‘I’m Not A Great Believer In Backwards Compatibility’ – Former PlayStation Executive

Gaming Bolt

"Backwards compatibility is a major selling point- at least, that's what we have been told. It can help ease the transition between console generations, and it is a very consumer friendly move."

[Gazondaily]

"I’ve seen a lot of things come and go. I’m not a great believer in backwards compatibility. I think that each device should have its own repertoire, its own “vibe.”

Err and how does having BC preclude a device from having its own repertoire? Its a BS answer really.

You don't believe in an option to play your older games on newer hardware and enjoy the benefits that come with the latter? Silly.

[remixx116]

^this

[spicelicka]

Lol it's a bullshit excuse in my opinion. They just want to be able to resell older games through PS now or as remasters.

[showtimefolks]

Septic

i promise you this:

if both ps4 and xbox one had BC than it would be a no feature at all. The reason this feature gets so much hype because one console has it and the other doesn't

27 years of gaming experience has thought me this

last gen when ps3 had the BC and xbox360 had some sort of BC it was a non feature and even when sony removed the feature with ps3 slim there was not much made of it

http://kotaku.com/5340337/s...

they did research that concluded that vast majority of people who buy next gen consoles play next gen games.

so yes to those wanting to play ps3 games on ps4 maybe disappointed but those are in minority

it';s a feature that's nice to have no doubt about it. but not something of a deal breaker

people buy ps4 or xbox one because they want to play halo 5 or bloodborne and if these consoles offer BC than it's a bonus feature. not like someone goes to a store to buy an xbox one to play xbox360 games

[Imalwaysright]

Is that why TloU remastered sold 4.5 million copies or why Sony turned PS2 emulation into a business? There IS demand for last gen games playable on next gen consoles and Sony is making money from that demand.

[starchild]

That's not really true. People made a huge deal about it. Don't you remember? I do because I have an 80GB fat PS3 with backwards compatibility and I remember during the transition how those became so coveted. I wouldn't say people treated the removal of BC like the end of the world, which would be ridiculous, but many people were very disappointed with it.

Imalwaysright is, well, right. Those things he pointed out do show that people care about playing "old" games.

[Jmanzare]

@showtime
"if both ps4 and xbox one had BC than it would be a no feature at all. The reason this feature gets so much hype because one console has it and the other doesn't"

Do you think Playstation fanboys are above this? Do you think they wouldn't make a big deal about the feature if it were on ps4 and not xb1? They make a big deal about pixels and Do you think people would bash backwards compatibility if they had option for it on their console? Backwards compatibility was the number one requested feature on the xbox and they delivered.

[showtimefolks]

Jmanzare

no where in my comment did i say xbox fanboys or playstation fanboys. i was just talking in general.

starchild

i had the original 60GB ps3 and i used it to play many ps2 games early last gen. but once ps3 started delivering amazing games i didn't look back

Imalwaysright

in my humble opinion sony started charging because they saw demand. also compared to BC sony is offering only handful of games

again i am not taking sony or ms's side. all i am saying is i would love to know the actual number of people who actually use BC and those who only talk/tout about it on gaming forums/sites

[Ravenor]

@showtimefolks

The difference with this is that some of us have a lot of digital games from XBLA or PSN. It's really nice that I don't need to repurchase Sonic the Hedgehog, Symphony of the Night or GunStar Heroes. Every week there is a new game or two available for me to download or throw a disc in and play, no matter how you slice it that's a good thing.

Anyone downplaying the ability for new hardware to play older games is kinda suspicious. "not like someone goes to a store to buy an xbox one to play xbox360 games" But being told that some of the games you purchased for your 360 are also playable on an XB1 isn't meaningless either.

[otherZinc]

LMAO! Sooo, he isn't interested in consumers playing a game, they've already purchased. Check...I think?

[starchild]

Backwards compatibility is one thing I love about PC gaming. And, yes, I do play lots of games that came out before this generation. A good game is a good game.

It's the same way with movies. There are always so many new movies releasing and there's no way I will never have time to watch all the new movies that appeal to me, yet I still go back and watch good movies from the past.

I think most PC gamers love the fact that the platform is backwards compatible. If someone tried to take away that aspect of PC gaming you'd see a massive uproar from PC gamers.

[RegorL]

But PC backward compatibility does not always work either. I have several multimedia type educational games from around 2000-2010 that just does not work!
(yea, games not older than PS2)

Do not take PC backward compatibility for granted.

PC made with an OS to hide all HW peculiarities.
PS2 made for game programmers to use its HW to the max.

Of cause you will need special HW to handle BC on PS3, you will need a PS2! With PS4 you can probably handle PS2 BC in software, but PS3 is so special that you again need a full HW implementation of it.

My guess is that PS5 will be able to handle PS3 in software, and that it will resemble PS4 enough to handle all PS4 BC in HW/SW.

[Thomaticus]

"it's Own Vibe" meaning a money stream uninterrupted by past software that may prevent the consumer from purchasing the newest software specifically made for the newest device.

B.S. Indeed

[Bleucrunch]

I do agree its a bullshit excuse, but I do like the idea of each console standing on its own. The reason you get a new console is to play new games that that console can produce, if you want to play games of the past get that console.

