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[Musashi Wins!]

PS3 - yes
Revolution - yes
Xenon - no

Have any of the companies come out and said that this is for sure the case (as for sure as you can be in mid 2004) yet? I know there's a lot of threads about why it's good/bad, etc. and I don't really care about that I just want to know where reliable information stands.

 

[gofreak]

Nothing is absolutely confirmed about any of the systems, so no to all 3. PS3, is however, very likely. Revolution/Xbox2 don't seem as likely at this stage, though this may change as we go forward.

 

[Pug]

No one has really said anything yet, there be little official news with regard to specs. We can make assumptions and they are that the PS3 will almost certaintly be backwards as will Revolution. Xennon who knows?

 

[Soul4ger]

I just hope that even if Nintendo includes backwards compatibility in Revolution, they make that console's format larger, so we don't have to worry about losing remixed music in ports.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Sony commented that the PS3 would be awhile ago, thats the only one I'm sure of. Its a really important feature for me. Yeah, I have the systems now and will still own them in the next generation. But god only knows if they will still be working. I would like to be able to play my old games on my new systems.

EDIT: Of course not 100% confirmed, but they've mentioned they plan to. I'm looking for the article, something about it being a very important feature in the design. I hope all 3 have it though...

 

[Baron Aloha]

Sony has confirmed that the PS3 will be BC.

Iwata himself stated that the Gamecube successor will also be BC.

 

[Deku Tree]

I got the impression from reading one or two interviews with J. Allard that MS doesn't really want to put bkwds compatibility into xbox next b/c it would raise the expense of producing each console and it would be complicated. But he also said they'd put it in if gamers demanded it.

 

[element]

ive been hearing information that revolution is going to be BC with all previous generations, think phantom with emu support, games downloadable via a secure network for a fee.

 

[Tenguman]

as far as i know, none have stated there will be BC

*Edit: went off topic there

I got the impression from reading one or two interviews with J. Allard that MS doesn't really want to put bkwds compatibility into xbox next b/c it would raise the expense of producing each console and it would be complicated. But he also said they'd put it in if gamers demanded it.

Yeah, he left it open for the possibility. But the fact that he's made numerous passionate speeches against BC in interviews, I don't think MS is planning on it

 

[Musashi Wins!]

ive been hearing information that revolution is going to be BC with all previous generations, think phantom with emu support, games downloadable via a secure network for a fee.

Sounds great. Where did you hear such a thing?

 

[jarrod]

ive been hearing information that revolution is going to be BC with all previous generations, think phantom with emu support, games downloadable via a secure network for a fee.

Well, Nintendo already did something similar with 64DD and Famicom. Sega as well with Dreamcast, Mark III, MegaDrive and PC Engine.

 

[gofreak]

ive been hearing information that revolution is going to be BC with all previous generations, think phantom with emu support, games downloadable via a secure network for a fee.

That'd be incredibly sexellent. It'd be interesting to see the pricing structure on that...they could make so much money off of it, it just wouldn't be funny.

However, I don't think Iwata said absolutely that Revolution would be BC? I remember some vague, engrish translations of Iwata quotes concerning BC, but they were fairly general and not specific to Revolution IIRC. Can anyone dig up exact quotes?

 

[element]

Sounds great. Where did you hear such a thing?

my industry ninja spies!

 

[teiresias]

So they'd expect me to pay a fee to download ROMS to games I already own?

 

[Link316]

my guesses,
PS3 - most likely
Revolution - seriously doubt it
Xenon - MS will just do whatever Sony does

 

[human5892]

PS3 - yes
Revolution - yes
Xenon - no

^^^^It's not set in stone, but from this vantage point, it looks like that's how it's going to shake out, even if you just go purely by what personnel from each of the respective companies have said.

 

[PhatSaqs]

So they'd expect me to pay a fee to download ROMS to games I already own?

Yeah really.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

So they'd expect me to pay a fee to download ROMS to games I already own?

No, Pirate, they'd expect you to wait 6 months get the new modchip and enjoy your old games

 

[human5892]

So they'd expect me to pay a fee to download ROMS to games I already own?

No, they would expect people who don't own the ROMS -- who, by the why, are very much in the majority -- to do that.

my guesses,
PS3 - most likely
Revolution - seriously doubt it
Xenon - MS will just do whatever Sony does

On what basis would you guess that? Your guesses for the Revolution and Xenon fly directly in the face of what's been indicated so far.

 

[jarrod]

So they'd expect me to pay a fee to download ROMS to games I already own?

Or you could just buy the games you don't own. How many of the 4000 or so NES/SNES/N64 games are in your collection?

Yeah really.

How is this any different from XBL Arcade?

 

[open_mouth_]

GAF Response Machine #239:

Wait 'till E3...

