backwards compatibility the order of the day

At long last the XBox 360, Playstation 3, and Nintendo Revolution have been revealed, their specs devoured, and flame wars commenced. Aside from the Revolution being the only one without high-definition support, what intrigues me the most about the next generation is backward compatibility. Indeed, every one of these consoles pledges support for games of its predecessor, though perhaps some more than others. The Playstation 2 boldly started this trend, effectively doubling the library of games available to Playstation 2 purchasers. Sony is continuing this with the PS3, and as a result my current allegiance in the oncoming battle is for this platform. The specs look incredible, and the mindshare is deeply entrenched allowing developers to feel cozy in the thought that their games are almost guaranteed to sell. This is no indicator of quality; rather, it is security knowing that most games will be released for this platform. I missed out on some great games on the PS2 for reasons mostly limited to my own stubbornness, and I'm fully prepared to play catch-up over the next couple of years.

Nintendo's shrinking set-top console library since the N64 could have used this tactic, but their insistence on using archaic forms of media denied this possibility. Comfortably secure in the handheld market, however, Nintendo has smartly allowed compatibility with Gameboy games on all future versions of their handheld hardware (including the DS). The Gamecube has been home to some fantastic games; perhaps the Revolution will assure enough high-calibre titles for gamers to invest in the platform and realize what they've overlooked. According to this press release, the Revolution will also have access to downloadable Nintendo classics from the N64, SNES, and NES, no doubt making up for previous lost opportunities. It is unknown what this is going to cost, though charging $19.99 for a 19 year old game certainly worked for them on the GBA.

Microsoft is taking a different approach with the XBox 360, stating that this new hardware will be "backward-compatible with top-selling Xbox games." Though what this actually means is anyone's guess. Microsoft being who they are you could assume this means Halo 1 and 2 and consider the matter closed.

Backwards compatibility is a good trend to continue, because nobody wants to accumulate old hardware just so they can play the classics. It's also a great way for gamers to educate themselves on a bit of gaming history - there's nothing more annoying than reviewers falsely proclaiming originality, and consumers being none the wiser. Though all this talk about backward compatibility as a "new" feature makes me wonder where everyone's been for the last 15 years. Once again I'm back to lamenting the neglect of the PC. Console manufacturers would never admit that's what they're trying to emulate, but that's the way it's going (and the price is going up to match). Online gaming capabilities, its inherent abilities as a media center, its graphical prowess, backwards compatibility - these are all things that the PC has always done, and has for a long time. I fail to see why marketers insist on labeling consoles as "entertainment" systems, when in fact all they're selling you is an over-designed computer.

it seems so out of context