PSA: Xbox One "Backwards Compatibility" Prank Is Bricking Consoles

[Dragonbums]

This prank seems more or less targeted at Xbox One owners as opposed to simply stupid people.

Especially considering how the PS4 also has no backwards compatible features as well.

I'm pretty damn sure that if this a similar ad ran on the PS4, just as many people would fall for it.

At this point there is a lot of antagonism towards people who bought the X1 simply because of policies they reversed months ago.

I feel this is more of a "punishment" prank than anything.

 

[Icehearted]

I think this demonstrates how much a desired feature backward compatibility really is. Too bad console developers so rarely give the people what they really want.

Every Sony console has been backwards compatible and I believe the Xbox 360 was as well, the only reason the new gen isn't is due to changing the hardware to x86 processors (which will make future consoles far easier to make backwards compatible to these ones). They had to do it to stay competitive. Still sucks though and wish they had of offered a 'special edition' console with the backwards compatibility (aka PS3/Xbox 360 built into the new machines) at a higher price point, I bet a few people would have gladly paid the premium price.

Naw dude, dude, naw. And it was dropped from the Playstation 3 after an early revision. As for the Xbox 360 it was only partial, and that was sketchy, and it too was abandoned.

Why the PS4 Doesn't Do PS3 Games
This in part says what I wrote elsewhere on this, which again points out why I'm not drinking the kool-aid on these excuses. This has all been done before, same rationalizing, same hidden motives, same excuses, same poor design choices (or past mistakes consequentially creating this problem).

 

[Product Placement]

Xbox's Major Nelson reminds everyone that the Xbox One is not, and never will be, backwards compatible.

Yeah, I've heard that before and have come to accept that but being one of those pricks that likes backwards compatibility, I must ask: Why is it so impossible to design an emulator that can run 360 games on the new console?

Edit: I guess the answer was already posted on thread.

2) Why isn't the darn thing backwards compatible in the first place? There's no excuse.
No switch to vastly different architecture so soft emulation should be very doable and also no game library for the xone but I guess having something -anything- over the ps4 is against their pr strategy of being as incompetent as possible or something and that is saying something if the competition thinks proprietary memory sd cards that cost more and offer less are a-ok.

It is not doable, not even close. For every action taken by the CPU you're emulating, the CPU you're emulating on needs to take several, often 10 or more to achieve any semblance of accuracy. We can emulate the PS2 because its processors is only a 299MHz, and even then you need at least a 3GHz CPU to emulate it well. The 360 has a 3.2GHz CPU. To emulate that, even if you managed to do so with as little as 4 actions per action on average, which is literally IMPOSSIBLY low, you'd still need at least a 12GHz processor.

 

[RJ Dalton]

I know this prank is a real dick move, but, frankly, it's Xbox. What doesn't brick the console?

 

[Ipsen]

At first, but now even all the slim PS3s without the "backwards compatibility" can play a good two thirds of the PS2 library. So after a while they figured it out without adding an emotion engine chip to the motherboard.

Really? You could put a PS2 disc in PS3 and it would play? Thats news to me. (and that woudl be good news, as i think that woudl be a good thing).

All the "PS2 classics remastered" on the PSN store are just the basic files with a Sony-made emulator. People who have hacked their PS3s to run whatever they want are just using this exact same emulator from Sony (nothing tweaked) and running LOADS of PS2 games off of it. Even FFXII works (with a 0.5 second audio delay in the menu screen) and that's famous for being a bit of a resource hog.

I'd like to see proof of this as I have the slim and it doesn't play PS2 games, but it will play the Classic games you have to buy off of the Playstation store. If thats what you're talking about its not the same thing.

I can't link to it because it violates forum rules. Google search for it and you'll see what I mean. Those Classic games are just ISOs with a sony-made application running. There's no good reason they couldn't have just included the emulator application in a firmware update and let people play PS2 games but it's probably a licensing issue.

Yeah, I'd prefer not to risk bricking a PS3 just to get a functionality I have by turning it off and switching to the ps2 I already have, complete with memory cards with old saves, nor do I feel like buying peripherals from people to load the hacks on there. Not worth the risk, especially since the research I did seems that slims don't work very well with the hacks. So if it doesn't work well (low fps) then it isn't functional to me. Sorry.

