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[NahaNago]

“Last year, it was speculated that the reason console manufacturers opted against backwards compatibility was due to its usage, with statistics showcasing low amounts of playtime across a million users. It turns out Microsoft is putting that speculation to rest once and for all, announcing that Xbox One users have logged almost 1 billion hours across Original Xbox and Xbox 360 titles.

This has almost doubled from Microsoft’s June 2017 update in that Xbox One owners had indulged in 508 million hours using backwards compatibility. The data shows that approximately half of Xbox One users use the feature to varying degrees, lending credit to Microsoft’s effort in bolstering the platform.“

I wouldn’t call that seldom. I’ve fired up quite a few older games just because they run better now. RDR is another one that is night and day difference. I wouldn’t have decided to play that again had there be no enhancements and it still ran like crap.

saying 500 million and 1 billion is impressive but how many hours is that in comparison to new games . Is that a lot or a little? I could easily see 1 billion hours played for a single game like fifa , call of duty, destiny, Minecraft, and fortnite. Considering how many big games we got last year and all of the sales for new games xbox one had Is the bc hours played altogether even 1 percent on the xbox one? I say all this but half the reason I finally bought the xbox one was because of bc so they got a sale out of me because of it.

 

[Panajev2001a]

The architecture difference between the XbX, X360 and XBX1 is what causes them to only support a small amount having to use software emulation. But what they do support has a lot of extras. Whereas the PS2 wasn't using emulation but actually had the hardware to be able to run the PS1 games natively.

I am hoping both new consoles aren't limited to software emulation only.

As far as I know PS2 was using emulation still as the I/O CPU with MIPS core and GTE (and the SPU for sound) was only one side of the equation while the GPU side was fully emulated between EE and GS and later on in the generation they replaced the I/O MIPS CPU with a PowerPC based one so that had to be emulated too. Also, just throwing a compatible chip in does not make it trivial (see Xbox One with x86 CPU and lack of 90% or better compatibility with OG Xbox which is also x86 based).

On European launch PS3’s you also only had the GS added to the motherboard and the EE and it’s VU’s had to be emulated by the CELL CPU which was also hardly trivial and yet even that console supported a huge number of PS1 and PS2 titles.

 

[EverydayBeast]

SONY's BIGGEST regret is not having PS4 BC.

 

[Dr. Claus]

BC is nice and all, but there is no reason for me to upgrade if you continue needlessly censoring products.

 

[DW74]

If they want to sell more PS5's than PS2's, then the PS5 should not only play PS4 games, but PS1 and 2 games. Both digital and disc. I know they won't do anything with PS3 games. But of course if they found a way to run PS3 games, I'd hardly be the one to complain.

A PS5 than can play every Playstation game ever made? That'd be so ridiculous. And I'd buy it, without question.

 

[Oddvintagechap]

Yummy​

 

[Panajev2001a]

If they want to sell more PS5's than PS2's, then the PS5 should not only play PS4 games, but PS1 and 2 games. Both digital and disc. I know they won't do anything with PS3 games. But of course if they found a way to run PS3 games, I'd hardly be the one to complain.

A PS5 than can play every Playstation game ever made? That'd be so ridiculous. And I'd buy it, without question.

I am the same way, but I think that it is likely PS4 (maybe PS3 the day they figure out how to emulate it and the proposed PS5 may have the grunts to do that... Sony wants to emulate it on consumer HW as much as people do as it would stop them from having to make custom CELL based blades for streaming too) disc compatibility is in, but not PS1 and PS2 (not all games) as they may not add CD pickup support to the disc drive assembly. I hope they do, but a very wide not drip fed selection of PS1 and PS2 titles in an online virtual console would be good too.

I doubt having PS1/PS2 disc support (on top of digital titles compatibility) would really give them a lot of extra sales... it may get yours so it is a +1, but numbers even with Xbox One S/X do not say “super fast sales increase” as a result of OG Xbox and Xbox 360 BC AFAIK... but maybe having a lot more titles available would change that slightly (... albeit it didn’t do much for early PS3 and PS Vita...).

 

[Panajev2001a]

SONY's BIGGEST regret is not having PS4 BC.

?

 

[HeresJohnny]

Neither will be. Backwards compatibility always scores high on features, but has never been a game changer. Just look at the PS4. As for streaming, it's sad to see the generational leader follow Microsoft down the same rabbit hole. Not looking good.

 

[Panajev2001a]

Neither will be. Backwards compatibility always scores high on features, but has never been a game changer. Just look at the PS4. As for streaming, it's sad to see the generational leader follow Microsoft down the same rabbit hole. Not looking good.

Why? It is one of the many options to reach gamers with... just like PS Now is today...

 

[HeresJohnny]

Why? It is one of the many options to reach gamers with... just like PS Now is today...

Because it has never depended on it, Sony's wording is troublesome. Why would it now? In fact, I'd argue the public's willingness to buy remasters shows an even smaller reliance on it.

