xbox2 ps3 backwards compatability?

howard · Sep 6, 2004, 12:16 PM

I'm not sure if any of you will know this or if the companies making this products even know it yet, but what are the chances of these systems being backwards compatible with the current systems? I know ps2 can play ps 1 games. do think think ps3 and xbox2 will be able to play ps 2/ xbox1 games respectively?

iJon · Sep 6, 2004, 12:38 PM

i haven't read about the ps3, but my game obsessed friend said last time he read the xbox2 will not be backwards compatible. how much truth is behind that is beyond me. I really don't care cause i have all the systems anyways.

iJon

Chaszmyr · Sep 6, 2004, 12:46 PM

The companies making these products do NOT know yet. They want these consoles to be backwards compatible, but they don't know if it will be possible or not. These consoles are expected to use Blu-Ray discs, and current blu-ray players can not read DVDs or CDs. Whether or not these consoles are backwards compatible depends on how far the blu-ray technology comes between now and then.

Capt Underpants · Sep 6, 2004, 12:49 PM

FWIW, most rumors say that xbox 2 won't be backwards compatible. MS is supposedly using a PPC chip in the xbox 2, and they used an x86 chip in the xbox 1. I don't know what it would take to emulate the x86 architecture on a PPC chip.

Chaszmyr · Sep 6, 2004, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt Underpants

FWIW, most rumors say that xbox 2 won't be backwards compatible. MS is supposedly using a PPC chip in the xbox 2, and they used an x86 chip in the xbox 1. I don't know what it would take to emulate the x86 architecture on a PPC chip.

This is very true. I was aware that there are a lot of rumors that Xbox 2 wont be backwards compatible but this reasoning hadn't occurred to me.

More on the subject of my last post though, Sony has publicly said that they would like PS3 to be backwards compatible but do not yet know if it will be.

Ninja_Turtle · Sep 6, 2004, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howard

I'm not sure if any of you will know this or if the companies making this products even know it yet, but what are the chances of these systems being backwards compatible with the current systems? I know ps2 can play ps 1 games. do think think ps3 and xbox2 will be able to play ps 2/ xbox1 games respectively?

this is probably one of the stupidest things i have ever heard...sorry no offense, but yeah, sony isnt going to make backwards compatability with ms, i mean seriously, do you really think thats possible? if so , there wouldnt be any competition and why would they make backwards compatability with each system? wouldnt it be better just to make a system that plays both games? sorry but i just find that kinda stupid...

iJon · Sep 6, 2004, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninja_Turtle

this is probably one of the stupidest things i have ever heard...sorry no offense, but yeah, sony isnt going to make backwards compatability with ms, i mean seriously, do you really think thats possible? if so , there wouldnt be any competition and why would they make backwards compatability with each system? wouldnt it be better just to make a system that plays both games? sorry but i just find that kinda stupid...

Maybe "you" should read a little bit better. We all obviously knew he was talking about the game systems and their previous versions, not inter-working with other systems.

iJon

Jimong5 · Sep 6, 2004, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt Underpants

FWIW, most rumors say that xbox 2 won't be backwards compatible. MS is supposedly using a PPC chip in the xbox 2, and they used an x86 chip in the xbox 1. I don't know what it would take to emulate the x86 architecture on a PPC chip.

I don't know, but perhaps this was one of the motivating factors into buying virtual PC? add support for just 1 model of graphics card shouldn't be too hard, if they program it right, i is possible. I believe a tri-core G5 at 3 GHz could easily do a 733 Pentium 3. same goes with the PS2 being only 350 MHz or so. I wonder if nintendo's console will also be backwards compatible (if they even make one) should be easiest for them.. they already are on a PPC platform.

OnceUGoMac · Sep 6, 2004, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninja_Turtle

this is probably one of the stupidest things i have ever heard...sorry no offense, but yeah, sony isnt going to make backwards compatability with ms, i mean seriously, do you really think thats possible? if so , there wouldnt be any competition and why would they make backwards compatability with each system? wouldnt it be better just to make a system that plays both games? sorry but i just find that kinda stupid...

Get a dictionary and look up the word "repectively". Perhaps, it won't seem stupid after that, unless you really cannot comprehend it. In that case...

Anarchy99 · Sep 6, 2004, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimong5

a tri-core G5 at 3 GHz could easily do a 733 Pentium 3.

the diagrams etc. that said it was a tri-core 3.5 ghz machine were confirmed wrong some people claimed the specs were close to what those where but it wont be tri-core ibm has no plans to release a tri-core machine even close to this things time frame it is suppose to have the ppc970 mp its a dual core processor it would make sense cause supposedly apple was getting these made shipped and that in august and will use them in early to mid 2005 in machines so ms getting them and using them for the xbox2 and having it ready in late 2005 as planned is feasible

Jimong5 · Sep 6, 2004, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anarchy99

the diagrams etc. that said it was a tri-core 3.5 ghz machine were confirmed wrong some people claimed the specs were close to what those where...

well still, whatever is inside it should be more than enough than whats needed.

