Microsoft: Xbox 360 back compat 'winding down'

by Justin McElroy { Jan 10th 2008 at 12:55PM }

Albert Penello, group marketing manager for the Xbox 360, hinted to Kotaku this week that the hefty backwards compatibility update the system received in November could be its last. "I don't know if we have plans to do any more releases," he told the site. "It feels like we kind of hit the point of diminishing returns there."

Now, if you were the sort to assume the worst about giant corporations you could theorize that Microsoft realizes that every new back compat game lowers the chance of you buying the Xbox Originals version, which makes new additions less attractive. For our part, we're just depressed that Everything or Nothing still isn't BC. Anything you're still carrying the torch for?

[Via OXM UK]

Tags: backwards-compatability

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Korova @ Jan 10th 2008 1:00PM

I see what you did there.

Ripcord83 @ Jan 10th 2008 1:00PM

even if its the last, it still wont have my jedi outcast.
guess i have a new coaster then.

Leo-Jay @ Jan 10th 2008 1:01PM

I don't think I've actually used back-pat yet. I still have a perfectly functional XBox Classic, so I've really not found a point.

Jared @ Jan 10th 2008 1:02PM

Let's see...

Psi-Ops
Oddworld:Stranger's Wrath
Mortal Kombat:Shaolin Monks

Daniel D @ Jan 10th 2008 1:04PM

Wow I remember when a MS executive said "at some point in the future every xbox title backwards compatible and work on the xbox 360"

Not that I can blame them!

tim @ Jan 10th 2008 2:26PM

If Sony's killing theirs, Microsoft's probably not seeing much of an advantage either.

And besides, they'll sell you all your old favorites in their Xbox Originals store in due time. They'll make more money that way instead of investing money into BC.

Patrick @ Jan 10th 2008 2:32PM

the xbox originals have to run in back compat mode, they are just like having the disk so they have to be on the back compat list to become an original

konajinx @ Jan 10th 2008 1:05PM

I got all the games I wanted that were BC, and I never play any of them, so no loss here.

xFenixKnightx @ Jan 10th 2008 1:14PM

"and I never play any of them, so no loss here."

Same here.

Imadogg @ Jan 10th 2008 9:14PM

I never play Xbox original games or use BC, but just the fact that Microsoft promised something and now are backing out of it hurts. Cmon MS don't do that to us.

Still, there are far more important things not to be lying about, let's hope those stay true

Princess Skittles @ Jan 10th 2008 1:12PM

NOOO! ;_____;

jorojoserojas @ Jan 11th 2008 3:28AM

I agree. I have quite a library of games, and some unable to play now.

There has to be one more, especially considering how far along they've come. I went out and hunted down a 60GB PS3 just for BC...and now I guess ANOTHER part of my library is shot.

J.Goodwin @ Jan 10th 2008 1:13PM

I would take Penello's "comments to Kotaku" with more than a grain of salt. Already other comments that he made to Kotaku at CES have been refuted by Microsoft. It seems probable that he's talking out of his ass.

Particularly since there's money to be made on Xbox Originals, and the BC and Originals emulator are the selfsame piece of software.

There are already rumors that certain games not on the existing BC list are going to be included in the originals program this year, so healthy skepticism is the order of the day on this comment.

Cutriss @ Jan 10th 2008 1:14PM

Uh, the 360 is using the back-compat layer to run Xbox Originals, so this isn't cutting into the sales of Xbox Originals. More than anything, it's telling you what games you will or will not ever see on the marketplace.

It seems like so many people keep forgetting certain key bits of news regarding BC on the 360. Chronicles Of Riddick is not coming because the publisher wanted the game excluded since they're remaking it for the 360 right now. Everyone keeps complaining about the lack of support for MechAssault, but MechAssault won't ever be in BC because of the savegame exploits (see also 007: AUF and Splinter Cell).

Luke @ Jan 10th 2008 1:16PM

I still am waiting for the rest of the Prince of Persia series to go BC.

Rob Accomando @ Jan 10th 2008 1:17PM

I guess by the time I get around to playing older xbox titles someone will have emulated xbox on a pc.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Jan 10th 2008 1:28PM

All those xbox emulation projects have practically dried up. The emulation enthusiasts scene seems to have dried up in general.

ssuk @ Jan 10th 2008 3:15PM

It takes a while for the technology to become old-hat before emulation is really kicked into gear. Take the Megadrive, Megadrive emulation for the most part was flawed up until the KEGA emulator, Gens didn't actually reproduce MD emulation correctly, where as KEGA and the new KEGA Fusion emulators seek to strive for greater accuracy, and even then it didn't take until 2000~ to get that right... 10 years after the release of the console.
So... Patience, for there are many hurdles to jump. Especially with 3D consoles being even increasingly harder to emulate than 16 bit consoles.

Rob Accomando @ Jan 10th 2008 3:37PM

Yes, My point was: It will eventually happen.

IceKXG @ Jan 10th 2008 1:23PM

Let's see:

Otogi: Myth of Demons
Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath
Mechassault
Tenchu: Return From Darkness
and the rest of the Prince of Persia games.

yaksplat @ Jan 10th 2008 1:23PM

Damnit!! I want SSX Tricky to work in my 360.

Assassin @ Jan 10th 2008 1:24PM

I still want Capcom vs. SNK 2, SNK vs. Capcom Chaos, MK Shaolim Monks, and PSI Ops. At the very least, Capcom Vs. SNK 2!!! PLEASE MICROSOFT!!! PLEASE!!!