[Kingthrash360]

In reality BC hasn't boosted xbo sales...in fact it still lost every month since bc was introduced.
I've always said it's a great feature to have especially since people traded in their ps3/360 to buy a ps4/xbo why not be able to play them on the new console...
But even so it's in no way a system seller nor necessary for success.

[Gazondaily]

It doesn't have to by a system seller nor does it have to be necessary for 'success'. But its a great feature, as you said, and therefore, saying that you don't 'believe' in it is simply just silly.

I for one am looking forward to some titles being available via BC like Dead Space 2, Vanquish and others.

[sammarshall102]

I'm salivating now Vanquish and Dead Space 2

I can't wait until Red Dead Redemption

[Kingthrash360]

From a business standpoint it makes perfect sense though...why waste money on something that won't make money....remember ms has super money, Sony doesn't. So it's great for gamers, but it's whatever for business. I'd rather they spend the money on making ps4 games.. if they feel they don't believe in bc then at leaSt they believe in new games and ips.
I wish they had bc as much as the next guy but I can live with new is and such.

[Pogmathoin]

"why waste money on something that won't make money"

Yet they invest in PsNow, make you pay for games you already own.

[Kingthrash360]

Exactly though...they have a chance to make money off of psnow. Not only for ps4 owners but smart tv and Cita owners too...smh I don't see what your point is.
I see that yeah its in a since a bad deal but who owns 300+games? Especially those who never owned a ps3..I mean it's a easy way to play Playstation games with or without a console.

[Pogmathoin]

PsNow is a good thing, but if you own the game, you should not have to pay again.....

[Phil32]

I don't think anyone is saying BC is a system seller. It's just a really nice feature to have for people who don't want to hook up two consoles when they can just have one.

[TwoForce]

It's a nice feature, but it not systems seller. At the same time, i'm still my old games on PS3.

[Kingthrash360]

I can pull up a few articles saying it was a gamechanger..with many people saying it's a system seller tbh. Nobody is saying it now because it didn't sale systems.

[Pogmathoin]

I can pull up a few articles about BC being a waste of time, then staunch defence of PsNow, being a great feature and well worth every penny of the game you already have on a disc.

[Kingthrash360]

Bc isn't a waste of time nor is it a gamechanger.
It's a great feature.
I bet you can...but that's off the topic of what Phil said above....read the topic before you begin you back and forth. Also you'd find many more articles about bc being a game changer or how it's proof ms is about the games....smh...why battle facts? I'm all for bc but it's just a overblown feature.

[Pogmathoin]

I am not denying anything, nor off topic, just responding to you. Fact is, whenever something positive is posted here for X1, the usual militia jump here and demean everything, put down, even the good. There is nothing wrong with BC, it is not a gamechanger and in no way a bad thing. But the usual crowd usually forget what they just spouted off here, then go to another thread about PsNow being the greatest thing ever.... shake your head all day. I know MS is not Sony, I know neither are perfect, nor not about the money, but the goalposts have been moved so much by some, its just pure comedy gold at this stage. I bet you can understand some of that, and not throw in my face that ummm MS fanboys did it more.... BC for me is the best, because at tail end of last gen, there was so many games I never really completed or even got into, thanks to GTA5 I guess, but now I get to finish them, on one console, without any costs.....

[Kingthrash360]

Whoa there buddy nobody is even talking about xbox here....remember the wiiu has full on BC ...Like the best BC in the market and it didn't sell anything either. We are talking about BC not xbox...see you are too defensive and it has you jumping on something that never happend.
Protip: consoles with BC-
XBOXONEWIIUWIIPS2PS3DS3DSN3DS GBC
Xbox isn't the center of attention here.

[Pogmathoin]

Xbox is not the centre of attention...... Yeah, it just happens to draw in every Sony Fanboy to pour hate over it non stop....... You seem very defensive....

[rainslacker]

I can pull up the articles from the beginning of this gen when neither side seem to give a damn because neither of them offered it, and anyone who lamented it's absence was told to get with the times.

But why live in the past...unless you want to play games from the past....in which case, well...people who routinely play older games know how to solve that issue with or without BC.

[starchild]

This whole idea of something being a "system seller" or not a "system seller" is a bit off the mark in my opinion.

It's always a matter of degree. Very few people would buy a console for just one game or just one feature. It's usually the combination of several desirable games and/or features that leads someone to decide to buy a console.

I think it's a bit funny how everybody is always arguing, saying things like "oh this game is a system seller" or "sorry this game isn't a system seller". (And doing the same with features). But the truth is, any desirable feature or game will contribute to the decision to buy a game system, it's very rare that someone buys a system for just one thing.

I can honestly say that in my 30+ years of gaming I've never once bought a game system for just one game or just one feature.

[sammarshall102]

It's a great addition to have

More variety, playing classics with the nostalgia

[remixx116]

Right, it doesn't matter if it's a system seller, as gamers we should enjoy gamer friendly additions to our consoles.

This is great for anyone who didn't own and Xbox 360 or had one break on them.....or in my case 2

[gangsta_red]

Others have said it but BC doesn't have to be a system seller but an awesome feature a console should have.

