Xbox One Is Just Getting Backward Compatibility While PC Has Had Them Forever

Why can't console gamers play the games that they paid for on newer hardware? Gamersworldbd takes a look at the backward compatiblity situation of the Xbox One, PS4 and PC and how they're getting short changed.

[Bigpappy]

Wow, thanks for the enlightenment./s

[Heyxyz]

I know...I never would've know this otherwise.

[Docknoss]

Click Bait, Trolling Article.

[livininsin]

Actually, I think this is a new era for the consoles. Now that Sony and Microsoft have finally gone x86, not only is development easier all around for all platforms, but there's a really high chance that future generations will enjoy one of the key benefits of the PC, BC.

Even if Sony or Microsoft started flipping between Intel/AMD CPUs and/or Intel/nVidia/AMD GPUs or even a totally new manufacturer, there's a pretty good chance that BC will be there as long as they use an x86 architecture, even several generations into the future.

Not only that, but think of how Sony and Microsoft can promote brand loyalty if you retain your whole collection of titles from the previous generation. Someone would be much less likely to switch from Sony to Microsoft or vice versa if they already had a large collection of games on one platform from the previous generation.

Right now, it's a pretty nifty feature to get BC because the architectures from previous generations aren't compatible but imagine a future of x86 consoles where your back catalogue doesn't just work, it actually plays at a higher resolution and framerate because the new console is just more powerful, like a defacto remaster. That's what it's like for a PC gamer, I routinely go back and replay games in my collection after an upgrade, suddenly an older title can do 60fps+ on ultra at 1440p with mods easily and I love it! Hopefully this is the future for the console crowd too.

[StormLegend]

I hate when we get articles like this.

[PC_60]

Facts are facts either way

[Clunkyd]

The sun is hot too. Facts are facts, right? /s

[Angeljuice]

Fact is that most games over a certain age don't play on PC very well at all so "PC backwards compatibility" isn't as universal as people make out.

On a modern rig you'll have problems running a 10 y/o game and anything older will be buggy as hell. Just try running your favourite DOS game and tell me how great it is then?

[Phunkydiabetic1]

How the FUCK do articles like this get approved?

[dcbronco]

The only reason Xbox One just got BC is because Microsoft has been holding back. Realistically Xbox One should not only have BC for the 360, it should have it for the original Xbox. As well as the ability to play PC games. PC games should be able to go through the DX12 update process and be made into universal apps with a little work to allow them to work on Xbox One. Going forward all PC games should also be on Xbox One since it is Windows 10.

Doing this wouldn't cannibalize the PC market since they are two different markets. It would only increase Xbox One and PC game sales.

[frankdrebin72]

Who knows what the future will bring.
If Microsoft envisage an eco system to play your games on all windows 10 devices, and blurs the lines between console and PC, I cannot see how they will not make PC games go to Xbox one.
Think about it,..its been stated very little work to port games from Xbox to PC with dx12.
One could then envisage this vice versa.
If this does happen, then the sheer amount of games available, the devices to play them on would be insurmountable to any competition.
A much more larger custumer base and an much more attractive and lucrative one at that for devs to capitalise on.
If a Dev knows building a game with DX12 will enable both PC and Xbox one market share versa a Xbox one ps4 market share,..who they going to tap into?
Hypothesis at its finest, yet common sense.
As for the " it's not an exclusive if it's available to play on another platform,..isn't Sony doing this with their games as you can play via a tablet,smart TVs etc?
I am pretty sure Microsoft are developing an ecosystem blending PC and Xbox together,..a Microsoft exclusive will be the term used, play it PC,Xbox,tablet,phone.
Thousands of games,..hundreds of millions of potential customers

[Trekster_Gamer]

The reason Xbox one has backwards compatibility is because it was the number one suggested feature by the people who have bought the system and buy the games,any other reasoning is just fanboy crap

[ger2396]

That's not the reason, the reason is because they needed to make it more appealing in order to sell more consoles. Business, plain and simple.

