Backwards Compatibility Integral to the Future of Gaming?

[Grifter]

Next Generation recently asked developers how important they felt backwards Compatibility is in the next generation of console gaming and has posted the top two answers (http://i'll%20be%20home%20until%205:30%20on%20Tuesday%20i f%20you%20want%20to%20stop%20by%20and%20see%20Ivy. August%20is%20up%20north%20at%20a%20cabin%20with%2 0Rae%20Ann%20and%20her%20sister./) which come from Ricardo Sanchez VP of content at Gametap and Aaron Ruby co-author of Smart Bomb.

Ricardo Sanchez: Let me, give you an example of how Sony and their publishers could really take advantage of the new system. Start re-releasing PS1 and PS2 titles. We could even re-release box sets of all the PS1 and 2 Tomb Raider games for example. Market them as classics. Use space saving boxes the way the DVD market has. Add in, in the case of Sony, a documentary or special edition type bonus disc on Blu-ray DVD.Personally I have never cared about backwards compatibility but then again I have never really looked at it from the perspective of a casual gamer or the main stream market. Very good read, it has definitely changed my opinion of BC and the potential it has to better this industry.

[Evil Avatar]

Eidos Interactive is already going to do this:

Eidos Interactive, one of the world's leading publishers and developers of entertainment software, confirms today that they are developing a special '10th Anniversary Edition' of Tomb Raider.

The new game is being developed by Crystal Dynamics, who recently launched Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend on Xbox 360, PS2, Xbox, PC and PSP, with versions on Nintendo DS, GBA and GameCube later in 2006.

"Our '10th Anniversary Edition' of Tomb Raider, is a one-off title to celebrate both Lara and Tomb Raider, it will appeal not only to the loyal fans of the Tomb Raider series but will also attract a totally new audience." Said Larry Sparks, Head of Brands Management at Eidos.

Tomb RaiderT originally launched in 1996 and is still one of the best selling videogame franchises of all time, with over 30 million copies sold.

The special '10th Anniversary Edition' of Tomb Raider will be available on PlayStation 2, PSP and PC.

[gzsfrk]

Read my lips (err... keys), Sony--I am NOT going to pay you ANYTHING to re-buy my old games again.

Not that all of the points made in this article were invalid, but the part about re-packaging old games and selling them for the modern console has far less to do with BC than it does with squeezing ever more money out of your back-catalog.

[gzsfrk]

Eidos Interactive is already going to do this:

Is Eidos planning on releasing all the games in their original format, and letting the BC of the PS2 handle running the games, or are they upconverting the older titles to be native PS2?

[Returner]

I still don't give a shit about BC.

[Dabombpizza]

Never cared about BC (except in the case of Wii, but that's only because it's content delivery as well). Now if you want to take your old games, update the textures, add some bonuses, and then rerelease them for around $20, I'm there! Gimme some Vargrant Story: Director's Cut

[rjcc]

What does his comment have to do with BC?

If they're going to repackage all the gmaes and put them on a Blu-ray disc anyway, they'd have to make some changesy anyway I think. Plus, how the fuck does that benefit gamers, where thy want us to rebuy our old titles in new special limited edition boxed sets?

That works great in movies, FOR THE STUDIOS, cuz they rerelease a special edition with one more commentary track every year.

not so great for the consumers.

[Royal Fool]

Don't forget, this is coming from the "VP of content at GameTap". That should tell you something.

[Citizen Philip]

Sounds like an interesting idea: selling complete series of older titles.

[Heretic Machine]

I don't see how you can't care about BC if you consider yourself a gamer... Does your NES still work? Because mine doesn't. I have a huge box full of NES games that I can't use because my NES stopped working many years ago. My SNES is in bad shape, and my Genesis wasn't even working when I got a PS1 (the first controller port stopped working). Our consoles aren't going to last forever, and yes I still enjoy playing old games. Luckily the PC can emulate pretty much anything given time.

Now what happens when my XBOX breaks down a few years from now? Am I just never going to play the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer game again? Or will I have to wait for the amateur emulators catch up once again?

Good games don't die of old age.

[Snowmit]

It's not for "re-buying" games. It's for all those of us who never bought whatever game for the first time in the first place. I think it's awesome and hilarious when hardcore gamers who still have every system working and hooked up in their living rooms complain about companies re-releasing old stuff. THOSE GAMES AREN'T FOR YOU, YOU ALREADY OWN THEM. It's for people who never played them or people who don't own the old systems anymore and miss their favourites from when they were younger.