Deadspace was just offered as BC and my son is playing it for the first time on X1 and having a blast playing a game he would have never tried otherwise.

To me that is more important than worrying about if it's a system seller. I want more options and more ways to play more games.

[jcnba28]

Lol it's not about sales. It's about catering to your fans.

[Ravenor]

BC was never about boosting sales, it's a good non-scumbag move. It's a feature the console has that is being improved and expanded upon, I don't understand the desire to disparage it.

Also sales...lol, is that a fun game? I thought it kinda reviewed poorly.

[oneluckybullet]

dont believe in bc but you believe in psnow which is something like it just you have to pay for the things you already have.

[retrogamer09]

He's also the same guy the headed up the development of the PS Vita and failed to bring AAA games to it for years.

[dreadz74]

Exactly it should have read I don't believe in BC for free as we have a paid service for that called PSNOW. What a load of crap they don't think it's good but yet want to sell you the old games to be played and a fee smh.

[nowitzki2004]

"the things you already have."

Do you really have every game that is on PSNOW? How much money would it cost me to buy every PSNOW game?

I dont have PSNOW and dont want it until its a bit cheaper but comparing it to BC is ridiculous. I would rather have BC which is a reason PC is my main platform.

Its like saying why would I get Netflix when I already own some of those movies.... How about for all the other ones on there that you dont own?

[oneluckybullet]

Are you really defending this and attacking me days after. Hope u acknowledge the fact that subs get screwed and not all games are available to subs. So unless u like paying high rental prices, defend away. Honestly there's no reason if you own the digital or disc version that you should gave to pay again. If ms can do bc and Nintendo, why can't Sony. I know, money.

[Movefasta1993]

It's not even about being a great believer of it.It's something that should be there day 1...I still have my ps3 though.

[slate91]

Getting 2 extra games a month through games with gold is quite a selling point imo. I cant believe Ive never touched dead space before. Started last night and its pretty intense.

[sullynathan]

I bought Dead Space for Xbox 360 then got RROD and never went back. At least, I know if I ever get an Xbone, I can play it again because of BC.

[slate91]

Yeah I was lucky and didnt get the RROD until mid 2008 with my launch 360. They replaced it within 2 weeks so it was all good.
But I remember playing the dead space demo and didnt give it a chance at first.

[sullynathan]

I am a strong believer in BC. Sony should have tried harder to allow PS4 players to play PS3, PS2 & PS1 games without PS Now.

[XtraTrstrL]

The main reason they won't do BC is so they can sell those games again as PS1, PS2 and PS3 Classics. It's all about that $$$.

[retrogamer09]

Yup and the die hard fanboys will pay that money and get janked due to fanboy reasons. I just beat Quantum Break and guess what I'm playing? Alan Wake and the game after that will be Saints Row 4 when it gets unlocked.

[NarooN]

I don't see how you're a die-hard fanboy just because you pay for a re-released game. Are people who buy all these fully-priced remasters fanboys too? Am I a die-hard Sony fanboy because I opted to pay $5.99 to buy Syphon Filter for PS1 off the PS Store years back rather than hunting down a new disc?

PS Now was a crappy service but I don't see a problem with the "PS1/PS2 Classics" line. PS3 emulation isn't a trivial feat to accomplish. 360's architecture was a lot more plausible to achieve.

[BlackTar187]

don't you have any new games to play?

[BlackTar187]

lol @harypotr

O did i offend you? LOL

he also named 2 old games so a 2:1 old to new ratio you know you ..... LOL im not as sad as you.

You know what they say about people who's first reaction in a conversation is to insult someone?

[gangsta_red]

@Blacktar

You asked someone named "RETROgamer" if he had any new games to play...classic.

[BlackTar187]

LOL @ gangsta

Fair point lol. I'll be honest i didn't think about that when posting.

lol pretty damn funny actually

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Bingo.

[TwoForce]

Well, that's the thing. I don't even touch PS Now because of it.

[Realms]

Sure Sony's motives for not to giving true BC for PS1 and PS2 on the PS4 are suspect then again Sony has offered BC for three generations without anyone making a fuss. This notion that MS is some how any less calculating in their motives is naive at best BC was used as a strategy by MS otherwise it should have been a feature that was there since launch day.

In any event be happy that this feature is on your console and enjoy it instead of constantly bring it up as point of discussion as to why your console of choice is better.

[Ravenor]

Digital content made all the difference there. It's different when you have hundreds of XBLA or PSN games that without some form of compatibility are lost into the abyss.

[AizenSosuke]

That money money!!! is all about that money it's sucks for Sony do this but I support consumer friendly moves.

[Imalwaysright]

Exactly!! They make money from the demand for playable games from previous generations on the PS4 with PS3 remasters, PS2 emulation behind a paywall or that shitty PS now service and despite that some people around here claim that BC is not important. I mean just open your eyes!!

[Retroman]

Don't mine moving forward , but don't want to leave my ps3 games behind .
Sony need to create ps3 emulator firmware.
love my R&C series .