[dcbronco]

Judging by the number of disagrees I got it obvious a lot of people on here only play games and don't read or watch technology based conferences. Microsoft has already stated all universal apps could be made playable on any Windows 10 device with minor adjustments. And given Xbox One is a Windows 10 device and all PCs are backwards compatible, common sense says that applies to Xbox One. It would be incredibly stupid to believe to think Windows 10 is compatible with all of those variables in computer architectures but would be completely stumped because the OS is in an Xbox.

I assume the disagrees aren't from PC people because they are usually a lot more tech savvy. So I have to assume they're from Sony fans many of whom are irrational and sometimes plan stupid.

Trekster the OS design of Xbox One leads me to believe this was the plan day one. VMs would allow them to run whatever architecture specs they want. They have patented technology for allowing different architectures to work together. We see with Windows 10 being able to pair different types of GPUs together. They knew what they were doing and what it meant.

[muzikjunkie80]

ger2396

microsoft them selves said it was the number one requested feature by fans

https://xbox.uservoice.com/...

theres a link for you now you tell me whats at the top of that list of requested features

thats if you can read of course.

[Sm00thNinja]

Wow because we have to belittle everything the Xbox One offers because

[UserNameIsNotTaken]

Pc master race? lol

[Black0ut]

Yep. In this day in age its become clear that by bashing the system = more hits. What's almost as bad is that this primarily shows up about one of the two systems on the site...

Anyway, the feature is brilliant regardless of PC. How can anyone downplay BC when all it brings is positives and at no extra cost?!!

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Windows 10 PC is the Xbox's big brother. I expect at some point X360 games will be able to be bought and played on Windows 10 PCs. I also expect Universal games that will be playable on PC and whatever is the next Xbox.

[retrogamer09]

It's emulation. I'm sure MS could build an emulator similar to the one they're using on the Xbox One, but then I'm not sure any publisher would want to support it due to the piracy that would go down. Once you approve 360 licenses to appear then you open the floodgates for people to pirate those games on PC.

[Zeref]

If they do it through the windows store I don't think piracy will be a problem.

[retrogamer09]

I always love how pro PC guys bring up the positives of PC gaming and never bring up the glaring negatives behind it.

[MAULxx]

Bubble for you. I often wonder this myself.

[FlameBaitGod]

What are these negatives ? care to name some ?

Edit: I'm asking, how am I getting disagrees !

*Note that right now I don't have any disagrees but at some point I will*

[Clunkyd]

You know the negatives, you just want to start and argument. Ain't gonna happen. LOL

[FlameBaitGod]

Actually I don't, that's y i'm asking. Ive been gaming on PC for 15+ years. If it was the year 2000 then maybe, but its 2015. Not gonna start and argument because you don't know what to say. If its that easy to name a few, name 3.

[Zeref]

You have to worry about your PC being able to handle new games.
On consoles you're ready to go always.

Some games just don't work without tweaking a few settings or updating a driver. On consoles there is no such thing.

couch gaming is easier on consoles due to the UI.

Split screen and offline multiplayer games are dead on PC. There are almost no games that have splitscreen.

The Piracy Problem.
This one is obvious.

Do I need to go on?

[Spotie]

1. Drivers.

2. Compatibility.

3. Ease of use.

None of those things are worries on consoles. They're plug and play in the easiest sense.

For you to pretend there are no problems with PC gaming is silly.

On that note, comparing console BC with PC BC is also silly. There's little in common outside of playing old games. But PC games are rarely locked to a specific hardware configuration which makes them incompatible with what came before or what comes next, so there's no comparison with what needs to be done on consoles.

[FlameBaitGod]

"You have to worry about your PC being able to handle new games. On consoles you're ready to go always."

Don't see how u need 2 worry, you can run about any game with today's hardware. You can adjust the resolution, textures in settings.

"Some games just don't work without tweaking a few settings or updating a driver. On consoles there is no such thing."

