Will the xbox 360 be b/c? Yes or no?

[theWacoKid]

Will it or won't it? I say no, and I'm not basing that on hatred for MS or because I'm looking for a fight with the masked goober. I'm also not a wet behind the airs noob who just got off a banana boat either like some xbots here. Teamxbox summed up pretty much why you won't see b/c, but its absolutely amazing how many people are in denial over such obvious things. And boyz, teamxbox is an xbox fan site. If they thought b/c was in the cards, they'd say so.

Technically, backward compatibility is possible. There will be enough computational power in the next generation to emulate the Xbox videogame system on the Xbox 2 hardware, even if the processor architectures are different. Last year, Microsoft acquired the Virtual PC technology from Connectix Corporation. Virtual PC lets Power architectures run Windows applications, making it possible to run existing Xbox games, designed for the x86 architecture, on the Xbox 2.

However, the way Microsoft designed the Xbox, puts a dark cloud over backward compatibility. Put in simple terms, Microsoft paid other companies to use their parts for use in the Xbox. Both nVIDIA and Intel basically sold parts to Microsoft for the Xbox, but those companies still own the IP behind the hardware. The problem Microsoft faces, if they want the Xbox successor to be backward compatible, is that they’d have to license the x86 architecture from Intel and the graphic technologies from nVIDIA for use in future Xbox products. Unless a new licensing agreement is agreed upon, there won’t be backward compatibility in the next Xbox and it won’t be due to hardware restrictions. The business world is funny and there’s no telling what agreements will be forged, but from all of the current information it is extremely unlikely that the Xbox successor will support backward compatibility.

Get it now guys or is it still too tough for you to figure out. Nvidia is in sony's camp now with a lucrative deal. You want to start connecting the dots, connect those and please dont' bore me with xbox live questionairres, dashboard screenshots or promotional vids.

There are so many fools on the net, stating stuff like MS can just emulate the xbox because the 360 is so powerful. Well, not without violating nvidia's ip rights as well as intel's. And there's no way in hell that the company that worries the most about their products being pirated is going to do that.

MS just cut nvidia off with chip shipments, now they're going to go to nvidia to cut a deal for b/c for 360? I think not. MS screwed nvidia once already, nvidia reps have spoken of their displeasure over the whole MS affair and nvidia has been secretly working with sony for over 2 years on the ps3 gpu which probably pissed off MS when they found out about it. You'll only see b/c if MS gets on their hands and knees and crawls to nvidia, and I don't see that happening. MS has repeatedly stated they don't see b/c as important.

[slade]

I'm holding out hope that it will be backwards compatible. After this year, an X-box is gonna be hard to find anywhere, essentially making its library useless to the rest of us. If I have to begin my count of titles I'm interested in all over again, I'll probably end up passing up on 360 too. Unless it manages to get some good exclusives.

[ilnadmy]

I really don't think b/c is going to be a huge issue. How important was b/c for the PS2? The first couple of months maybe, when there still weren't that many games out for the system. After that, no one even talked about b/c until now.

As far as I'm concerned, b/c in next-gen consoles is not an issue. If I want to play my last-gen games, then I'll play them on the systems I own. I'm not going to buy an X360 to be able to play Dead or Alive: The Island of Super Bouncy Boobies (not a confirmed title btw, but analysts are expecting an announcement any day now), and my 6 Xbox games.

[theWacoKid]

I'm holding out hope that it will be backwards compatible. After this year, an X-box is gonna be hard to find anywhere, essentially making its library useless to the rest of us. If I have to begin my count of titles I'm interested in all over again, I'll probably end up passing up on 360 too. Unless it manages to get some good exclusives.

The xbox is going to be like the dream sequence from the finale of Dallas. Its going to be like it never happened. MS is counting on next gen visuals blowing people away to the extent they won't even consider playing an xbox game with tacky current gen visuals and sound.

Look at IGN's release schedule of games for xbox. After Conker, MS has literally nothing going forward for the xbox. Zipededodah. I predict with the xbox gutting, development on xbox titles is going to crash big time. Numerous titles will be either canned or moved to next gen. There's no point in developing for an orphaned console.

The xbox has been in short supply in many quarters since the beginning of the year and we know why now. MS pr lied out their rears as to why there was a shortage, we underestimated demand, cough, cough. Spong was right, they called it, the xbox was in short supply, cause MS was in the process of canning it. I'm amazed how this isn't big news on websites, because it really is.

You gotta wonder how all those brand new xbox owners who bought an xbox this past xmas with their shiny new copy of halo 2 are going to feel about all this. Oh, btw, we'ved decided to pull the plug on that console you just bought and start over again from scratch. Sorry!

And which company again is it that cares about their customers? Oh, yeah, MS.

[Darwin]

I really don't think b/c is going to be a huge issue. How important was b/c for the PS2? The first couple of months maybe, when there still weren't that many games out for the system. After that, no one even talked about b/c until now..