[retrogamer09]

See Shadid unlike you with the Vita MS listened to their fans, spent the R&D money, and gave the fans BC which is something they requested. It's not for you understand or the die hard sony fans to understand, it's something the die hard xbox fans wanted and MS delivered. It's not a coincidence that when Read Dead Redemption was rumored to go BC that the game LEAPED on the amazon best sellers list.

[DragonbornZ]

That's understandable with the way BC went with the ps2. After having it on the X1 tho I'm really loving it. Hope it's standard going forward.

[Ruggadagod]

I buy a new console to play new games.

[retrogamer09]

So screw the option to play new and old games then? Lol it's not an either or proposition. It's an added feature that allows the consumer access to even more games. If you're asking me if I would want to play saints row 4 or the garbage indie games that get sent out on the marketplace then I'm playing saints row 4.

[DragonDDark]

Saint row 4 isn't really that good lol

[trooper_]

Did someone tell you to sell your PS3?

...
...
...

No.

[harypotr]

Sony loves dumb people like you

[BlackTar187]

lol your entire presence in this topic is to insult people? That's sad.

Now if we want to talk about who loves dumb people more then it's both of the companies. If you can pull your head out of the ground long enough to catch your breath you would notice both companies thrive on trying to find ways to control their customers understanding of things.

[Ruggadagod]

If I wanted to play PS1,PS2,or PS3 games I can do it easily. I bought my PS4 to experience new games.

[starchild]

That's a false dilemma. It doesn't have to be either-or. I want to buy a console to play newer games AND older games.

I can just imagine people trying to use that faulty logic with regard to Blu-ray players. "I bought my Blu-ray player to play Blu-rays"...well, fine, but that doesn't mean it's not really nice that it can play DVDs too.

Personally, I hate clutter and I love convergence. The fewer devices I can have doing the same number of things the better.

[NarooN]

I don't get all these weird and bizarre answers from various current and ex- Sony guys. Why can't they just be blunt and say they excluded it mainly for technical reasons? That was the same reason they eventually removed the PS2's Emotion Engine and Graphics Synthesizer chips off the PS3's mobo, in an effort to reduce costs for the system production and make the MOBO smaller and less complex in design. People here seem to think BC is a trivial thing to accomplish as if the PS3's uArch wasn't relatively crazy and that a PS4 could 'easily' emulate the Cell, the RSX, the split-RAM setup, amongst other aspects fluidly. It's not easy or trivial. Look how long it took them to get the pure-software PS2 emu up on PS3 and eventually PS4. That architecture was even crazier than the PS3's (but not as bad as the Sega Saturn's lol)

[BEASELY]

Support for backwards compatibility is exactly that, backwards. Talk about misdistribution of resources. I like the general idea of it in the long run as technology moves more towards PC architecture, but for the time being, it's a waste of time and money.

[MilkMan]

I do still play my older games.
Quite a lot actually.
It would be very nice to be able to play all my games in one console rather than have all these machines at the bottom of my TV or having to go to a separate room.

The TV and the Bose only have but some many inputs.
I always running out and have to plug and unplug devices.

This is a sore spot as far as I am concerned. Its irresponsible in my point of view. I would prefer companies did what Nintendo does and allow you to play your old gen games in the new devices.

Give the option to your customers and not dangle it like some-kind of carrot and stick.

[Tetsujin]

There's some older games I could play today and not think twice about what's out now. What I hate is the list of games fans want, however, for various reasons will never get re-released (fighters come to mind).

It's not about "moving backwards" like someone mentioned above, it's about providing options. That's the one thing I do give PC credit for, emulators provide some sort of backwards compatibility. The debate of "the publishers get $0 from emulation on PC" is the fault of the publishers, not the fan base.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

We hear this all the time... BC barely gets used and execs talk about it not being a needed feature... but the reality is even if it it barely gets used, it is a selling point on the box. And its a powerful "comfort" selling point on the box. It says to previous generation gamers its OK for you to move on from your old console and you can replace it with a new one because if you ever want to, those old games you have you will be able to play them. That $1,000 game collection you had on your old console wont be relegated to having to plug in the old system to do it.

[rainslacker]

When it comes to exec talk, it's more about costs vs. gains. If it costs more to put in BC than it would return from sales, then it doesn't make a lot of sense to do it.

Sony started out supporting BC pretty heavily in their systems, but with the PS3, they were able to really accurately count how many people actually used it, compared to prior gens where they could only do market surveys, and who isn't going to say they want it or have used it if it's actually there, so it skewed the pool.

While it's certainly a nice selling point on the box, and helps instill some confidence for people to trade in/up to the new thing, i do think that it's not anywhere close to as important as these forums would make it out to be. As we are hardcore gamers, our penchant for caring about such things, and more importantly actually using such things, is going to be much higher than the average person.

As it stands though, I still would pay more for a full BC PS4, if just to retire my full BC PS3. But I know I'm not the norm when it comes to game players, and still have another 13 consoles hooked up to my TV either way.

From what I've seen however, very few people go back and play a game that's more than a couple years old within the same generation, much less go back a whole generation to partake in games regularly, and I'd wager absolutely no one on these forums considered lack of BC a hindrance to actually jumping in this gen, and can't imagine there were that many that were swayed to pick up an X1 just because they added a BC alternative.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

I think we both agree. No doubt execs of all the console manufacturers are looking at BC as an expense that isn't really justified by its usage rate. It certainly has been a nice selling point in past Playstation consoles, and definitely was a big PR lift for the Xbox One this past year but it didn't exactly set the world afire with a sales boost on that sell point.