Um, nvidia and amd cards update them self's. Tweaking what exactly ? Pirated games maybe ?

"couch gaming is easier on consoles due to the UI."

Do you not know about steam's Big Picture? Of course not and how hard is it to click on an Desktop icon ? You don't have to scroll anything, its actually easier to start a game on PC, you have all games installed and never lose ur copy cus u have ur cd key. Do you even own one ? oh I forgot U couldn't connect your PC to the TV/s

"Split screen and offline multiplayer games are dead on PC. There are almost no games that have splitscreen"

Like Fallout 4 ? which broke records ? ah ok, i see you just like talking complete nonsense. Split screen ? have you never been to a LAN party ? off course not, more nonsense.

"The Piracy Problem."

How is pirating a game a negative for you LOL ? is this a joke? How is getting free games affecting you ?

Thank you for making it 100% clear that you know nothing about PC gaming and thx for bring up problems from the 2000's.

"Ease of use"
I don't know if serious or trolling. I guess having over 25 controllers to choose from is not enough for console only gamer's, but wait... they can only use.... uh... the same one ?

"Compatibility"

Pretty sure that if you gamed on PC you would know that even new games run on Windows XP. Can PS1 run PS4 games ? ah ok thanks

[Bladesfist]

Likewise with Consoles, people are still pretending those are plug and play like they used to be.

[ShottyGibs]

I love how the trolls can't ever make a legitimate list of negatives.

Lol.. can't play on the sofa? Derp
Piracy? Derp

NICE B8 M8.

It's as if the myth of console peasants being daft is actually true.

[WeAreLegion]

I met this guy once who had a console AAAAAAAAAAAND a computer.

Fanboys hate him.

[Black0ut]

Classic lol. I was just thinking the same thing, +bub xD

[WeAreLegion]

+bub for Helpful for +bub me!

[ninsigma]

Look, that's all fine and dandy but you're comparing two different things. Consoles keep changing their architecture each iteration so it becomes increasingly harder for them to do it. Ms managed it by making the xbox in such a way that it lends itself well to using virtual machines, which is how bc is done on there. Bc won't work for ps3 games on ps4 because they won't be able to make a virtual machine and the games architecture is tough to emulate , hence why it took so long, if it's been achieved at all, to emulate on pc. Ps2 and ps1 games on the other hand might be possible but until Sony say it's happening just assume it won't. I'm not sure I'd even call it backwards compatible on pc considering the architecture never changes. A pc can get stronger yes but it effectively never changes. A pc is a pc. Not a pc1, ps2, pc360 etc.

[StormLegend]

Seriously?

Don't make these stupid articles.

Who cares how long PC had it.

Xbox has it and now let it be.
no need to start fanboy wars.

[Sy_Wolf]

It's not backwards compatibility on PC due to how the games are made. There is no singular PC that developers make games for. Consoles are completely closed and static which is why vast changes in hardware make playing old games more complicated. When a game is made on the PC it's made to take in to account different hardware configurations. Not an overly complicated concept here.

[DragonKnight]

"It's not backwards compatibility on PC due to how the games are made."

Not necessarily true. Different OS' and different hardware requirements can mean that a newer PC may not be able to play an older game right out of the box. For example, I don't know if this has changed but, I once had to download a program called DosBox to play the very first Warcraft game because Windows by itself couldn't run it.

[Sy_Wolf]

That's fair but it's clearly still nowhere near as much of an issue as it is with consoles because of how the games are made.

[DragonKnight]

Well yeah, PCs have many different configurations, but are generally the same architecturally. I'd say PC developers have grown complacent because of that, but that's neither here nor there. Consoles are always different. With probably the exception of the Wii and Wii U. So yeah, architecture is always different as is development, so BC is really just a luxury at that point.

[roland82]

It's not backwards compability when it's the same platform. Pcs don't have generations like consoles.

[Lon3wolf]

Different versions Windows have different API's/Kernel changes etc. it's not as cut and dried as you may think.