Truthfully, I don't mind them continuing on with PSNow, but to say it "depends" on it is a gross mischaracterization of the market. It would be like someone leaving their job at Merrill Lynch to drive for Uber.

 

[DW74]

I am the same way, but I think that it is likely PS4 (maybe PS3 the day they figure out how to emulate it and the proposed PS5 may have the grunts to do that... Sony wants to emulate it on consumer HW as much as people do as it would stop them from having to make custom CELL based blades for streaming too) disc compatibility is in, but not PS1 and PS2 (not all games) as they may not add CD pickup support to the disc drive assembly. I hope they do, but a very wide not drip fed selection of PS1 and PS2 titles in an online virtual console would be good too.

I doubt having PS1/PS2 disc support (on top of digital titles compatibility) would really give them a lot of extra sales... it may get yours so it is a +1, but numbers even with Xbox One S/X do not say “super fast sales increase” as a result of OG Xbox and Xbox 360 BC AFAIK... but maybe having a lot more titles available would change that slightly (... albeit it didn’t do much for early PS3 and PS Vita...).

I get what you're saying. One could look at BC on Xbox and say that it's a limited success in driving sales. But let's also remember that they haven't given blanket compatibility for all games. Just select ones. If MS said tomorrow "We decided that our Xbox emulation is going to play all previous Xbox Original/360 titles, disc or download. And you can count on that for Xbox 2 moving forward.", I think it would be a phenomenal hit there as well. Right now, I cannot pull Star Ocean Last Hope, Skyrim Legendary, Halo 3 or Mechassault 2 from the classic days off my shelf and play it in an Xbox One. Simply because MS said so. Blanket compatibility with all previous generation's games would be huge, I think.

Just my humble opinion. I could be totally wrong.

 

[Panajev2001a]

I get what you're saying. One could look at BC on Xbox and say that it's a limited success in driving sales. But let's also remember that they haven't given blanket compatibility for all games. Just select ones. If MS said tomorrow "We decided that our Xbox emulation is going to play all previous Xbox Original/360 titles, disc or download. And you can count on that for Xbox 2 moving forward.", I think it would be a phenomenal hit there as well. Right now, I cannot pull Star Ocean Last Hope, Skyrim Legendary, Halo 3 or Mechassault 2 from the classic days off my shelf and play it in an Xbox One. Simply because MS said so. Blanket compatibility with all previous generation's games would be huge, I think.

Just my humble opinion. I could be totally wrong.

It is possible, but PS3 and PS Vita would point at a different scenario maybe?

 

[GermanZepp]

I expect full backwards compatibility with PS4 titles, i think Cerny comments go in those lines. Like PS4 PRO to PS4. If not that, FULL DIGITAL backwards compatibility. If not, fuck you Sony.

 

[Jigsaah]

I dont have a huge playstation 4 library. Mainly exclusives and fighting games, however I'm sure theres a lot I've missed out on and when I buy the PS5, backwards compatibility is definitely a must. I will be selling my PS4 to reduce the cost, just as much as I'm selling the xbox one x to get the next xbox. So for me, BC is of paramount importance. The further back is goes, the better

 

[EverydayBeast]

?

BC won MS this generation

 

[Panajev2001a]

BC won MS this generation

 

[Pallas]

Regarding BC to PS3, there are very valid technical reasons why they were dismissive about it (i.e. it was impossible to implement without dedicated hardware).

I wasn’t referring to PS3 BC, I know the technical limitations because of the exotic Cell CPU. I was referring to PS1-PS2 BC which should of been possible this gen and next gen.

This is just like the controller vibration all over again. Back then, they couldn't use it due to legal issues. So Phil gave out transparently obvious bullshit.
Now, they couldn't get a PS3 emulator running on the PS4, so they ported a few select games instead and there is Jim "think of the children" Ryan giving out bullshit.

Just like the above quoted, I know PS3 is impossible and it probably won’t happen next gen either but PS1/PS2? Native BC or something like Microsoft did with Xbox One would be nice, give players the choice if they already have a physical copy of the game or already purchased the game on PSN from the PS3, instead of forcing them to either repurchase or subscribe to PSNow.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Backward compat has NEVER EVER been something I would consider when buying a console

Agreed. When buying a new shiny console, the last thing on my mind is I wonder how my old games will look on it. If backward compatibility was really THAT important, wouldn’t Microsoft be decimating the competition? Also, am I the only one who don’t care about streaming at all?

 

[HeresJohnny]

Agreed. When buying a new shiny console, the last thing on my mind is I wonder how my old games will look on it. If backward compatibility was really THAT important, wouldn’t Microsoft be decimating the competition? Also, am I the only one who don’t care about streaming at all?

Nope, I don’t care about streaming either. It seems needless, like change just for the sake of change. That’s why it pains me to see Sony saying stupid shit like this.

 

[HeresJohnny]

BC won MS this generation

Thats the most miserable version of winning I’ve ever seen then... a generation being castigated, ridiculed, and struggle not to hemorrhage any more market share. A more accurate phrase would have been, “Diarrhea won MS this generation.”