And unfortunately I think in Sony's case their runaway success with the PS4 will nullify any arguments for BC inclusion in a future iteration internally. Their success without its presence really does hammer home that notion of its not needed.

Now all that aside. I do wonder if this generations start had been different if maybe this would be a bigger deal. I mean could the horrible missteps by MS coupled with the fantastic strategy and timing of Sony to capitalize on those missteps by MS be clouding the actual value of this feature? When the board is heavily tilted in your favor its hard to see one thing that could tilt it back but if the board is level to start adding just a small thing could tilt things dramatically.

[rainslacker]

I wouldn't exclude it for future PS consoles. I'd imagine PS5 will be BC with PS4 at least, if they stick with the same architecture overall.

There are still the licensing issues with doing an emulation type BC, and I can't see them including the hardware to keep it native, thus circumventing that issue that MS found a way around by requiring publisher approval.

I wouldn't mind if Sony had an emulation solution in the same vein as MS though. Either through digital or disc based media....although I guess the CD's could be a problem for PS4/5 for physical media.

[Yetter]

A lot of you sure sound like Don Matrick right now

[bmf7364]

I don't understand the amount of dislikes from anti-backwards-compatibility. I understand that the feature, on paper, is good for transition between console generations, but as more technologically-advanced games are released for a new system, the feature is lackluster for the long-term. Microsoft is playing smart by giving constant word of "what games will be B/C next" and use the feature FOR marketing to appease the low-percentage user base of gamers who MIGHT use B/C.

At this point, just keep your old system if you really feel the urge to play your old games.

[Condemnedman]

I still have my xbox 360 but I love the idea I can play it through xbox one. Just because the game is not made this gen doesn't mean it's no good.

[rainslacker]

Whether the feature is important to someone depends on their game playing habits, which is pretty broad around these parts.

Then there's the matter of one's spending habits, and what they're willing to do to play older games should they so desire.

For instance, my playing habits are I will play games from any generation. However, my spending habits are such that I keep my systems, and have everything I need to do so, and lack of BC has not prevented me from playing older games. Because of that, while I feel BC would be a great feature to have, it's not that important to me, nor is it that inconvenient to have multiple systems attached to my TV at any one time because I planned it out to be that way anyhow.

[GeekyBully]

Spoken like a true executive with a mind for making money vs. the consumer's best interest. It doesn't need to be a system seller any more than playing background music does... its simply something nice for the user. If the tech exists that can make it available, there's no reason not to... and each device having it's own "vibe" is still viable even if I can play my older titles on it. Pretty straight-forward case of an exec making excuses for a company that finds itself left behind in one aspect.

[Majister-Ludi]

Obvious. He is interested in making money. BC doesn't make money it's pure fan service and I'm thankful it exists. All you people acting like it doesn't matter are foolish. It's an extra feature for free and free is never bad.

[ShaunCameron]

Unless it's of mediocre quality.

[Gamist2dot0]

My brother is a fan of BC and complained when the PS4 doesn't support it. AFter two weeks of trying to prove to me that BC is important, he hasn't played on the 360 or PS3 since. Now, it's been almost a year, he plays the recent games on the PS4 while the 360 is boxed up in his garage and the PS3 as his Blu-ray movie player.

[rainslacker]

And I'd wager that 9 out of 10 people don't look at last gen anymore...and that's being generous.

Even some hardcore gamers around here won't give a game more than a couple years old a second look unless they find it in the bargain bin or get it through one of the services like PS+ or GWG or whatever.

I doubt they'd be fussed either way if BC never came to the systems, because most of the people that praise it here(although it is a good feature worthy of praise), are the same people who didn't care at the beginning of this gen.

I'm pretty involved in the retro scene, know lots of retro gamers, and I can say that they are nowhere near common, nor do they really care that much in the grand scheme of things beyond the convenience of it. Some even prefer to experience it the way it originally was, and don't even use BC...which isn't me...but to each their own I guess.

[Pancit_Canton]

A lot of clueless people on this site can't comprehend that Sony can't do a hardware emulation on the PS4 because of the different architecture of the PS3. So they have to take the software emulation route which causes a lot of money for both consumers and publishers. Because all games will digital and Sony needs a publisher's licensing ( which cost money for Sony) for digital distribution. I don't mind having it as an optional, but not a lot of people uses it to play older games. There's a lot of PS4 games line up this year compare to Xbone. It's probably one of the many reasons why Microsoft wants to support it so bad is because of their lacking library to shut people up.

[LoveSpuds]

I wish my DVD player played my VHS tapes.....

Backwards compatibility is a bonus but I have never met someone who would let it dictate which system they bought.

Ultimately the majority of people buy new consoles to experience new games first and foremost.

[AndrewLB]

Then why are some of the biggest sellers ps3 games with higher resolution textures and better lighting?

[LoveSpuds]

Remastered games is a completely different story squire. I am more than happy to buy remasters of favourite titles but wouldn't necessarily play the original again.

