How important is backwards compatability to you?

[Kane Knight]

This is just curiosity. Like, I used to think it was pretty damn important, and I was annoyed they were killing it on the PS3 and doing no new support for the 360. Then I realised the only game I've played from a prior gen on any of my consoles is Skies of Arcadia: Legends. Well, okay, let me change that. I have three or four XBox games I didn't play last gen that I bought for my 360, so I keep not thinking of them as last gen games. So anyway, bottom line is very few. And honestly, while I like Crimson Skies, SOAL, and Fable, I probably wouldn't be too butthurt if I had to keep an earlier system around to play them or not play them at all. This may change depending on how Rock Band is handled with the next gen of systems.


How much is this an issue? Will it impact future purchases?

[D Mac]

Not much of a factor right now. And we're probably still a long ways off from new systems like Playstation 4 and Xbox 480 or whatever it will be called.

[G]

zero

[LuigiD]

I came to the same conclusion as Kane Knight.
It is a bit of a pain in the ass that when I want to play an old game I have to dig up the system..plug it in..etc..but then I remembered that it never actually happens so..

[Savio]

yes I like it as well

[UmbrellaCorporation]

I honestly feel that it should be a staple of gaming by now.

That said, I hardly ever find myself going back and playing old games. There are occasions that I do, but since it's so few and far between, I don't mind hooking up an old system.

[Xero]

It doesn't matter to me because the majority of the games I play are from the 16-bit era and before anyway so I can just get roms with ease.

Though for the PS2, while I'm not pissed about PS3 being backwards compatible (don't have one), I'd still have it hooked up because I do still play old PS2 games.

I've said it before, very few current gen games actually interest me. And it's not even a matter of being nostalgic for games I've played, because I'll play older games (PS2 and before) that I've never even heard of.

[LoDownM]

If I still had my PS2 and Xbox and games, it would be a big deal. While not a huge deal if I had a PS3 and PS2 since they use the same connectors, I'd rather not have to change the console's out everytime I feel nostalgic or come across a rare game some mom and pop store is selling for 10 bucks.

[Requiem]

For me it's a big deal for Sony, but not Microsoft. 360 has no old xbox titles that I even care to play really.

Playstation on the other hand had an amazing PS2 library, as well as a huge PS1 library. There are a ton of great games on those older systems. Original xbox however really didn't have any game on it that I just had to have, or really would ever have an urge to play again.

[Emperor Smeat]

It should matter the most in the initial year or 2 of a new console since it would help snag the previous console's owners to migrate to the new console while building up its own library of decent games.

Also has its benefits of if you lack space for multiple consoles, you can keep the newer console and sell off the older one since the newer one would play games from the older console.

Only downside would be if the new console half-asses the compatibility like the Xbox 360 did with about 1/2 the original Xbox games but that ended up being due to Microsoft switching chip makers with the Xbox 360.

[PapaGeorgio]

I sold my PS2, and eventually got a PS3. Since then there have been 1 or 2 games for the PS2 I wanted to play but am unable. But it is not a deal breaker for me, I survive just fine. Most older games I would want to play are from even older systems ie N64/Dreamcast or earlier era.

[Indifferent Clox]

it was a big deal to me when i found out the new version of ps3 wasn't backwards compatable. but then i realized i can get a ps2 or xbox for less than 40 bucks

[Verbose Minch]

It's not a big deal personally to me, but it's a big deal in regards to Sony just not listening to the fans. I post on a lot of video game forums, and one thing I always notice is ''I'd get a PS3 if it was backwards compatible''. It's such a simple thing to put in, yet they outright refuse to do it. It's just a case of Sony not listening, which is unfortunate, because that's what a company needs to succeed.

[Fignuts]

Old systems are pretty cheap, so it's not a deal breaker or anything. But it is very convenient obviously.

[D Mac]

I wanna get a Dreamcast again.

[The Mackem]

I've still got my Dreamcast but the fishing rod is long time broken. LOL, Sega Bass fishing may be the saddest yet most intriguing game I've ever owned.

Backwards compatability means zero to me. If I have a console that I like playing on it I keep it but like a large proportion of people here are saying, it's not very often I go back to play on them except on those very rare nostalgic days.

[.44 Magdalene]

Backwards compatibility and the Virtual Console ensure that I spend far more time playing old games on the Wii than new ones.

[DaveBrawl]

It was a big reason I bought a PS3 instead of keeping my PS2. I was big into playing FirePro Returns when I got the PS3 and since it was backwards compatable I traded in the PS2. That's pretty much the only PS2 game I still play so it's not worth me getting a PS2 just for that especially since I seldom play it anymore.

So I guess it's one of those features I'd like to have there in case I needed it for the random game or two, but would likely seldom use.

[The Jayman]

For me if it's there it's cool. If not then I don't worry about it

[Indifferent Clox]

yeah the real reason i was distraught at first was fire pro

[OssMan]

I play a lot of old games so it should be important but I have all the systems to play them on so it isn't a big deal, it only helps me take up less space with game systems.

[DAMN iNATOR]

It doesn't matter to me because the majority of the games I play are from the 16-bit era and before anyway so I can just get roms with ease.

Though for the PS2, while I'm not pissed about PS3 being backwards compatible (don't have one), I'd still have it hooked up because I do still play old PS2 games.

I've said it before, very few current gen games actually interest me. And it's not even a matter of being nostalgic for games I've played, because I'll play older games (PS2 and before) that I've never even heard of.

This. Yeah, the current-gen systems and games are nice, but a lot of them aren't nearly as fun or original as stuff you can find on PS2/GCN/XBOX-gen consoles and before. So yeah, doesn't bother me a bit.

[BigDaddyCool]

I don't really care. I have no last gen games for my x-box 360

[Crazy Nick]

To me I think its semi important, I mean its nice to have a system that can play previous console generations games. But I dont mind digging out the older system to play an older game, its just more convienient to have a system that can play multiple systems games.