TDM21 · 05:52 PM

just to throw in some information:

GameSpy.com has an article that covers everything that is known about the Xbox 2 at this link.

I really like what they say here on pg 2

Quote:

No matter what Microsoft decides to do in regards to backwards compatibility, it's almost set in stone that the new console will feature the PowerPC processor. In fact, the development kits being sent out to developers are reportedly little more than heavily modded Macintosh G5s, with software installed to emulate the new console. Raise your hand if you think Steve Jobs and his pals at Apple are getting a kick out of that little fact.

James L · Sep 6, 2004, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninja_Turtle

this is probably one of the stupidest things i have ever heard...sorry no offense, but yeah, sony isnt going to make backwards compatability with ms, i mean seriously, do you really think thats possible? if so , there wouldnt be any competition and why would they make backwards compatability with each system? wouldnt it be better just to make a system that plays both games? sorry but i just find that kinda stupid...

Original question seemed clear enough to me.

cubist · Sep 6, 2004, 09:57 PM

One article I read said that Microsoft did research which showed that backwards compatibility was a factor in fewer than 10% of the purchase decisions of game consoles.

Historically, backward compatibility has never been available. The Atari 5200 did not play 2600 games. The 7800 did (but who bought one?). The Nintendo 64 did not play the previous model's games, and the Game Cube does not play Nintendo 64 games.

The sole modern example is the Playstation 2 playing Playstation games. In our case, we bought the PS2 because it would play our existing PS games; we would not have bought it if it didn't. While I'd agree that fewer than 10% of PS2 buyers bought machines because of their existing game library, I still think it's a mistake to dismiss that as insignificant.

Kingsnapped · Sep 6, 2004, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cubist

::snip::
The sole modern example is the Playstation 2 playing Playstation games. In our case, we bought the PS2 because it would play our existing PS games; we would not have bought it if it didn't. While I'd agree that fewer than 10% of PS2 buyers bought machines because of their existing game library, I still think it's a mistake to dismiss that as insignificant.

You're forgetting about every game boy ever made. I consider those quite modern. Even the upcoming Nintendo DS will be able to play stuff as early as Super Mario Land and Tetris.

G-Prime · Sep 6, 2004, 11:10 PM

Actually the Nintendo DS will only be able to Gameboy Advance games not the older Nintendo Gameboy and Gameboy Color games.

Kingsnapped · Sep 6, 2004, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G-Prime

Actually the Nintendo DS will only be able to Gameboy Advance games not the older Nintendo Gameboy and Gameboy Color games.

Hm.. never heard that. Got a link?

Sep 6, 2004, 12:16 PM	#1
howard macrumors 68000 Join Date: Nov 2002	xbox2 ps3 backwards compatability? I'm not sure if any of you will know this or if the companies making this products even know it yet, but what are the chances of these systems being backwards compatible with the current systems? I know ps2 can play ps 1 games. do think think ps3 and xbox2 will be able to play ps 2/ xbox1 games respectively? __________________ Check out my new EP, its acoustic with a touch electric, mellow, a little folky, indie rock/pop.

Sep 6, 2004, 12:49 PM	#4
Capt Underpants macrumors 68020 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Austin, Texas	FWIW, most rumors say that xbox 2 won't be backwards compatible. MS is supposedly using a PPC chip in the xbox 2, and they used an x86 chip in the xbox 1. I don't know what it would take to emulate the x86 architecture on a PPC chip. __________________ come on come on it's the end of the world

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Sep 6, 2004, 12:38 PM	#2
iJon macrumors 601 Join Date: Feb 2002	i haven't read about the ps3, but my game obsessed friend said last time he read the xbox2 will not be backwards compatible. how much truth is behind that is beyond me. I really don't care cause i have all the systems anyways. iJon

Sep 6, 2004, 12:46 PM	#3
Chaszmyr macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Boulder, CO	The companies making these products do NOT know yet. They want these consoles to be backwards compatible, but they don't know if it will be possible or not. These consoles are expected to use Blu-Ray discs, and current blu-ray players can not read DVDs or CDs. Whether or not these consoles are backwards compatible depends on how far the blu-ray technology comes between now and then.

Sep 6, 2004, 09:57 PM	#14
cubist macrumors 68000 Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Muncie, Indiana	One article I read said that Microsoft did research which showed that backwards compatibility was a factor in fewer than 10% of the purchase decisions of game consoles. Historically, backward compatibility has never been available. The Atari 5200 did not play 2600 games. The 7800 did (but who bought one?). The Nintendo 64 did not play the previous model's games, and the Game Cube does not play Nintendo 64 games. The sole modern example is the Playstation 2 playing Playstation games. In our case, we bought the PS2 because it would play our existing PS games; we would not have bought it if it didn't. While I'd agree that fewer than 10% of PS2 buyers bought machines because of their existing game library, I still think it's a mistake to dismiss that as insignificant.

Sep 6, 2004, 11:10 PM	#16
G-Prime macrumors member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Mountain View, CA	Actually the Nintendo DS will only be able to Gameboy Advance games not the older Nintendo Gameboy and Gameboy Color games.