For example, The Last of Us is my favourite game, ever! Having earned all the single player trophies over 4 or 5 play through I would be unlikely to have revisited that game in its PS3 state however, a remaster along with new trophies to earn was the only excuse I needed to jump back in.

[Petebloodyonion]

Here's both philosophies in this snippet of the article.

"But Microsoft’s attempts to have backwards compatibility have not helped them any in the marketplace; meanwhile, Sony’s honestly cynical attempts at making users pay for content they may already own don’t seem to have netted them any ill will from customers.
"

Sony's never keen on the value of BC but they sure are keen on the value of Remasters and PSNOW.

I'm sure if MS was leading in sales and Sony was trying to catch up, the positions would have been changed and Sony would be happy about promoting BC while MS would not see the value of it.

[Picnic]

PS Now and no backpat is an excellent tradeoff for consumers for 9 years and counting free online multiplayer on PS3. But don't think we don't know your game, Sony. Not being able to play CDs, worse PS Plus games now that you need it to play online on PS4. You pennypinch now like Microsoft with their Xbox Live fees have always done. But I understand. Cell and Bluray and many exclusives won't have come cheap last gen. Thank goodness for GDDR5 and The Last Guardian this gen.

[Tsunade]

For me, BC is good for the 3 first months of a new console. After that, is not a big deal. I had BC in other consoles and it has never been a selling point for me.

I understands there may be people bored with their current selection of games and would like to play old games but, is not a defining feature.

[hiawa23]

Great games never get old to me. I am still playing my favorites that go back to Neo Geo, Super Nes days. Being able to pop in my 360 games in the X1 and continuing exactly where I left off is fantastic to me.

[LastcenuryRob]

Still have my Neo-Geo, SNES, Genesis and other classic consoles ready to go when I want to play some retro goodness! Tons of fantastic games on those old work horses!

[hiawa23]

Right on!!!

[corroios]

It not a gamechanger that many thought it would be. We got the longest gen with the PS3 and Xbox 360.

This could have some impact in the start of the gen when there are less games. And even there...

Gamers want next gen stuff and if this was a big deal the Xbox One would be selling much more then the PS4 and the reality is that it doesnt in any market.

[LastcenuryRob]

BC is a big deal especially for those who haven't upgraded yet. Being able to play ones old library without having to switch between two systems is a welcome option. Also for younger gamers there are so many AAA games last gen that when they are offered in BC it simply brings more playing options to the table. If the PS4 had BC and the X1 didn't we all know you would be talking that option up as if it was the greatest thing in the world..

[corroios]

No one wants a new machine to play old games. Its just as simple as that. Its cool feature, but nothing more.

It doesnt have any kind of impact. The numbers dont lie? did you read any kind of change?

Gamers dont have all day to be playing old games when they can play new ones.

What happend with BC, like other stuff, is that some gamers thought it would close the gap, change something. We got tons of «news», but it was all empty.

In the end is just another feature and not something that will make a gamer choose a Xbox One and not a PS4.

[LastcenuryRob]

They aren't a believer in BC because the PS4 isn't powerful enough to do it. That's another reason why they are bringing out a PS4.5...so they can do BC.

[Jazzuri]

Maybe they express a lack of interest in it because their system of choice does not offer BC functionality? but the PS4 could very well be powerful enough to do it.

Who are we to say it can or cannot, we are but armchair devs stating this that and the other. Even when Sony say it themselves do I beleive it? No chance, it would be akin to shooting oneself in the head.

The resources and effort required in solving the BC software emulation puzzle isn't necessarilly worth the exercise if it needs to be re-written each and every new console generation. Which is why the PS4 model is currently the way it is and Microsoft has virtual machines/emulation.

They each chose their path early on but Microsofts solution is definately the preferred consumer option, to say otherwise would simply lack logic and suggest you love throwing money away?

[DeadManMMX]

The PS4 can do it and Sony has engineers smart enough to make it happen. They just don't want to do it. The fan base isn't pushing for it and they are going along with their streaming plans. Even at the cost of losing all the digital content you paid for last gen when PS3 stops being produced and supported by PSN. I just don't get how everyone thought so hard for consumer rights against the XB1 but will let Sony off without even trying to give consumers an option to utilize their digital libraries that no doubt a lot of us spent a lot of money building. I'll never get that.

[thexmanone]

Did Sony announce the PS4.5?

[Jazzuri]

How anything extra provided to you for free can be considered anything but great is beyond my comprehension. Extra functionality at no cost is always a good thing for us.

And whilst some games don't run as well as they do on the 360, some do and then there are those that run even better. Like in the latest batch of additions.

Alan Wake and American Nightmare which were both free for people who preordered Quantum Break are two games that play better on xbox one. Screen tearing is removed and framerates are improved. F......g awesome games and a brilliant example of what can be acheived via BC on xbox one.

It doesn't just ease the transition it offers far more than that....
Quantum Break Xbox One- Pre-order Deal came with Alan Wake plus all DLC free + American Nightmare + Quantum Break PC.

And all for the price of 1 game. More baaang for your buck. As a consumer how can you not beleive in that?