VampireHunter Z @ Jan 10th 2008 4:35PM

Capcom vs SNK 2 already works.

J.Goodwin @ Jan 11th 2008 6:36AM

It works, but it doesn't really work that well.

It is kind of annoying that these wish lists always include games that are already on the BC list though.

baby sea tuna @ Jan 10th 2008 1:25PM

Aw crap. Guess I'm never going to get to play Oddworld then, since one of my friends fried the DVD drive on my old Xbox. Same with Psi-Ops.

Grr.

Michael C. Sherrin @ Jan 10th 2008 1:26PM

It's annoying because games that's aren't backward compatible are unlike to get Xbox Original releases since they didn't sell that well (or is getting a next-gen remake a la Chronicles of Riddick). I'm pinning for Gunvalkyrie particularly.

*****

Michael C. Sherrin
http://www.prodigeek.com/

Dormammu @ Jan 10th 2008 2:44PM

I too was hoping for GUNVALKYRIE. It's the only one I was still waiting for.

Geoff @ Jan 10th 2008 1:30PM

Before my 360 gave up the ghost, I was holding out hope for Toejam & Earl III, and Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath.

Both 360 exclusives, both pretty good examples of what the system could do. Heck, TJ&E3 was the first Xbox title to offer any sort of Live connectivity. It had content download before the network was up and running. I remember waiting for Live to come online so I could download a level and some characters.

Leggo @ Jan 10th 2008 1:33PM

I'm still waiting on DOAX. The sequel sucked.

Hunting_phoenix @ Jan 10th 2008 1:33PM

The lack of BC on some games, actually about half of what I own, is one reason I don't buy a 360. There are other reasons, but this is one...

GunForHire @ Jan 10th 2008 1:36PM

As opposed to the 0% compatibility on PS3 (at least here in Europe where the only one you can get is the 40 gigger)?

JJ @ Jan 10th 2008 1:52PM

or you know... the option of getting the 20/60/80gb WITH BC... sure you may have to import it, but i'm srue if you try you can find a 60 or 80gb SOMEWHERE In europe... i mean after all, they didnt LAUNCH with the 40gb only.

Hunting_phoenix @ Jan 10th 2008 2:06PM

Don't get me wrong, I don't have a PS3 either! I never owned a GC, and now I have a Wii, and I play GC games as much as Wii games or VC on it. Likewise, I play GBA games on my DS, due to the better screen.

Backward Compatibility is a big selling point for me. But really, is it asking for too much to have BC without some games working and some not? Or having it in a console or not? Nintendo has been doing things right. MS and Sony have not lately. Too bad, Sony was right on with PS2 supporting PS1. :\

baby sea tuna @ Jan 10th 2008 2:46PM

I could see this being a real problem a year or two ago. Honestly though, BC is less and less of an important issue these days considering just how many good current-gen games are out now.

jorojoserojas @ Jan 11th 2008 3:28AM

@ JJ

In Europe, the Emotion Engine found in the US/Japanese 60GB PS3s were excluded, and all BC in Europe PS3s are software based. I prefer the actual Emotion Engine to software emulation, simply because it'll run any PS2/PS1 game just like your old console would...better, in fact, because it will slightly improve the appearance.

The problem with the 360 is this whole software based emulation crap that I can't stand, for situations just like this. I have several games that I probably won't be able to play again simply because they're giving up on this project.

I like my 360 slightly more than my PS3 right now, but that is one thing that I think Sony did right....and then they took it out.

hotnutz @ Jan 11th 2008 11:26PM

One of the reasons why I didn't buy a 360, I couldn't play the copies of Burnout I already owned. The 60GB launch PS3 I have is fully backwards compatible and I can play any new PS2 games that come out as well (and yes there are still some good PS2 games coming out - graphic whores need not reply).

BC on the PS3 is something the 360 will never come close to touching.

Seandizzle @ Jan 10th 2008 1:40PM

His comment about diminishing returns doesn't have anything to do with the Xbox Original. He's saying that they've already made such a large chunk of games compatible that adding a few more will not make much of a difference with consumers.

In other words, it was worth the work to get a good list going, but now that same amount of work would add relatively little to the user experience.

Kurifurisan @ Jan 10th 2008 1:41PM

oddworld Stranger's Wrath. I really hope this gets the BC treatment before they "wind down".

Joe Smith @ Jan 10th 2008 1:43PM

The comment about back compat vs. Xbox Originals makes no sense. Xbox Originals deoend on the back compat SW to run. If the DL game runs, then the disc version should run. The real reason not to bother doing more is that no one cares and it costs a lot of money to do new ones. I would guess that every time they change the emulator they have to regression test EVERY supported title again to make sure it doesn't break anything. After a while, it jsut can't be worth the money.

AneXus @ Jan 10th 2008 1:47PM

RalliSport Challange 2

Steve @ Jan 10th 2008 1:47PM

Four words-

BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL
BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL
BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL
BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL
BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL
BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL
BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL
BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL

generic @ Jan 10th 2008 5:27PM

Here! Here!

Some of the gaps on the list just blow my mind.

jorojoserojas @ Jan 11th 2008 3:30AM

One of my now unplayable games...

OTAM @ Jan 10th 2008 1:48PM

How about we fix the compatibility on certain games already? Fatal Frame 1 and 2 the 360 mysteriously deletes the game saves. Marvel vs Capcom 2 has terrible graphical glitches. Body parts of your characters will just disappear and turn into a giant white or pink box of static.

They need to work out the kinks on games better instead of buffing up their list. Especially a game like Fatal Frame where you can't even save.