But can't you smell the bullcrap?

If all that was needed was a software emulator, the hardware is pretty much already there, in YOUR slim PS3. Why not just sell the system with it loaded as a hard app? Or sell the emulator on the PS store; unless optical drives changed in the slim system as well, I don't see an issue in reading PS2 discs if a proper emulator is present.

I don't blame you for not wanting to deal with hacking your system, but you'll have to deal with Sony nickel/diming you for 'PS2 classics'.

OT, I don't bank on Microsoft, or Sony for that matter, adding backwards compatability ever again; this is two systems that they've gotten away with either taking BC out, or not adding it at all, and it seems at worst an acceptable loss to not serve those who'd want BC. Count me in doublt that X86 architecture will make a difference in feasibility for future consoles as well (you know, if that standard doesn't change as well in the next ~7 years).

 

[TKretts3]

Hopefully the individuals who did this can be identified and punished accordingly. That anyone would do this is appalling. At the very least the victims should obtain compensation.

Yes.

We must punish these people who put false advice on the internet!

Better ring up the FBI, these terrorists need to be taken down!

False advice with the intent, and accomplishment, of sabotage and destruction of property.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

But can't you smell the bullcrap?

If all that was needed was a software emulator, the hardware is pretty much already there, in YOUR slim PS3. Why not just sell the system with it loaded as a hard app? Or sell the emulator on the PS store; unless optical drives changed in the slim system as well, I don't see an issue in reading PS2 discs if a proper emulator is present.

I don't blame you for not wanting to deal with hacking your system, but you'll have to deal with Sony nickel/diming you for 'PS2 classics'.

OT, I don't bank on Microsoft, or Sony for that matter, adding backwards compatability ever again; this is two systems that they've gotten away with either taking BC out, or not adding it at all, and it seems at worst an acceptable loss to not serve those who'd want BC. Count me in doublt that X86 architecture will make a difference in feasibility for future consoles as well (you know, if that standard doesn't change as well in the next ~7 years).

I get the idea, but I just haven't been a huge supporter of Backwards compatibility. I grew up with consoles and PC, and while PC was backwards compatible to a degree (until folks released DOSBox and gog.com came around), I never really concerned myself with it on consoles because I maintained my older systems. So if I wanted to play a game from any era, I could just plug it in and go.

 

[LetalisK]

Really? You could put a PS2 disc in PS3 and it would play? Thats news to me. (and that woudl be good news, as i think that woudl be a good thing).

My day 1 PS3 is compatible with PS2 games, later versions (including the slim) are not. I would have happily paid twice the price I did for my PS4 to have it fully backwards compatible, ah well just means my PS3/4 will be sharing desk space together.

And you don't see the issue with being willing to fork over an extra $400 to save a bit more than a square foot of space? I can get a PS3 bundle with all kinds of goodies thrown in there for less than that. Sony and Microsoft really have no incentive to compete with that.

 

[The Lugz]

Aw man, I can just imagine it now.

"U.K Teen Attempts To Make Console Backwards Compatible, Breaks His Console."

dat uk teen. 'sigh'

so new meme then? "UK teen buys xbone, gets cross shaped steak bone instead - outrage!"


as for the op this, it's a pretty dickish prank but microsoft implicitly told people not to screw with the devkit. if you're screwing with the devkit, well you're doing this with an expensive piece of equipment, look before you leap.
http://xkcd.com/293/

expensive lesson, but memorable.

 

[Strazdas]

I though people would already know that there is no possible way to make Xbox One to play Xbox360 games.
It's because its processor has a different architecture and reads different instruction sets.

You are assuming an average gamer knows what processor architecture is. I mean they bought an Xbox One.

nor do I feel like buying peripherals from people to load the hacks on there.

Erm what? You dont need to buy anything to flash your PS3 and install custom software. You probably need a USB stick but i guess you have one already.

"Nobody wants backwards compatibility" - Microsoft & Sony

Hate to break it to you guys, but if people are willing to risk their new $500 piece of harware just to activate the feature, you're wrong.

I dont know about MS, but Sony did poll its users some time ago and the result was that less than 2% actually used backward compact-ability features. So thats not Nobody but not everyone either. ALso backward compactability is impossible due to change in architecture, regardless of whether you, microsoft, or sony wants it.

