Backwards Compatible Game by Game
Posted: May 24th, 2016, 5:42 pm
In the old days, backwards compatible was seen in many consoles. The main reason would be to encourage early adoption, so you could pass along your old console for a new one, while still playing your old backlog of old games. Backwards compatible could also cement a generation winner's base into the next generation, PS1 to PS2. Cement victory.
It was missing more often than there though. Sometimes a console was such a leap in technology, the lack of backwards compatibility was pointed to as evidence of how big a leap it was. Maybe this was Nintendo's reason for not making the SNES backwards compatible. Or there was a change in media, such as cartridge to optical disc. Or the old technology remained expensive, even many years later, like the PS3 dropping PS2 compatibility. If your old console did poorly, then leave it behind, so no reason for the Dreamcast to be backwards compatible. Cement victory, abandon defeat.
Nintendo went for Wii backwards compatibility on the WiiU, but either people did not know or care, it reinforced thinking the WiiU was a Wii accessory, and that the WiiU was more last generation. Its been a pretty solid feature in their handhelds though, and one I make use of quite a lot. Thank you Nintendo. Cement victory has worked here.
Somewhat oddly, both the PS3 and Xbox360 ended up doing very well, but their successors abandoned them. Now Microsoft has sort of one upped Sony with backwards compatibility done title by title, and much later in the console lifespan. Each time they add new games, the gaming press trumpets it for PR gains, always reminding everyone of the feature and the growing library of compatible games. Some are kinda funny - were people really clamoring to keep playing the 2004 PC/2008 Xbox360 casual game Domino Master on their XboxOnes, 2 and half years into that console's life? Oh well, made a few more games backwards compatible and its worths a tweet or better yet, a Gamespot article.
Which is funny, since Sony had a better record on backwards compatibility than Microsoft really had, but the wheel turned. With an updated PS4 coming out, maybe they should just focus on 'Cutting Edge Games on a Cutting Edge Console' theme.
Backwards compatibility, drip by drip. Another difference that separates modern gaming from classic gaming.
It was missing more often than there though. Sometimes a console was such a leap in technology, the lack of backwards compatibility was pointed to as evidence of how big a leap it was. Maybe this was Nintendo's reason for not making the SNES backwards compatible. Or there was a change in media, such as cartridge to optical disc. Or the old technology remained expensive, even many years later, like the PS3 dropping PS2 compatibility. If your old console did poorly, then leave it behind, so no reason for the Dreamcast to be backwards compatible. Cement victory, abandon defeat.
Nintendo went for Wii backwards compatibility on the WiiU, but either people did not know or care, it reinforced thinking the WiiU was a Wii accessory, and that the WiiU was more last generation. Its been a pretty solid feature in their handhelds though, and one I make use of quite a lot. Thank you Nintendo. Cement victory has worked here.
Somewhat oddly, both the PS3 and Xbox360 ended up doing very well, but their successors abandoned them. Now Microsoft has sort of one upped Sony with backwards compatibility done title by title, and much later in the console lifespan. Each time they add new games, the gaming press trumpets it for PR gains, always reminding everyone of the feature and the growing library of compatible games. Some are kinda funny - were people really clamoring to keep playing the 2004 PC/2008 Xbox360 casual game Domino Master on their XboxOnes, 2 and half years into that console's life? Oh well, made a few more games backwards compatible and its worths a tweet or better yet, a Gamespot article.
Which is funny, since Sony had a better record on backwards compatibility than Microsoft really had, but the wheel turned. With an updated PS4 coming out, maybe they should just focus on 'Cutting Edge Games on a Cutting Edge Console' theme.
Backwards compatibility, drip by drip. Another difference that separates modern gaming from classic gaming.