The idea of re-releasing back catalogues isn't new either. Check out all the collections of classic games, or collections of various franchises that have come out for this generation not to mention all of the GBA ports of Nintendo games or all of the promised Live Arcade and Nintendo Wii downloadable content of classics.

There is a rich history of games and as someone who wasn't necessarily there for all of it the first time around, I'm happy and excited that companies are thinking about bringing old games to the new systems.

[timmyd]

How can people not want BC? Of course, your Mom's basement is big enough to stuff all your old consoles in front of the TV. But then you have to yell at her everytime she dusts and accidently unplugs one of them.

[Khash]

What does his comment have to do with BC?

If they're going to repackage all the gmaes and put them on a Blu-ray disc anyway, they'd have to make some changesy anyway I think. Plus, how the fuck does that benefit gamers, where thy want us to rebuy our old titles in new special limited edition boxed sets?

That works great in movies, FOR THE STUDIOS, cuz they rerelease a special edition with one more commentary track every year.

not so great for the consumers.
Why is it a problem for the consumers, exactly? Clearly there is a demand for special editions/box sets for movies. Why not release special editions of games with similar extras(making of's ect.)

One thing that really made God of War a special game was its DVD-like extras. I'd love to see more games do the same.

[EternalGamer]

Um, the point he was making with the special packages is that purchasers of the new console would have the OPTION to buy special compilations that have 3-5 PS2 or PS1 games packaged together. If you already still own all of these, why would you assume they were marketing them towards you? You could already play them on your PS3. The point is that it can expand the life of older console games and make them available indefinitely.

Personally I would love to see compilations of say, all the Crash Bandicoot games, Tomb Raiders, Twisted Metals, Jak & Daxters, Sly Coopers, Resident Evils, Silent Hills, Metal Gears etc. for around $20-$30 for the entire series. Anyone with either a PS2 or a PS3 would be able to play them, so there would be a huge potential market and since the reprint wouldn't even require any new formatting, it would allow for those types of prices since it's almost complete profit for the publishers.

Currently the industry has a huge problem with the shelf life of product. PLenty of people go to Best Buy to buy a 20-30 year old film. But who goes to buy a game that is even over a year old? This might also be a good way to expand the life of titles, taking some of the burden off of early adopters (i.e. us) and driving prices as a whole down. If publishers will be able to stock their product indefinitely, then they won't necessarily have to charge $50 a pop just to maximize the profits of the first three months--the only time when a game typically sells.


So many of you here seem so blinded with your "Pro-Microsoft/Anti-Sony" blinders, that you implicitly interpellate every story into that tired polemic. How about we talk about the subject at hand instead of just giving whatever stock response supports your console of choice.

[Skjef]

I probably wouldn't have picked up a DS Lite if it wasn't compatible with GBA games. I don't own any of the previous Gameboy iterations, so for me it's not really 'backwards' compatability, but for a small increase in the console price, you gain access to a cheap and plentiful library of excellent (and not-so-excellent) games.

Backwards compatability kicks ass.

[Royal Fool]

Um, the point he was making with the special packages is that purchasers of the new console would have the OPTION to buy special compilations that have 3-5 PS2 or PS1 games packaged together. If you already still own all of these, why would you assume they were marketing them towards you? You could already play them on your PS3. The point is that it can expand the life of older console games and make them available indefinitely.

Personally I would love to see compilations of say, all the Crash Bandicoot games, Tomb Raiders, Twisted Metals, Jak & Daxters, Sly Coopers, Resident Evils, Silent Hills, Metal Gears etc. for around $20-$30 for the entire series. Anyone with either a PS2 or a PS3 would be able to play them, so there would be a huge potential market and since the reprint wouldn't even require any new formatting, it would allow for those types of prices since it's almost complete profit for the publishers.

Currently the industry has a huge problem with the shelf life of product. PLenty of people go to Best Buy to buy a 20-30 year old film. But who goes to buy a game that is even over a year old? This might also be a good way to expand the life of titles, taking some of the burden off of early adopters (i.e. us) and driving prices as a whole down. If publishers will be able to stock their product indefinitely, then they won't necessarily have to charge $50 a pop just to maximize the profits of the first three months--the only time when a game typically sells.


So many of you here seem so blinded with your "Pro-Microsoft/Anti-Sony" blinders, that you implicitly interpellate every story into that tired polemic. How about we talk about the subject at hand instead of just giving whatever stock response supports your console of choice.
Finally, someone got the fucking point. You get a box of cookies.