But you cannot purchase another Xbox if your current one breaks. And there are games I still may want to play. Imagine having 30+ games for a console that only released in 2001, your console breaks, and you now cannot get a replacement and the next Xbox360 console is not backwards compatible.

At least with the real old consoles, you can usually find emulated versions on the current consoles or PC.

[Darwin]

Look at IGN's release schedule of games for xbox. After Conker, MS has literally nothing going forward for the xbox. Zipededodah. I predict with the xbox gutting, development on xbox titles is going to crash big time. Numerous titles will be either canned or moved to next gen. There's no point in developing for an orphaned console.

Same thing happened with the Dreamcast and many of its games soon after Sega's announcement of discontinuing their console.

[Mochan]

I really don't think b/c is going to be a huge issue. How important was b/c for the PS2? The first couple of months maybe, when there still weren't that many games out for the system. After that, no one even talked about b/c until now.


This one speaks great truth! Like I said, I could never figure out the big deal about backwards compatibility. I played zero PS1 games on my PS2, and I bought a PS3, I would play zero PS2 games on it.

I understand how some of you feel though about wanting to play old games. I mean, I still feel like playing Suikoden 2 and Final Fantasy Tactics after all these years. And actually I must admit I even fired up Ninja Ryuukenden/Gaiden 1-3 on Nesten last year. But really, as time goes along I realize I just don't have enough leisure time to be wasting on old games, I have tons of new games that I still need to play. Look forward to the next gen and screw the last gen.

[Jupiter_x]

Get it now guys or is it still too tough for you to figure out. Nvidia is in sony's camp now with a lucrative deal.


Hmmmm! Imagine that....If nVidia is now creating GPUs for Sony...does this mean that PS3 will be backwards compatible with Xbox??? :p

[Aldrin]

But you cannot purchase another Xbox if your current one breaks. And there are games I still may want to play. Imagine having 30+ games for a console that only released in 2001, your console breaks, and you now cannot get a replacement and the next Xbox360 console is not backwards compatible.

At least with the real old consoles, you can usually find emulated versions on the current consoles or PC.

I think that's why Tecmo's head honcho got emotional recently talking about the xbox: link to interview (http://xbox.ign.com/articles/609/609713p1.html). Are Ninja Gaiden, DOA3/Volleyball, and possibly DOA4 fated for obscurity?

When my PS2 broke [surprise], it was bad enough that I couldn't find a reliable old-style console to play Final Fantasy XI. And that was just one game.

[Mochan]

That's what he gets for throwing in his lot with Microsoft! He should have stuck with Sony so that I could play Ninja Gaiden on PS2. :)

[shogun]

Same thing happened with the Dreamcast and many of its games soon after Sega's announcement of discontinuing their console.

Yeah, as I recall Dreamcast had a fair amount of games on the horizen when the axe fell. Something along the lines of 50 or so. Nearly all of them were cancelled after the announcement. XBox, essentially is through now that 360 is on the table. Games simply aren't going to be made for it.

As for b/c...If 360 is unveiled and we haven't heard of it yet, my guess is "no."

[Aldrin]

That's what he gets for throwing in his lot with Microsoft! He should have stuck with Sony so that I could play Ninja Gaiden on PS2. :)

I have nothing but respect for Tomonobu Itagaki. He is a talented developer with courage and heart. He doesn't hold back in his games. (If I keep talking, I'm going to convince myself to buy an XBOX 360.)

[Mochan]

Team Ninja is the only reason I even considered buying an XBox. Well, that and Fable. But Fable was defunct so it's dropped from my list of reasons.

[Jupiter_x]

XBox, essentially is through now that 360 is on the table.



Heh! M$ Kicking their own asses in the gaming industry by axing thier pride and joy for the next one! :p At least Sega can say they lost to another superpower!

[joquito]

Yeah, as I recall Dreamcast had a fair amount of games on the horizen when the axe fell. Something along the lines of 50 or so. Nearly all of them were cancelled after the announcement. XBox, essentially is through now that 360 is on the table. Games simply aren't going to be made for it.

As for b/c...If 360 is unveiled and we haven't heard of it yet, my guess is "no."

People seem to forget that what happened to the dreamcast was not the case with the PS1. Due to the PS2's B/C, games continued to be released. I wouldn't expect games to be made years down the road for the Xbox but I wouldn't expect all of the cancellations that happened for the DC. When a new console launches, gamesare slim pickings for a least 6 months. Look at the PSP!!

[DrunkenThumbmaster]

I really don't know. I don't think it's out of the realm of possibliy. I mean on the PC you can play the same games with Nvidia or Amd chip. A couple of years ago there was a software program that allowed you to play PS1 games on the DC and made them look better to boot Sony took them to court and bled the company dry.

As far as ip and licenses issues go. I don't see how that will be a factor. It's not like Nvidia owns the copy wright to the games and since there isn't going to be any Nvidia tech in the 360 I don't see as to how Nvidia has a case for copyright infringement.

The issue with BC is going to be the cost of adding emulation software versus the value of it. Because like somebody said after a year or so it will be a non factor.