Xbox One: No backwards compatibility

[Esivo]

So I guess Xbox One won't allow us to play our old games in any way.. GEEGEE Microsoft you EA'd it.

 

The Xbox One won't play Xbox 360 discs or XBLA games, and that doesn't really bother Microsoft Head of Interactive Entertainment Business Don Mattrick.

"If you're backwards compatible, you're really backwards," he told the Wall Street Journal.

Mattrick said only 5 percent of customers play games from previous generations on new consoles, so spending time to make that possible isn't worth it. Sony's PlayStation 4 isn't backward compatible from a hardware standpoint, but with cloud service Gaikai, it should offer a way to play games from the PS3 and older consoles.

It's been eight years since the previous generation transition, meaning players have had longer than ever to build up their libraries. That's a lot to lose – and even more so with the onset of downloadable games in the middle of this generation.

 

Source:

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/don-mattrick-if-youre-backwards-compatible-youre-really-bac/

 

 

*If this has been posted again I couldn't find it. Please use tags.

[Godlygamer23]

5%? I think the number is higher than that.

[Esivo]

So do I.. But who are we to argue with Microsoft? 

[MzCatieB]

im gonna get one just so i can be lazy with my TV and so i can play the newer games

[TheMail]

If they made more games available DRM-free via xbox live, then that problem could be pushed to the side...

Emphasis on "pushed to the side".


Excuse my lack of knowledge in the console world, just thought I'd give it my two cents.

[Glenwing]

It's not compatible at a hardware level since it's now based on the x86 architecture... they just didn't bother to make an emulator for them like PS4 did.  I guess they can always do that in the future though...

[Godlygamer23]

So do I.. But who are we to argue with Microsoft? 

I don't really like Sony's way of BC, but it's better than Microsoft's way of doing things, who is scrapping it altogether.

[Godlygamer23]

It's not compatible at a hardware level since it's now based on the x86 architecture... they just didn't bother to make an emulator for them like PS4 did.  I guess they can always do that in the future though...

They could still incorporate the 360 hardware though, right? Like Sony did with the original PS3. Incorporating PS2 hardware.

[SkyArmy]

I have herd that if you will want to play xbox 360 games on the xbox 1 you will have to get a 150 dollar ad

 

d on witch is basically a xbox 360 inside.

[Godlygamer23]

I have herd that if you will want to play xbox 360 games on the xbox 1 you will have to get a 150 dollar ad

 

d on witch is basically a xbox 360 inside.

Could you say Xbox One, instead of Xbox 1? Makes me think of the original Xbox.

[ajoy39]

this is expected, there really isn't an elegant way to port PowerPC based games to the x86 architecture. Developers are free to remake their games for Xbox One if they want, but as far as making a 360 disc playable in the One they would have to basically put a 360 inside the thing to give it even the remote chance of happening. Just keep your xbox 360s guys. 

[ajoy39]

They could still incorporate the 360 hardware though, right? Like Sony did with the original PS3. Incorporating PS2 hardware.

yes, but that would be rather expensive and didn't work very well anyway. you're better off keeping your 360. besides, with new consoles coming out you'll likely be able to get a used 360 for less than the cost of putting 360 hardware in the One. 

[Esivo]

yes, but that would be rather expensive and didn't work very well anyway. you're better off keeping your 360. besides, with new consoles coming out you'll likely be able to get a used 360 for less than the cost of putting 360 hardware in the One. 

True that. I'd say the console itself is pretty cheap new anyway as it is. Getting a new one when the Xbox One comes out will be even easier. 

[Matsy]

Can totally understand the lack of 'hardware' backwards compatibly, its a totally different architecture.

Xbox 360's will be around for a LONG time, people who game on the 360 would have gathered an extensive game library they would want to keep playing.

Good thing is that 360's will be dirt cheap soon enough for people who would want to get one for one reason or another.

[yankeefeet]

I normally game on my pc..and Im not going to make my judgement JUST yet...but at this point I would have to say:

 

-The best things of the ps4 are the features the xbox One has...that the Ps4 doesn't.-

 

I'll still wait for E3 to make my final opinion on the subject.