[Spigot]

Currently the industry has a huge problem with the shelf life of product. PLenty of people go to Best Buy to buy a 20-30 year old film. But who goes to buy a game that is even over a year old? This might also be a good way to expand the life of titles, taking some of the burden off of early adopters (i.e. us) and driving prices as a whole down. If publishers will be able to stock their product indefinitely, then they won't necessarily have to charge $50 a pop just to maximize the profits of the first three months--the only time when a game typically sells.
This is exactly what bothers me about the game industry of today. I feel compelled to buy a game around the time it comes out because you never know when it will be discontinued and unavailable anywhere but Ebay (at least with the more niche products).

Backwards compatability will let someone who, say, picks up MGS4 without ever owning a console catch up on what they've missed. We, as gamers, tend to forget that there are people who will be new to the console world with the next batch of systems just as there were new people with the current batch and the batch prior to this. These future gamers would do well to have access to the library that went before them without having to track down 18 different systems to play them on. In parallels to movies, you don't have to buy different players to play old movies on. You just get the industry standard (in this case, DVD's) and you can watch the old movies (assuming they've been revamped for the new technology).

I think that in the case of the collections, as mentioned in the articles, it would even be nice for those of us who do own the previous versions as they can include things like designer commentary, behind the scenes footage and other stuff.

[rjcc]

So in your opinion, it's better to go pick up the rerelease premium packs at full price, thna to cop a used game off of ebay for $5?

whatever works for you.

as to the problems with special editions, there's nothing wrong with it.....until they release the NEXT superjumbo special edition. as I said, they add one more commentary and nothing else, but you can't buy it without buying the pack. and they rerelease the same movie many many times. If you don't understand how that is frustrating, and is actually causing people to stop buying DVDs becuase they know they'll just come out later with a super dooper special edition, the movie studios are exhausting the DVD market this way and have admitted as much. It's not a good trend.

[Heretic Machine]

So in your opinion, it's better to go pick up the rerelease premium packs at full price, thna to cop a used game off of ebay for $5?

whatever works for you.

as to the problems with special editions, there's nothing wrong with it.....until they release the NEXT superjumbo special edition. as I said, they add one more commentary and nothing else, but you can't buy it without buying the pack. and they rerelease the same movie many many times. If you don't understand how that is frustrating, and is actually causing people to stop buying DVDs becuase they know they'll just come out later with a super dooper special edition, the movie studios are exhausting the DVD market this way and have admitted as much. It's not a good trend.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Disgaea-Hour-of-Darkness-PS2-Playstation-2-New_W0QQitemZ104752508122QQcategoryZ62053QQrdZ1QQc mdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Suikoden-II-NTSC-Rare_W0QQitemZ104751487079QQcategoryZ11056QQrdZ1QQ cmdZViewItem

You're the worst new poster since Nichols.

[EternalGamer]

Your talking about the videogame industry exhausting a trend that hasn't even started yet. Wow. Way to slippery slope your way into dismissing an idea because it might get overused in the future.

As for finding old games, well, if you intend to buy th entire series, that would quickly become way more expensive than buying a $30-$40 compilation. And good luck finding some of the titles still in decent condition.

[Spigot]

Your talking about the videogame industry exhausting a trend that hasn't even started yet. Wow. Way to slippery slope your way into dismissing an idea because it might get overused in the future.

As for finding old games, well, if you intend to buy th entire series, that would quickly become way more expensive than buying a $30-$40 compilation. And good luck finding some of the titles still in decent condition.
Exactly. Sure, you MIGHT be able to find a used copy of a rare game from an old series on Ebay and it MIGHT be priced at less than $80 and it MIGHT be in a non-scratched condition that will work on your game system du jour.

Or you can go out, buy a compilation pack for less than the cost of one original old game AND get the bonus stuff.

Sure, it will be annoying if they start re-re-rereleasing stuff. The point is that they can say, "Hey, here's Tomb Raider: Old Crone Edition. If you want to see all of Lara's adventures from her late teens to her mid-70's, pick up the Tomb Raider: From Pixels To Bumpmapping compilation pack."

They wouldn't necessarily have to keep pumping out compilation packs because they'd already have one. The only time they'd really need to do this would be when the PS4/XBox720/Nintendo Glorp comes out, at which point they could then bundle in even more games and extras.

We need to try to preserve the gaming history we have and appreciate where we've come from as both an industry and consumer base. It's sad when I fire up an 'ancient' game from 1999 on my PC and wonder why it even works. I watch movies from the 80's on a semi-regular basis and don't discount them just because they're old.

Just imagine being able to reintroduce classic adventure games to a new audience without having to either track down old NES cartridges or use dosbox?

