With the cost of game systems being so high at launch (and usually for a year or so after) backwards compatibility is VERY important. I always turn in my old system to help pay for the new one. I will sell some games, but the truly great ones will never leave my house (FF7/9, Shin Megami games, Indigo Prophecy, Suffering, KOTOR1&2, Doom 3, just a few off the top of my head I still have.) So I have to still be able to play them on the new system.

 

[Gamer137]

I can't really say. BC is a most for new systems so your past games and data are not just worthless. When a company says "We have backwards compatability. Buy this," I just think "Well no shit sherlock. That is mandatory." Praising a new system for having BC is like prising a microwave for having a clock and timer. If I say yes, it means I get excited about it. If I say no, it means its not needed. So I can't vote.

 

[Stammer]

In my opinion, Sony really screwed themselves by making their PS3 not backwards-compatible.

I know 3 people (myself included) who would have bought one in an instant if they kept the backwards-compatibility in the console. So now that's 3 people that they won't sell a console to, nor any PS2 games or any PS3 games to for... what?

What is the reason for taking it out? Is it because they'd rather sell PS3 games? Well I'm pretty sure no one's going to buy a PS3 solely to purchase PS2 games, so seriously they're retarded.

TLDR: BACKWARDS-COMPATIBILITY IS A HUGE SELLING POINT

 

[Lucia di Lammermore]

Yes, Backwards Compatibilitibility is important. It's especially important to me because I usually sell my old console to pay for the new one. When I bought a Wii, it was the first time I didn't have to sell all my games/accesories/controllers ect. When I went from N64 to gamecube, I had to sell all my games because I no longer had anything to play them.

 

[Eric the Orange]

TLDR: BACKWARDS-COMPATIBILITY IS A HUGE SELLING POINT

Sorry for my internet acronym ineptitude but what does TLDR mean?