Backwards Compatibility Backpedalling
Backwards Compatibility Backpedalling
Are you one of those people who splurged your hard-earned cash on a X-Box 360, knowing that while the launch line up wasn't hugely impressive, at least you'd be able to play some and ultimately all of your original X-Box games on it? Did you think that as there were two hundred or so games on Microsoft's initial backwards compatibility list, at least another hundred titles would be added within the space of, say, six months? Only to be massively disappointed when the list swelled by a grand total of about ten games? Well, tough luck. Microsoft has given a hearty 'screw you' to anyone planning on playing more than one in five games from their X-Box collection. And that's not just my kneejerk reaction fo the crappy backwards compatibility support that has, or rather hasn't, been forthcoming from Microsoft - it's their official line, too.
Don't believe me? Microsoft's head of entertainment Peter Moore recently took gave a presentation/interview and had the following to say about backwards compatibility...
'.. nobody is concerned anymore with backwards compatibility. We under promised and over delivered on backwards compatibility ... more are coming, but at some point you go Thats enough. I like to think weve upheld our end of the bargain in making at least what I believe are 200-some, maybe even 300 games backwards compatible.'
Under promised and over delivered? Maybe Mr Moore has forgotten just what Microsoft promised, which was that at the very least, the top-selling Xbox games would be compatible. Which, going by the various publicly available sales charts include Timesplitters 3, Soul Calibur 2, Project Gotham Racing 2, Def Jam: Fight for New York, The Sims and so forth, none of which run on the 360. Others, too, like Half-Life 2 and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic are so bugged as to be barely playable. There's a hell of a long way to go before Microsoft actually deliver on their promise, and yet it looks like they've completely washed their hands of it. Someone needs to tell Mr Moore that screwing over your customers is not generally a good idea.
Stupidity in gaming #406 - Black.
Scuse me, there. Yes, you, the one who's supposed to helping me through this game? Yes, you, the chick with the gun. Think you could actually try taking out that guy who's apparently got an infinite supply of rockets and is firing at me repeatedly? Yes, I'd rather be playing alongside a human character but the total absence of any co-op or multiplayer mode pretty much puts paid to that. You won't? Oh, that's right, now I remember. You're a goddamn moron with the intelligence of a piece of balsa wood. You just keep shooting at ants or rocks or whatever the hell it is you find so fascinating about the scenery and I'll just do the hard work.
Are you one of those people who splurged your hard-earned cash on a X-Box 360, knowing that while the launch line up wasn't hugely impressive, at least you'd be able to play some and ultimately all of your original X-Box games on it? Did you think that as there were two hundred or so games on Microsoft's initial backwards compatibility list, at least another hundred titles would be added within the space of, say, six months? Only to be massively disappointed when the list swelled by a grand total of about ten games? Well, tough luck. Microsoft has given a hearty 'screw you' to anyone planning on playing more than one in five games from their X-Box collection. And that's not just my kneejerk reaction fo the crappy backwards compatibility support that has, or rather hasn't, been forthcoming from Microsoft - it's their official line, too.
Don't believe me? Microsoft's head of entertainment Peter Moore recently took gave a presentation/interview and had the following to say about backwards compatibility...
'.. nobody is concerned anymore with backwards compatibility. We under promised and over delivered on backwards compatibility ... more are coming, but at some point you go Thats enough. I like to think weve upheld our end of the bargain in making at least what I believe are 200-some, maybe even 300 games backwards compatible.'
Under promised and over delivered? Maybe Mr Moore has forgotten just what Microsoft promised, which was that at the very least, the top-selling Xbox games would be compatible. Which, going by the various publicly available sales charts include Timesplitters 3, Soul Calibur 2, Project Gotham Racing 2, Def Jam: Fight for New York, The Sims and so forth, none of which run on the 360. Others, too, like Half-Life 2 and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic are so bugged as to be barely playable. There's a hell of a long way to go before Microsoft actually deliver on their promise, and yet it looks like they've completely washed their hands of it. Someone needs to tell Mr Moore that screwing over your customers is not generally a good idea.
Stupidity in gaming #406 - Black.
Scuse me, there. Yes, you, the one who's supposed to helping me through this game? Yes, you, the chick with the gun. Think you could actually try taking out that guy who's apparently got an infinite supply of rockets and is firing at me repeatedly? Yes, I'd rather be playing alongside a human character but the total absence of any co-op or multiplayer mode pretty much puts paid to that. You won't? Oh, that's right, now I remember. You're a goddamn moron with the intelligence of a piece of balsa wood. You just keep shooting at ants or rocks or whatever the hell it is you find so fascinating about the scenery and I'll just do the hard work.