(By the way, go download the KQ3 remake. Appreciate the gaming goodness. Wonder what ever happened to the Sierra of old.)

[Spigot]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Disgaea-Hour-of-Darkness-PS2-Playstation-2-New_W0QQitemZ104752508122QQcategoryZ62053QQrdZ1QQc mdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Suikoden-II-NTSC-Rare_W0QQitemZ104751487079QQcategoryZ11056QQrdZ1QQ cmdZViewItem

You're the worst new poster since Nichols.
Boy, am I ever glad I picked those both up cheap. Of course, my Suikoden 2 disc has a scratch that renders it unplayable after 30 hours, but it's still a lot of fun.

[bone_matrix]

At first, I didn't like the idea of companies re-releasing their games. I mean, I have the games, the old systems, and a gamestore that sells old used games for cheap.

I then read the responses, and understood. They aren't doing it for me, its for the people that don't have the games or systmes, or have just never played them.

See, my problem is, I see new kids play games, and have no respect for them. They never played Super Mario Bros. They wouldn't know a good 2D sidescroller if it bit them in their asses. But then I realize I'm growing up to become a bitter old man. And I'm only 23. :D

So I say go for it Developers!!! Do it Publishers! Make them cheap, and make people remember what great gaming was like years ago.

And I'm spent.

[Spigot]

At first, I didn't like the idea of companies re-releasing their games. I mean, I have the games, the old systems, and a gamestore that sells old used games for cheap.

I then read the responses, and understood. They aren't doing it for me, its for the people that don't have the games or systmes, or have just never played them.

See, my problem is, I see new kids play games, and have no respect for them. They never played Super Mario Bros. They wouldn't know a good 2D sidescroller if it bit them in their asses. But then I realize I'm growing up to become a bitter old man. And I'm only 23. :D

So I say go for it Developers!!! Do it Publishers! Make them cheap, and make people remember what great gaming was like years ago.
Yay! Someone who gets it!

It's not like they're forcing us to buy the games again. I still wish that something like the Wii virtual console would allow you to put in the serial numbers of any old NES/SNES/N64 games that you own for those of us who have been collecting them lo these many years.

For those who have the games, don't bother buying them again. Enjoy them as is. But give the people new to the scene the opportunity to enjoy the oldies.

Imagine someone who just started watching movies this year only having access to the movies that have come out since 2000. That's a scary thought. Why is this an acceptable attitude when it comes to videogames?

[Heretic Machine]

Boy, am I ever glad I picked those both up cheap. Of course, my Suikoden 2 disc has a scratch that renders it unplayable after 30 hours, but it's still a lot of fun.

I picked up a used copy of Disgaea from a friend last semester. Costed me about $30-$40 I believe. At the time Disgaea's price had dropped because appearently more copies entered circulation somehow, but it has gone back up again since then.

[Imelman]

I think this helps consumers because it might give new gamers the appreciation for old games that most old gamers share which will create a greater demand for high quality gaming experiences rather than progressively prettier explosions. This benefits the consumer because better games would then be introduced into the market to meet the demand, developers would gain some profit from the old games that they are reselling (rather than joe shmoe on eBay getting the money), and anyone who already has the rereleased games or doesn't want the rereleased games wouldn't have to buy them. Remember nobody's forcing YOU to rebuy a game you already have, but there is a market for people who's games have broken or who regret never buying certian games when they came out.

[The Vidiot]

as to the problems with special editions, there's nothing wrong with it.....until they release the NEXT superjumbo special edition.
…
If you don't understand how that is frustrating, and is actually causing people to stop buying DVDs becuase they know they'll just come out later with a super dooper special edition, the movie studios are exhausting the DVD market this way and have admitted as much. It's not a good trend.
Wait a minute…you are frustrated when you buy something, because you’re afraid that a better version will come out later? If that’s your mentality, then you must not own…well, anything.

“What a waste! I bought this cool Nintendo 64, and then they came out with a new Nintendo system only five years later! Lame!”

“Aw man, I just bought this car, and just one year later they came out with a BETTER one! Mine is a year old, but this other one is NEW!”

“Have you seen those new plump, juicy oranges? I can’t believe I wasted my money on that one scrawny orange twelve years ago.”

Repeat ad nauseum.

[The Vidiot]

But give the people new to the scene the opportunity to enjoy the oldies.
I’ve been playing video games since the Atari 2600, but I missed the Nintendo generation entirely. Since I got by Game Boy Advance, I have gone back and completed Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, and 3, Super Mario World, and Yoshi’s Island. I also have Super Mario 64 on tap, as well as Super Mario RPG. But you know, getting all those through a virtual console would have been a lot easier.