[chaosx]

having access to the IP's i have paid money for ,even after the hardware manufacturer deems there product dead, is massive. I have a massive collection of games from the last decade that my son is now able to enjoy as well as they new content. Bare in mind Sony has BC they just don't want to make it free to those who already own the IP.

[Jazzuri]

Absolutely agree with you on the kids and BC in general, it is a fantastic addition.

But Sony spent alot of dollars on BC and unlike Microsoft have ongoing costs surrounding infrastructure with their BC model so there is no way they can go back to offerring it for free. It is unfortunate but even if they could emulate it, one would question the motive for Sony emulating now....

It doesn't make good business sense, outside of competing and on consoles sold/selling that nullifies that argument.

You're argument is correct but it isn't without reason and one would question their position on the matter if a.) Sony were in a better financial position b.) they were behind in this generations (numbers sold - under dog)

[GrimDragon]

BC is a nice option to have if only for nostalgic reasons and you don't have space for all your favorite consoles.

[Jazzuri]

You are entitled to your opinion but I have more than enough space for almost every console released in my lifetime 40 years(collector) and I appreciate being able to play my xbox 360 games now on my xbox one, as do my kids. Not to mention the joy of playing a game such as Alan Wake without feelling nauseous as the BC version has zero screen tearing and an improved frame rate.

And no I'm not being literal about the nausea....

So BC can be much more than a void filled by nostalgia and/or a slution to small homes.

[GrimDragon]

Um...so we are in agreement. Along with nostalgia and saving space, we have individuals like yourself with all the space in the world for their consoles. Bottom line their is a market for BC no matter how you access it its good to have options. Personally iam in heaven being able to play a growing library of 360 games n my X1. It's incredibly convenient. I'd pay any amount for one console that can play all past, present, and future titles I'll never get the issue some people have with BC I guess maybe because I fully support it.

[JasonKCK]

Of course the people who don't have it and can't get it are going to agree. What other choice do they have?

[welly300]

3 games I wanted to play from last gen 2 have been remastered. So Bc is not a big thing for me.

[Jazzuri]

People, think outside the box.
BC is the future.

Creating an everlasting ecosystem of software and games that will run on future iterations of console hardware will one day change the console gaming scene forever.

Once this is acheivable....

Why would anyone in their right mind want to move forward with technology at the constant expense of starting over (library)?

[game4funz]

So in other words.
Not a believer in giving more benefits to the gamers?

OR

A strong believer in remastering older games to resell them?

[XboxInnovation]

Of course you don't believe because your console isn't backwards compatible like the beast box

[lastking95]

Just glad i have the option to play games i missed out on.

[joeorc]

During the ps3 cycle...

Ps3 gamers I can play backwards compatable games from PS1,2 & play ps3 game's all on one system... $499.00 & $599.00

Media and mainly xbox gamers latched on to that..$599.00 I purchased my xbox360 for new games..not old games..do not really care about backwards compatibility. .and especially not for a system for that.
Costs' $599.00 " while choosing to ignore the $499.00 ver. Just for greater web site hits..all while claiming playstation has no "games"

Fast forward this generation.

Now backwards compatibility is being made out to be a main function now.

Sony had the
Ps2 play PS1 games
Sony had the
Ps3 play not only
Ps1 games & ps2 games

and you had gamers screaming bloody freaking murder..over price

Now you want to scream bloody murder again when Sony is concentrating on getting more games to the PS4 that is new not old games?

Now its being used as a lever to shame a company because one company is offering it while now PlayStation is not
.lol pretty freaking funny..
One company for years gets away with barely offering anything free made you pay through the nose for pretty much everything and had many on here lambaste Sony at the same time..

oh'

Sony how you kill a brand, how Microsoft is rolling in the cash, How snide remarks Sony had to sell off building's just to stay a float.

Well it looks like Sony learned from the best at how to squeese money out of their consumer's ..now you want to act like the hatred for Microsoft's vs Sony on this board is pro Sony vs Microsoft...LMAO.

Lots of freaking Hippo's being shipped in crates from many gamers this generation when last generation was..

Where is the games Sony?
Which that wonderfully dry meme continues with all playstation platforms being released even now.

Or I purchased My PS3 to play new games not old games..

Where are the games Sony?

Meanwhile the PS4 is the number one Sold game console and yet you still have some gamers tryig to imply or claim Sony has no games.

While at the same time..see our exclusives & backwards compatibility show thats its really the best place to play...

Lots of stuffed hippos in crates being shipped out.

How many times is this quote issue going to be folded, spindle, and mutilated reworded to really be the same d@mn thing we have already seen over and over again..and again in my opinion's about this is well known..

But when Sony was giving out backward compatible playstations it was used by the media and mainly xbox only gamers as a. Crutch Sony was using to prop up the PS3 lack of games.

Now that Sony has even shipped more games on the PS4 as Microsoft has been able to ship games to their xbox one..

The meme still continues Sony "where is the games"

[Jazzuri]

I still have my original phat PS3, purchased at launch and lucky enough to still have it working. I still use it to play PS2 games as my original PS2 has issues reading some disks.

My PS3 was expensive at launch - March 23 2007 - $1000 AUD, as far as consoles go. When a year earlier you could purchase an xbox core model for approx $499 AUD or $649 AUD for a premium.