 

[Link316]

On what basis would you guess that? Your guesses for the Revolution and Xenon fly directly in the face of what's been indicated so far.

way I see it,

Revolution, Nintendo will probably see BC as being harmful to Revolution game sales, cause unlike with the GameBoy, selling games is where the real money is to be made for consoles, Nintendo knows the shopping habits of the demographic they cater to, if a parent sees a $20 GC SSBM vs a $50 Revolution SSBM, most of the time they're gonna buy the $20 version

Xenon, MS knows they aint gonna take down Sony if the Xenon is perceived as lacking features the PS3 has

 

[human5892]

way I see it,

Revolution, Nintendo will probably see BC as being harmful to Revolution game sales, cause unlike with the GameBoy, selling games is where the real money is to be made for consoles, Nintendo knows the shopping habits of the demographic they cater to, if a parent sees a $20 GC SSBM vs a $50 Revolution SSBM, most of the time they're gonna buy the $20 version

Iwata himself said that Revolution would be able to play games "from this generation", or something of that nature (sorry, the exact quote eludes me right now). As for Revolution software sales being affected, just ask Square if the PSOne FF games being PS2 compatable hurt the sales of PS2 FF games.

Xenon, MS knows they aint gonna take down Sony if the Xenon is perceived as lacking features the PS3 has

MS executives have appeared to be consistently dubious about BC, downplaying its significance. MS would like to match the PS3, but it would also like to produce a system that is as cost-effective as possible. Licensing old tech from Nvidia for BC would run counter to that, as would spending time and money on getting a reilable Xbox emulator working in the Xenon hardware.

 

[AeroGod]

So they'd expect me to pay a fee to download ROMS to games I already own?

The Nintendo difference

 

[PhatSaqs]

How is this any different from XBL Arcade?

Does bringing up XBL Arcade make any difference? They are what they are.

 

[jarrod]

way I see it,

Revolution, Nintendo will probably see BC as being harmful to Revolution game sales, cause unlike with the GameBoy, selling games is where the real money is to be made for consoles, Nintendo knows the shopping habits of the demographic they cater to, if a parent sees a $20 GC SSBM vs a $50 Revolution SSBM, most of the time they're gonna buy the $20 version

Xenon, MS knows they aint gonna take down Sony if the Xenon is perceived as lacking features the PS3 has

Conversely, it seems to me Nintendo will likely be targeting an older demographic with Revolution (rather then let it fall into the same dual userbase targeting GC/GBA ran into). Also the PlayStation model has proven backward compatibilty a viable solution for easing in new hardware faster and really there's no evidence it'll harm game sales one way or the other. Given they're using the same technology partners, it likely won't cost Nintendo a dime either.

Also for Microsoft, backwards compatibilty seems to be too pricey an extra with the changing of hardware partners and more econmical return moinded Xenon design philosophies. The days of doing exactly what Sony is at any cost are almost over...

 

[jarrod]

Does bringing up XBL Arcade make any difference? They are what they are.

This model is hardly exclusive to Nintendo, that being the point. Sega, Konami, Namco, Activision, Microsoft, Capcom, Square Enix and plenty of other companies are doing the exact same thing on various platforms.

 

[teiresias]

No, Pirate, they'd expect you to wait 6 months get the new modchip and enjoy your old games

I own alot more SNES games than I own of either PSX or PS2 games, simply because during the SNES era I was of the age where I was able to whine enough to get stuff bought for me By the PSX and PS2 era I bought everything myself. Therefore I have alot of games for the SNES that I like to play (and basically the only SNES games I really want to play are the ones I one in a cartridge format). So it's simply a matter of being charged twice for the same game. That isn't backwards compatibility, that may as well be Nintendo making a Revolution port of the game and not enhancing it at all and selling it to me.

 

[PhatSaqs]

This model is hardly exclusive to Nintendo, that being the point.

Who said it was?

 

[jarrod]

I own alot more SNES games than I own of either PSX or PS2 games, simply because during the SNES era I was of the age where I was able to whine enough to get stuff bought for me By the PSX and PS2 era I bought everything myself. Therefore I have alot of games for the SNES that I like to play (and basically the only SNES games I really want to play are the ones I one in a cartridge format). So it's simply a matter of being charged twice for the same game. That isn't backwards compatibility, that may as well be Nintendo making a Revolution port of the game and not enhancing it at all and selling it to me.

So don't download the games, it's that simple. Do you think Nintendo's not entitled to charge for their content on a new platform? Or do you simply feel entitled to pay once to play on two platforms?

 

[jarrod]

Who said it was?

People in this thread. Yeah really.

 

[cvxfreak]

Iwata himself stated that the Gamecube successor will also be BC.

But Revolution =! GameCube successor!

j/k

Anyway, Iwata said it himself to this kind of degree: "[Revolution] will play games from the current generation."

 

[PhatSaqs]

People in this thread. Yeah really.

Making assumptions, and then being defensive about them, sucks dont it? Sall good. Just ask next time

 

[xsarien]

So they'd expect me to pay a fee to download ROMS to games I already own?