[FlameBaitGod]

As well as diff types or CPU's and GPU's.

[FoxyGotGame]

PC has had 'true' BC forever, this is true....

X1 has it 2 years too late. Plus you don't constantly read Nintendo fans bragging in every article over a feature that isn't as important as some would make it out to be.

Too many X1 BC advocates put down PS Now in order to uplift MS' half arsed BC, and the X1 BC offerings are weak. No Halo Reach (MS own 1st party), and definitely no Red Dead Redemption. Oh, sure, MS will comfort you with the promise of adding titles every week or so /

[vega275]

Maybe the reason why people put down PSnow. Is because why should anyone pay to rent games they already own or bought off psn or disk for yhe ps3. You know like last gen when sonyfans was saying why should you pay to play online but have change their tune this gen when sony started charging for online.

Or maybe they put down PSnow. Since sony tried to downplay BC by saying many wouldn't use it. But act like the people that wouldn't use the feature would rather pay for it.

[Chris12]

@thatpsguy

You say BC is half arsed and quote Halo Reach as an example, which you know has already been confirmed as coming soon. How does it feel for you to have to pay for your games again on PS Now, streamed and not local too. If you think it's preferable to have to pay again then you really do have your fanboy hat on today

[evilkillerk]

How you know its click bait, poor grammatical structuring of the title

[christocolus]

Lol. what a joke of an article.

[Satyre28]

What a dumb article lol. Comparing the Xbox One BC to PC but where is the PS4 that doesnt have any type of BC?

[Bytor]

Read the article the PS4 is in it and the PS3 , PS2 along with the Playstation.

[SynestheticRoar]

I have the fat backwards compatiable PS3. As for my PC it's a beast.

[madcowzz]

Whoa holy moly. I had no idea PC's could do this. Next thing you'll tell me is that they can run these games at 1080p 60fps or more! Haha that'll be the day!

In other news, I just found out that the sun is hot and night is dark

[trywizardo]

you can drink lava , once in your life

[spicelicka]

wtf is this shit lol?!

[Tzuno]

No doubt PC is the way to go.

[JonnyBigBoss]

The author has no idea how game programming works. Shame.

[ScorpiusX]

That great but my PC is not in my living room or connected to a large TV, so all this talk of BC now on Xbox one is a plus for me .

[xasz]

Err...

The Xbox One has only been out for two years...

[NeoGamer232]

PC has had BC forever, but that comes with a lot of effort to configure, modify registry settings, and generally "junk up" your PC.

I love my gaming PC, but on X1, I install games and need to do nothing. On my PC a lot of times I install a game I have to take out my toolbox and do the delicate operation to make it work properly.

Both are perfectly fine, but there are technically skirmish people out there that simply aren't interested in spending the time to keep their PC running everything smoothly.

[BongSmack]

PC has backwards compatibility?? GTFO!!

[llMurcielagoll]

how did this bullshit get approved?!

[mrg67]

If your a grown man, and have this opinion, then shame on you! Your article is only click bait.

[ChronicPsycho]

Never knew BC was such a big deal. I remember wiiu launching with bc of wii games, nobody gave a shit, it's only now when xbone is getting bc, people are making big deal about it, ah well, shame bc wasn't available for first half of 2015, period of drought on xbone without a single AAA exclusive, playing x360 games would have mitigated suffering a bit.

[FN4GM]

I'm just going to go ahead and say it, this article was written by a PC elitist.

[thexmanone]

I never knew that. Looks like you learn something new everyday.

[Max-Zorin]

To hell with the downplaying Gabe Newell police, it's a great feature for the console.

[Flames76]

Is this pathetic writer serious?People buy next gen console to play next gen games the BC with the XOne is a bonus.So no we're not getting short changed.Some of these writers needs to be flipping burgers instead of writing this garbage

[contra157]

Pc will crush any that stand in its way! Haha

[V0LT]

Comparing PC backward to consoles has to be the dumbest thing ever to bring up. Duh.