Once Sony killed off some of the hardware features(bc hardware + usb & sd ports) from the original model they were then able to sell it for a lot less and sales eventually picked up and eventually outsold the 360.

Have to keep in mind, consoles must have general market appeal and a console priced over $$$ is not going to go down well. This is regardless of whether people like you and me(minority) would be happy to shell 1000 or more on a game console. And so Sony paid for it, at least initially, until they revised their system, it's price and with it, it's core functionality.

Arguments between us fan boys been going on since the dawn of time. They have that so we dont want it(even if its good), suck ass - we get this and they dont, mine is bigger than yours. It's just gotten worse since gamings become more mainstream and well...the internet hasn't helped much either.

But bottom line is...
*for over 40 years I and many others have been shelling out for new hardware, software, peripherals and the like, every generation.
*developers have been wasting time/money/resources re-writing code
and all the while
*those of us loyal to the medium "early adopters" are forced each and every generation to bear the brunt of that generations thinnest gaming catalogue while propping up the system for everyone else.

And so I look forward to an ecosystem where you can play Gran Tourismo (1,2,3,4,5) and Halo (1,2,3,4,5) for ever with just the one license. That is my prefered future.

The Ipod, Pad, Phone model where you move forward with technology if it suits you or remain stagnant if that's what you desire or can only afford.

Where all games are forward compatible online or offline and on every new iteration of hardware going forward. VM's.

[BillytheBarbarian]

BC is great. Hopefully all my xbla purchases will become available on Xbox one. I have over 200 games digitally on my Xbox account and I'm glad I can access Streets of Rage collection, Shadow Complex, Gears series, and more with a few clicks on the controller. Also I can use the games at the same time on Xbox one and 360 for multiplayer. It's awesome.

[gnothe1]

i just cant wait til MW2 come back....everything else gone take a back seat for awhile..

[Segata]

I never use it because I keep older consoles BUT options are nice and it never hurts to have more options for players who may have missed or want to keep playing certain games.

[TheHunter81]

I agree, I'm not big on it either and have no need for it. Haven't played any PS3 games(except MGO2r) since 2013. Been PS4 and PC the rest of the way. If it wasn't for MGO2r, I wouldn't even have a PS3 anymore.

[DeadManMMX]

The way its done on Xbox it almost feels like a event when they announce a new game on Back Compat. I'm sitting here right now playing through Dead Space for the first time since 2008. The game holds up so damn well. I do remember being amazed at the graphics back then which now are pretty standard. Still these were HD games made for HD TVs so the Ps2 being played on PS3 argument is not the same thing. Still I'm having a blast doing my Hard difficulty run and finishing up the games achievements. I just got my Alan Wake code and I'll definitely be giving that a playthrough as well. I have a huge backlog so i only do a few hours at a time for longer games but these two can be done at a casual pace within a few days. I really love Back Compat and the fact that not only do I get a lot of these games for free when I preorder a new game. I also am slowly getting access to my digital catalog which I spent huge amounts of money on last gen. I have a back catalog that reaches back to the 90s and I'm a lifetime gamer so this has been nothing but a benefit to me. I'll be playing these and jumping on my vita to complete Chrono cross and Xenogears using my original PSX saves. I may never finish playing all of these games with jobs, life, etc. but man do I love having the options.

[FallenAngel1984]

Yet PS2, PSP, early PS3 models, and Vita featured backwards compatibility and they were praised for having it. Yet as soon as PS4 doesn't feature it in any form, we suddenly get a lot of detractors who don't believe the feature matters.

This executive looks like he'll just parrot any decision that his former corporation will make.

[mastershredder]

Apparently some folks have never grasped the idea of licensing.....

[franwex]

Well, it didn't really helped the Atari 7800. lol

[NeoGamer232]

Lame.

If BC is not important then why do consoles stay the same for 5-7 years at a time? Why don’t they just bring a new console with new capabilities each year and forget about keeping the shipped ones working? By not changing the hardware for 5-7 years they are supporting BC.

People say they buy new consoles for new games, but that is a lie. If you always wanted to see the latest and greatest games you would buy a PC. PCs continue to innovate as consoles age. And why do people buy remastered games on new consoles then? Aren’t they old games with only graphical and framerate updates?

And the more that execs talk about BC the more valuable it becomes. If BC is so unimportant then why do sites keep posting articles and quotes on it?

The facts simply do not support that BC is not important.

[littletad]

Yea because having more games to play it just plain silly. (sarcasm)

[Thomaticus]

I want BC and I don't mind paying for it. I understand and accept the difficulties that may incur as a result of the PS3 architecture and trying to move PS3 games over to the PS4 via emulation.

However, PS4, PS4.5, titles should (MUST) work on the PS5, 6, etc. with no issues. It's just a PC now....

[Mr_Luke]

Well, for sure people can notice 2 things:
1) If there's an option (BC), it's always good. If you want to use it, it's there. If you don't want to use, it's there anyway, it's for free but....
2) ... it's not a selling point. People don't buy a console mainly because of BC. Many don't even care about it. I'd like it, so i would sell my PS3 and i would get more space but that's another story.