Xbox One is not backwards compatible

http://www.polygon.com/2013/5/21/4349698/xbox-one-not-backward-compatible-xbox-360

It looks like one of the rumors that has been popping up from time to time has come to pass. Just like the PS4, the guts of the Xbox One makes it impossible to play 360 titles.

Real bummer right there.

Well, I know what system I'm getting come next gen: a PS3.

It makes sense given the architectural changes. It would be very difficult to emulate those games.

Good choice!

Well that's not surprising at all. I'm more worryed about this whole used game business. http://kotaku.com/the-xbox-is-not-always-online-but-seems-to-block-used-509077987

wait what?

no surprise

unfortunate though. I'd think all the XNA stuff should work. It's all managed code running on a software runtime interpreter right? Not porting that over seems pretty lazy.

no reason to stick with xbox then

That's fine with me, I don't care at all about backwards compatibility.

I already own a 360 so that's fine with me.

Didn't hear me complain when a bought a DVD player back in the day going "What do you mean it doesn't play VHS and Betamax tapes?!"

I can't think of any 360 games that I would want to play on the One anyway.

Also your Xbox 360 bursts into flames when you buy the new one!

I played zero xbox games on my 360 and I owned the original so it's not like I didn't have any lying around. Most people are so tired of this generation I think to a certain degree it's gotten to a "good riddance" mentality for this overly long generation.

I find it pretty unfortunate that potentially all the downloaded games I bought will be unplayable. I mean you guys could say "JUST USE YOUR 360 IDIOT!" all you want, but given the unreliability of that system and the eventually unplugging of Live from the 360s, how will you retain those purchases you have on that system?

Good. Microsoft shouldn't hamper the potential of their next system just to shove in BC when it isn't necessary. If you want to play old Xbox 360 games, play them there.

Now, if you want to worry about how long those games (especially digital downloads) will exist on that platform's service, I understand your concern. That is a different concern, however, than backwards compatibility.

you mean I can't play Jade Empire on the XBOX ONE?!?!?!?!

*RAGE*

Unfortunate.

I've built up quite a digital library of XBL Arcade games and always had the assumption that it would be a priority for next generation consoles to support those games, but ever since the PS4 conference opened my eyes on the matter I've completely stopped buying anything that I don't intend to play immediately from the PSN store and XBL. All my impulse purchases go to Steam now.

This copy of Perfect Dark Zero I have will be USELESS

At least with the PS4 they made mention that you might be able to stream your digital games through their streaming service or whatever, but still this kills any reason for me to buy digital games off these consoles anymore.

If backwards compatibility was going to be time consuming or expensive for them to put into Xbox One, then I'm glad they chose not to, since I already own a 360 and am not that interested in backwards compatibility. Some people are going to be really pissed, and maybe for somewhat valid reasons, but I'm all about them making the best system they can without having to think too much about the past.

This is the all digital future that everyone is clamoring for, where everything you buy is a rental that lasts only as long as they want it to.

I don't fucking care.

I've got a collection of 360 games and only like 3 PS3 games, so this is even more reason to switch to PS4 and just keep my 360. Stuff like cloud gaming, watching TV, and switching from app to app really quick doesn't really interest me because 90% of my console use is for games and the other 10% is to watch movies.

What will become of my copy of Singularity?

PS4 it is, then. Not out of any falling out with MS, just that I like to change it up when I can, and not being able to carry my games over means I'm free to go with Sony this time and just keep a 360 on hand.

PS4 for me.

I've got both a 360 and a PS3 and had already decided that I would be only buying one console (well, until the first serious price drops happen in a couple of years). The difference between them is that I have over 100 Xbox 360 games and just a couple of PS3 games. Backwards compatibility would have guaranteed that my next console purchase would have been the Xbox One; even though I'm becoming less enamoured with the direction the Dashboard has taken, as well as the payment for Xbox live when Sony's service is free. But now I'm to see which console has the games that I want to play.

Can I get off this time stream and go into a different future?

Silly people, it can't be backward compatible, it's the first one. It says so right in the name.

A service that undoubtedly will cost a fee. Whether it's baked in to the PSN+ subscription or not.

I think there's a pretty big difference in this generational leap. The original Xbox got swept under the rug. Vanished. Poof. 360s everywhere. Meanwhile Sony quickly back-pedalled on having the Emotion chip inside the PS3, and for years refused to acknowledge that a PS2 software emulator would happen. Now look at it, tons of PS2 classics on the store.

Conclusion: Microsoft still wants to sell 360s, like Sony sold PS2s well into the next cycle.

Edit: Look at this damn chart. What Microsoft executive wouldn't want to see the 360 have a line like the PS2? They have that momentum, it's not inconceivable, providing they keep the XBLA marketplace functional and publishers keep cross-gen releases available... and as the next message says, they drop the price in a hurry!

I see what you mean there, but if they want to keep selling 360s they better lower the price on it, because it is still ridiculous for what amounts to hardware that is probably over a decade old depending on when they started development on it. I know that it took forever for the PS2 to get to $100, but that needs to happen faster for the 360...maybe not that low but not still $300 for a console released 7 years ago.

Since both PS4 and One don't have BC, they're on equal playing ground. I have both PS3 and 360 anyway so it's really not that big of an issue to me. It just means it will be a long while before I purchase either a PS4 or One because the library will be starting from 0.

I understand that backward compatibility is a big deal for some, but I'm not going to lose sleep over it. I only have a handful of 360 games and if I ever do get the urge to play them again I'll just hook up my 360 again. I really don't see that happening, though.