Poll: Should Backwards Compatibility Be A Standard On All Consoles

[Kiutu]

This is part of why the Gameboy is the ultimate system. I dont like the DS but it still has the second slot for old games.

However, I am not dying over it, mostly because one, I keep my old systems as every gamer should, and they usually work best on their origional console. Atleast some do anyways.

 

[jamesworkshop]

The Wii and DS has the best backwards compatability around

 

[Dantes Alaska]

fuckin' yes!

 

[thephich]

The Wii and DS has the best backwards compatability around

and i think Nintendo has gona 100% in the correct direction there. they give you new system, but let you play games from the last console...and let you play even older games on virtual console

 

[Lightningfires]

Power to the players. Standard for ALL!!!!

 

[Sanaj]

Backwards compatibility- Yes, a current generation console should support the last generation or further if possible...
if a similar storage medium for the games is being used.

Spoiler

Not everyone can hang on to their old consoles, some people don't live in a place with enough space for storage.
Some people have limited funds and sometimes they need to pawn off their old games.

Not including backwards compatibility in the case of the Sony PS3 just alienated a large portion of their own fan base.

 

[thekrimzonguard]

Definitely, in theory.

If there is a significant change in hardware though, such as the switchover from cartridges to CDs, then this is obviously near-impossible.
It's also feasible that there's a significant change in the console processing hardware, which makes reverse compatibility tricky.

 

[Mr Sunday Night]

Hells yeah. The fact I can't play Xbox games on my 360 without downloading some patch thingy irritates me to no end...

That's hardly an issue though, I mean you've obviously got an internet connection otherwise you wouldn't be posting in this thread (unless you're one of those freaky people I saw in Heroes who can access the internet via telepathy, but who would want to play X-Box games if they could do that?).

It's a tiny download, and you can download it from here [http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/backwardscompatibility.htm], burn it to a disc and then put it on your 360.
You can even order the disc by mail if you don't have a CD/DVD burner.

I think you can class Backward Compatability on the 360 as standard.

Aha! But you forget my good sir, I am incredibly lazy and have not yet mustered the effort to do such a thing.

True, it's easy enough to get the patch, but it would be a little bit nicer if it just came with the console anyway.

 

[McAster]

Aye, backward compatibility should be standard and with decent work done it so there are only minimal problems at worse. Hopefully no problems at all.

I love being able to buy a new system and play all my favourite games from past generations, or buying a brand new console and getting a chance to play/own those I missed from a console I did miss. Jet Set Radio Future for example on Xbox 360, which I missed by not owning the Xbox.

Plus, it saves space and I love that. Instead of three consoles, I now own just one for all my Playstation games, which is handy for cramp space I have for my systems and tele.
Also allows me to do good. With my Gamecube I donated to charity for a children's hospital ward so that they had something to enjoy, which I felt glad to be able to do. I'll do the same with Wii if the Wii 2 is backward compatible as well for previous two systems.

Oh and of course buisness wise, having it makes me want to buy a console more, not less. For a buisness like Sony, well PS2 games are still selling quite well and you need more PS3 sales, so they should have made a bigger deal out of it to get new customers (play thousands of great Playstation games!).
For stores, it helps get rid of old game stock for previous systems instead of just throwing them away or having them end up in storage and wasting space.

 

[Trivun]

Standard, everyone has the right to enjoy there old games.

/Thread

Oh yes, definitely. Since I have an emulator on my PC old GBA games and so on aren't a problem, as long as I make sure I get legal downloads rather than illegal. So for handheld it isn't as much of a problem. However, for console gaming, I think backwards compatability should be standard. I got so annoyed when I bought a 360 and then found I couldn't play Star Wars: Republic Commando because it wasn't on the list of backwards compatible games for the Xbox 360. It's also one of the reasons why I won't save up for a PS3, because I can't guarantee all my old PS2 and PS1 games that I love (especially Crash Bandicoot) will play on it.

 

[Valkyira]

Hell yes! what is the point in a new console if you cant play games from the previous one???

 

[Meaty Turtle]

Of course it should be standard whenever possible, and it should be done for ALL titles (yes, I'm talking to you Microsoft), at least for the previous gen. console.

They should have two versions of all new consoles (one with b/c, and one without). That way if you're not interested you can get the standard version for a cheaper price. You should always have the option to play your old games without keeping an old console around. Developers should reward their fan's previous support whenever possible.

 

[Mister Ash]

Hell yes! what is the point in a new console if you cant play games from the previous one???

the point is you buy more recent games...

thought that was obvious...

OT. I'm not that bothered about backwards compatability, but I'm financially secure enough that if i want to play PS2 games, (which, for the most part, i don't) i'll go out and buy a PS2. I missed a generation of consoles, going from PS1 straight to PS3, but I'm looking to the future, not dwelling on the past. to quote a movie i saw last night 'Time to move on'

 

[WraithGadra]

What should exist is a system where old games can sell forever, similar to the virtual console. That way, developers will always have to compete with the past as well as the present.

 

[katsabas]

It doesn't bother me that my PS3 cannot play PS2 games. I have a good library on the first one. Even so, games like Tekken 5, RE4, Burnout 3 and SpiderMan 2 are only some of my really good ps2 titles. I would not mind not having BC. That was till yesterday that I red about the probable emotion engine update via internet. The PS2 has a massive library to feature. And since XBLA bets a lot on the past, why should't the ps3 do it as well? Now I really want that update and cannot wait for it to be released. So yeah, BC spices everything up.

 

[WaffleTron]

You have to look at this from a manufacturing perspective, sure, I'd love everything to be backwards compatible, but if the sake of being backwards compatible will drive the costs of manufacturing a new system up another 100-200 dollars, then they would be better of ditching backwards compatibility and people should simply keep their older systems instead of just trading them into gamestop for that extra 5% or what ever they promote when you upgrade to newer systems. The original PS3 was ridiculously expensive, a small part of it being it had the original PS2 chip set built into the hardware, but now Sony is, or has already developed firmware to emulate PSX/PS2 games.

 

[Skeleon]

Yes, it should be a standard for consoles.
As well as the consecutive OS versions for the PC.
Man, I hate not being able to play Win95 games anymore without roundabout solutions.

 

[Ginnipe]

Nah. Sony did it right. Give it to the player at the start of the console's life, that way your previous console's library can support the fledgling console. Then when your new console has its own feet to stand on you can remove the hardware to cut down manufacturing costs.

Ya, but they don't sell their old consols now (I know, i just bought one a few months ago), so if they have backwards compatability on some consols, why not all, thats what pisses me off. Seriosly, is it my fault that most of the good games were for the last generation

 

[Fraught]

It should be the standard, especially because I own an 80GB PS3 but I want to play my old loved PS2 games, and PS2 games I haven't played, but want to, damn it!

Seriously, when was the last time there was a console that WASN'T backwards compatible to the previous generation (and was to the one before the previous generation)?