[Tr3vor]

Just the fact that the system is x86 pretty much makes it impossible to be backwards compatable with a PowerPC system without pretty much building in a 360 like how the original PS3 did. Although, I bet it could run original Xbox games if anyone cared.

[Godlygamer23]

Just the fact that the system is x86 pretty much makes it impossible to be backwards compatable with a PowerPC system without pretty much building in a 360 like how the original PS3 did. Although, I bet it could run original Xbox games if anyone cared.

I disagree. The PS3 was way different compared to the PSOne and PS2, but Sony certainly managed to build a decent emulator. We also got PS2 and PSOne emulators on PC - maybe not exactly the way it was originally, but still, we got them. I think MS could make a decent one at least.

[ajoy39]

Just the fact that the system is x86 pretty much makes it impossible to be backwards compatable with a PowerPC system without pretty much building in a 360 like how the original PS3 did. Although, I bet it could run original Xbox games if anyone cared.

Adam Sessler mentioned this I believe, it really depends on if Microsoft chooses to support it and if they choose to have support for hardware that far back. Windows is coded to run 32 or 64 bit applications because it's a pc and we expect 32 bit programs to work, however 16 bit programs don't work. with 8 GB of ram the new Xbox is obviously going to be 64 bit, so it will depend on if they chose to code 32 bit support in to the OS

[ajoy39]

I disagree. The PS3 was way different compared to the PSOne and PS2, but Sony certainly managed to build a decent emulator. We also got PS2 and PSOne emulators on PC - maybe not exactly the way it was originally, but still, we got them. I think MS could make a decent one at least.

In no one was Sony's PS2 backwards compatibility solution decent, it only worked with a select few games and even then they were having massive problems with it. Developers were releasing updates to games they hadn't worked on it years just to try and make them stable. 

[Tr3vor]

I disagree. The PS3 was way different compared to the PSOne and PS2, but Sony certainly managed to build a decent emulator. We also got PS2 and PSOne emulators on PC - maybe not exactly the way it was originally, but still, we got them. I think MS could make a decent one at least.

The original PS3 had the physical PS2 hardware in it to play the PS2 games, and also the PS2 was also PPC so it didn't require that much power to emulate it by software. The PS1 is old enough to be emulated by whatever really.

 

Heck there aren't any good 360 or ps3 emulators on PCs yet.

[ajoy39]

The original PS3 had the physical PS2 hardware in it to play the PS2 games, and also the PS2 was also PPC so it didn't require that much power to emulate it by software. The PS1 is old enough to be emulated by whatever really.

 

Heck there aren't any good 360 or ps3 emulators on PCs yet.

The architecures were different from PS2 to PS3. PS2 was "emotion engine" PS3 was ARM

[Tr3vor]

Adam Sessler mentioned this I believe, it really depends on if Microsoft chooses to support it and if they choose to have support for hardware that far back. Windows is coded to run 32 or 64 bit applications because it's a pc and we expect 32 bit programs to work, however 16 bit programs don't work. with 8 GB of ram the new Xbox is obviously going to be 64 bit, so it will depend on if they chose to code 32 bit support in to the OS

 

I bet you there will be 32 bit code support on the Xbox One, since its built with basically all netbook/notebook cpu/gpu. At least with Indie games and stuff that doesn't need 8gb of ram.

[JaeDee884]

This is a non issue, just keep your old console. I Still got my n64, and didn't whinge about lack of playability on the gamecube.
people will say my argument is invalid cause cartridges to disc, i say PPC to x86
The difference is just as major.

[Tr3vor]

The architecures were different from PS2 to PS3. PS2 was "emotion engine" PS3 was ARM

The PS3 is not ARM, the PS3 is PPC based. Emotion Engine is not an architecture, Its the name of the CPU/GPU. The CPU is based on PPC IIRC. 

 

Its like saying the gamecube had "Gekko" architecture. 

[Nicktrance]

talk about backwards compatibility, Xbox One is also incompatible with current gaming headsets:

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/05/22/xbox-one-incompatible-with-current-gaming-headsets