"Own" in what context? The idea of abandonware is what really drove MAME and ROMs in the early days of its development. The games were pretty much unavailable, and if they were, it was only through secondary channels like GameStop, and the condition was questionable. But, like with anything, people in high places were paying attention. They saw a demand for older product and now they're setting up shop, nullifying the excuse of "Well, where the hell else am I supposed to get it?"

If you (and that's the "royal" you, so don't take this personally) don't want to pay for old games that's fine, but I think operating under the assumption that they should be free is a little misguided. Clearly Nintendo, Konami, Sega, and Square (and others) think otherwise.

In the specific case of owning the physical cart for one system, and not wanting to pay for the ability to play it on a newer system that's incompatible with the older format, well, you may as well wish for a pony, dude. I don't expect a free copy of The White Album on whatever medium comes after the compact disc just because I bought it in '95.

 

[teiresias]

I'm not saying they can't charge for it, I just don't think such a model deserves to have the label "backwards compatible" because it defeats one of the purposes of backwards compatibility altogether. If the Revolution lets you play GC games the same way PS2 lets you play PSX games, then it is backwards compatible with the GC, but if you're required to repurchase SNES software to play it on the revolution then I'd argue that that is not backwards compatible in any sense, because if it were truly backwards compatible with SNES software then it would have a cartridge port on it somewhere.

 

[kaching]

Maybe not free, since there's the effort of conversion to a new platform involved, but I think it would be fair and more ideal for companies like Nintendo, Sony, MS, et al. to offer lower pricing for consumers who can prove that they own an existing version of a game that is being emulated/ported from the earlier version the consumer already owns.

I realize this would be a huge pain in the ass within current retailing structures for any kind of copyrighted content.

 

[Mama Smurf]

teiresias is right, one of the main selling points of BC is not having to have multiple consoles lying around, but if you're going to have to buy a ROM of a game you already have on a previous system to play it on the Revolution...well, no one's going to do that, they'll still have to have multiple consoles.

 

[cvxfreak]

Next generation will be an interesting one because it's when all the generations before it will be connected to the current one. We got our NES and SNES/Genesis fix with the GBA, and will get our PSone/Saturn/N64 fix with the DS, and our DC/GC/PS2/Xbox fixes with backwards compatibility and the PSP.

I find that interesting.

 

[xsarien]

teiresias is right, one of the main selling points of BC is not having to have multiple consoles lying around, but if you're going to have to buy a ROM of a game you already have on a previous system to play it on the Revolution...well, no one's going to do that, they'll still have to have multiple consoles.

But for that matter, you can only push backwards compatibilty so far before stuff either breaks, or the economics just fail to make sense. Gamecube games will likely play on the Revolution just fine, anything beyond that is like asking Sega to integrate a Genesis into the Dreamcast.

You pay for nostalgia these days, whether you own older versions of the games or not. The fact that Nintendo's (allegedly) going to make the NES/SNES back-catalog available at all is a greater good to gamers who've never experienced those games than the annoyance it'd be for "hardcore" gamers, who might cringe at paying some nominal fee to play them on Revolution.

If it's that big of an issue, dig out your older systems and carts and play it that way.

 

[Deku Tree]

but if you're going to have to buy a ROM of a game you already have on a previous system to play it on the Revolution...well, no one's going to do that, they'll still have to have multiple consoles.

I disagree. I mean why are the GBA NES carts selling so well?

 

[teiresias]

I agree, I wouldn't expect Playstation4 to be backwards compatible with PSOne software. In fact, I thought there was an interview with someone from Sony saying something about the BC of future consoles only extending back two consoles.

I was just urked that someone in the thread considered this "selling you older games online" as some form of backwards compatibility.

 

[GSG Flash]

Nintendo having BC with the Cube next gen seems really likely, especially after the Nintendo mod at the Nintendo boards said that them going back from optical media to cartridges is not going to happen unless cartridges magically become cheaper to produce than optical media.

 

[element]

teiresias is right, one of the main selling points of BC is not having to have multiple consoles lying around, but if you're going to have to buy a ROM of a game you already have on a previous system to play it on the Revolution...well, no one's going to do that, they'll still have to have multiple consoles.

then why are people buying the NES GBA games? Why were people so excited about Zelda Collection?

People love old games and are willing to pay a preimum to play then on one system.

also, I hear only 'Nintendo' products, not entire NES or SNES, only Nintendo IP/Published. But I would expect them to open it up to 3rd parties

 

[Mason]

According to the guy at Best Buy, Playstation 3 is already finished, Sony is just waiting for PS2 sales to slow down. He has also comfirmed that it does indeed play both PS1 and PS2 games.

Gotta love Best Buy employees.

 

[cvxfreak]

According to the guy at Best Buy, Playstation 3 is already finished, Sony is just waiting for PS2 sales to slow down. He has also comfirmed that it does indeed play both PS1 and PS2 games.

Gotta love Best Buy employees.

He's probably half right, though.