Thing is, if you pay attention to a stranger online to fix or change stuff, then your an idiot. Even more so for the XB1 BC thing, you would have to be a major idiot to believe MS added BC and then decided to block it. lol.

I dont know, i have found good advise on the internet before. you just need to not be an idiot about it.

Really? You could put a PS2 disc in PS3 and it would play? Thats news to me. (and that woudl be good news, as i think that woudl be a good thing).

My day 1 PS3 is compatible with PS2 games, later versions (including the slim) are not. I would have happily paid twice the price I did for my PS4 to have it fully backwards compatible, ah well just means my PS3/4 will be sharing desk space together.

I know that day 1 PS3s are compactible because emoticon chip is in them. We were talking about slims.
If you are willing twice the price for backward compatability, why not just buy a PS2?

I know this prank is a real dick move, but, frankly, it's Xbox. What doesn't brick the console?

Watching TV.

Capcha: thank you, come again

 

[Andrew_C]

...

Bollocks. by deleting system32 on any Microsoft device that uses that file, you will just make it unbootable, ie bricked to the average non-technical user.

 

[Xenedus]

Hopefully the individuals who did this can be identified and punished accordingly. That anyone would do this is appalling. At the very least the victims should obtain compensation.

Yes.

We must punish these people who put false advice on the internet!

Better ring up the FBI, these terrorists need to be taken down!

False advice with the intent, and accomplishment, of sabotage and destruction of property.

First off. No you aren't entitled to compensation for when you are an idiot and destroy your own property.

Second, their poster is protected under free speech as it doesn't incite imminent danger to the public. Screwing up your electronics does not classify as imminent danger.

Third, even if they could bring charges against these people the original posts are long gone so it would be doubtful you could catch anyone.

All in all: It's not the government's job to fact check the internet.

 

[TKretts3]

Hopefully the individuals who did this can be identified and punished accordingly. That anyone would do this is appalling. At the very least the victims should obtain compensation.

Yes.

We must punish these people who put false advice on the internet!

Better ring up the FBI, these terrorists need to be taken down!

False advice with the intent, and accomplishment, of sabotage and destruction of property.

First off. No you aren't entitled to compensation for when you are an idiot and destroy your own property.

Second, their poster is protected under free speech as it doesn't incite imminent danger to the public. Screwing up your electronics does not classify as imminent danger.

Third, even if they could bring charges against these people the original posts are long gone so it would be doubtful you could catch anyone.

All in all: It's not the government's job to fact check the internet.

They were tricked, coned, into damaging their own property. If someone walks into a dark alley to take a shortcut home and gets mugged, we don't let the mugger go because the victim was 'stupid enough' to walk into a dark alley. Similarly, when someone spreads false information with the intention of conning people into sabotaging and destroying property, the victim should not be the one who is blamed - the conman/conwoman is the guilty party.

Free speech offers no protection for when you commit, and encourage others to commit, crimes.

And just because the original posts have been deleted, does not mean that they're completely untraceable. This is the internet, one very well could find out who made the posts.

 

[Kinitawowi]

They were tricked, coned, into damaging their own property. If someone walks into a dark alley to take a shortcut home and gets mugged, we don't let the mugger go because the victim was 'stupid enough' to walk into a dark alley. Similarly, when someone spreads false information with the intention of conning people into sabotaging and destroying property, the victim should not be the one who is blamed - the conman/conwoman is the guilty party.

Free speech offers no protection for when you commit, and encourage others to commit, crimes.

And just because the original posts have been deleted, does not mean that they're completely untraceable. This is the internet, one very well could find out who made the posts.

No. Just no. You are everything that's wrong with modern society. If somebody told you that jumping off a cliff (sorry to borrow a very old and very tired analogy) would make you stronger, who's liable when you do it? You are. Deal with it.

Mugging is a direct action involving the causing of explicit harm to a person. This is not that. This is a fraudster committing an act playing on people's sense of entitlement and allowing them to make idiots of themselves. If the fraudsters were acting as representatives of Microsoft, then sure, there's probably liability there. This is not that. This is a bunch of wags from some forum who are currently laughing their arses off at how gullible people can be.

