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“If you’re backwards compatible, you’re really backwards.”
Not our words, but those of the president of Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business Don Mattrick.
Mattrick was discussing the subject of Xbox One’s backwards compatibility – or lack of – with the Wall Street Journal when he made the comment, where he suggested that the lack of support for Xbox 360 titles in Microsoft’s next-gen console isn’t as big a problem as has been made out.
In fact, Mattrick says, only 5 per cent of players play previous-generation games on new hardware.
Microsoft announced that it would not be implementing backwards compatibility with Xbox One during the console’s reveal last night – extending to players’ digital libraries, too.
Gamertags, achievements, avatars and Xbox LIVE profiles will be transferable to the new console, however.
Xbox One marks the first time Microsoft will have dropped backwards compatibility altogether with the launch of a new console. Xbox 360, which launched in November 2005, allowed for the playback of certain original Xbox titles.
Xbox One users will not be able to play multiplayer games with Xbox 360 users via cross-platform play either, Microsoft confirmed this morning.
Sony’s PlayStation 4 is not directly backwards compatible with previous-gen titles either, but the company has announced plans to offer back catalogue titles through cloud-based streaming services. Microsoft has yet to announce any similar service, or confirm whether or not such a service will be offered.
Are you part of the 5 per cent who would have liked to have been able to play Xbox 360 games on Xbox One? Let us know below.
Source: Wall Street Journal
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