 

[CymbaIine]

They were tricked, coned, into damaging their own property. If someone walks into a dark alley to take a shortcut home and gets mugged, we don't let the mugger go because the victim was 'stupid enough' to walk into a dark alley. Similarly, when someone spreads false information with the intention of conning people into sabotaging and destroying property, the victim should not be the one who is blamed - the conman/conwoman is the guilty party.

Free speech offers no protection for when you commit, and encourage others to commit, crimes.

And just because the original posts have been deleted, does not mean that they're completely untraceable. This is the internet, one very well could find out who made the posts.

No. Just no. You are everything that's wrong with modern society. If somebody told you that jumping off a cliff (sorry to borrow a very old and very tired analogy) would make you stronger, who's liable when you do it? You are. Deal with it.

Mugging is a direct action involving the causing of explicit harm to a person. This is not that. This is a fraudster committing an act playing on people's sense of entitlement and allowing them to make idiots of themselves. If the fraudsters were acting as representatives of Microsoft, then sure, there's probably liability there. This is not that. This is a bunch of wags from some forum who are currently laughing their arses off at how gullible people can be.

I think you are everything that's wrong with society. You have no comprehension of those that are not as old, young or experienced as you and will side with malicious no-life twats whose idea of fun is to try make people unhappy.

I have a 12 year old and being 12 and stupid it wouldn't surprise me if he tried something like this (actually it would be only because he is lucky enough to live with a adult that's a little bit more tech savvy that most of his friends parents). That's great, 12 year olds are supposed to make mistakes and learn from them, the problem would be that he would screw it up for his Brother too (and me for that matter). I have no idea where "entitlement" comes into this, unless you mean the game industrys sense of entitlement. Is it really so hard to believe that their machines have features that they have locked 'cos MONEY?

 

[sageoftruth]

Has anyone fallen for this? How many months did Microsoft issue releases, statements and videos very clearly informing everyone that the was no backwards compatibility?

Well, when it's a 5 year old boy being bought a console for Christmas, or just anyone who doesn't get console schematics, I can see it happening. After all, Microsoft's reputation is at a point where it's not implausible to hear that they deliberately took away a feature for business reasons. I'm willing to believe I'd fall for it if I ever got an Xbone. Luckily that won't be happening any time soon.

I sure hope everyone catches onto this prank before Christmas. Anyone who thinks it's funny to trick an uninformed working class family out of $500+ dollars and ruin a poor child's Christmas needs to find other sources of joy in life lest they become a monster.

 

[alj]

you can use an interpreter that translates one instruction set to the other but there may be missing op codes (for example store commands there is store word in x86 STW but there is not an equivalent in PowerPC closest is store string STOS ) that's why emulators are not 100% accurate.

In the original fat PS3 it was done in hardware, in the slim this was removed to reducer cost. Its still no excuse but you can understand when you change architectures, if the PS5 or XBOX2 or whatever is still x86 and you cannot play xbox and PS4 games now that is inexcusable.

Oh and the XBOX one cpu is not less powerful than the 360 to suggest so is ludicrous clock speed does not = performance.

and the fact that you cannot reset the console is kind of bad, it should have a restore mode where you can connect it to a pc and reimage the HDD or if its stored in flash reprogram the flash via JTAG or some other method .

 

[DrOswald]

2. There is differences in architecture. Not only that, but the new Xbox has a SLOWER CPU than Xbox 360, which makes CPU demanding games pretty much impossible to play on it.

So why doesn't microsoft fucking explain that cause all I've heard from them on that is "well you want backwards compatibility? You must be really backwards lawl" implying that yes we could do that but we won't, instead we will mock you for wanting it.

This shit wouldn't be able to fly if they just flat out stated it's not doable instead of making it some dumb trend thing.
People can be convinced it's there and locked in the first place just because of that.

Because they are PR idiots. They would rather try to convince you that you are an idiot and try to shame you into silence than admit that their game box is less than perfect. Because showing open contempt for your customers has always been a good business practice.

Also, previous PR idiocy has made it so no one will trust anything they say. So when Microsoft say "backwards compatibility is not possible" all people hear is "We prevented backwards compatibility for our own nefarious purposes. Also, we hate you in a very personal way."

The good news is that with the changes to the new generation, unless I really don't understand what is going on, should make software emulation relatively easy in the future. Backwards compatibility should be easy and hopefully standard going forward.