Next up: Metroid and Zelda.

[Phanto]

Well I can only said that these "next gen" consoles should have full backwards compatibility, these next gen consoles support online capabilities and games, "media center", storage, wireless controller e.c.t but no full backward compatibility at all we all know that they since last console generation they could just get backward compatibility like PS2 with not now?

[Imelman]

Well I can only said that these "next gen" consoles should have full backwards compatibility, these next gen consoles support online capabilities and games, "media center", storage, wireless controller e.c.t but no full backward compatibility at all we all know that they since last console generation they could just get backward compatibility like PS2 with not now?

Do you read your posts before you click the submit button?

[Heretic Machine]

Well I can only said that these "next gen" consoles should have full backwards compatibility, these next gen consoles support online capabilities and games, "media center", storage, wireless controller e.c.t but no full backward compatibility at all we all know that they since last console generation they could just get backward compatibility like PS2 with not now?

Because Sony could package the PS1 hardware with the PS2 hardware, and will now be packaging PS2 hardware with the PS3 hardware. This wasn't an option with the XBOX 360. I don't even blame Microsoft for a lack of 100% compatability, I understand the issues involved. But the current state of BC on the 360, and the lack of updates, is just unacceptable. They've done the bare minimum that they thought they could get by with, and no more. That does not build loyalty with me.

The value of customer loyalty is debatable, I suppose, but I doubt Nintendo would be around today if not for customer loyalty. I doubt the PS2 would of been such a success without customer loyalty. And I don't think the XBOX brand is going to go on to a bright future without customer loyalty.

[The Vidiot]

Do you read your posts before you click the submit button?
I think that it’s an important question, one that should have been asked a long time ago: Why they since last console generation they could just get backward compatibility like PS2 with not now?

Why indeed. Kudos to you sir! Don’t let Imelman tease you; You ask the questions that others dare not consider.

[Steele Johnson]

One of the great things about BC is that my friend who now owns a 360 and never owned an xbox can borrow my old xbox games and play them on his system.

Yes, BC is a good thing.

[Spigot]

Why indeed. Kudos to you sir! Don’t let Imelman tease you; You ask the questions that others dare not consider.
And he parses them in such a way that none dare comprehend!

I think the handheld systems (GBA/DS especially) really helped Nintendo. Anyone who doubts that these theoretical collector's edition compilation packs would sell need look only to the success of the various Mario, Metroid and Zelda rereleases on the GBA/DS, not to mention the various remakes of Final Fantasy, etc.

[Pumped'Up]

BC rocks.

Funny how Microsoft and Nintendo have copied Sony on this. Funnier how Microsoft did such a hack job with the 360 BC so that it has a fighting chance against the superior functional value PS3.

Sony FTW.

[sonysyndicate]

BC rocks.

Funny how Microsoft and Nintendo have copied Sony on this. Funnier how Microsoft did such a hack job with the 360 BC so that it has a fighting chance against the superior functional value PS3.

Sony FTW.

If it was not for backwards compatability I would never turn on my Xbox 360.

[The Vidiot]

Funny how Microsoft and Nintendo have copied Sony on this.
If you want to get technical, Sony copied Nintendo, since the Game Boy Color was backwards-compatible with Game Boy games. Or if you want to get really technical, the Atari 7800 was backwards-compatible with the Atari 2600.

The point being: Sony didn’t invent backwards compatibility.

[Demo_Boy]

How is selling 20 bux worth of shovelware gonna leverage BC? Does this mean Midway treasures on XBOX is a craft example of BC? I dont think so.

[Deathbane27]

"Backwards-compatibility is great, because it allows us to re-release our back catalogue without the bother of updating! I mean, if we were re-making the game, we'd be obligated to at least fix this glaring bug here since we have to port the code anyway, but this way, we can sit back and let the publishers do all the work!"

[Pumped'Up]

If you want to get technical, Sony copied Nintendo, since the Game Boy Color was backwards-compatible with Game Boy games. Or if you want to get really technical, the Atari 7800 was backwards-compatible with the Atari 2600.

The point being: Sony didn’t invent backwards compatibility.
Hmmm, I think there's a slight difference in complexity between GB games and PS1 games. I don't know about 7800 games...were they run on a CRAY at the time?

[rjcc]

????

I didn't make up the trend. THEY are the ones saying they want to follow the movie model. The movie model clearly sucks ass. If you don't want ot admit that, fine. If you really think that super rare game you can't find anywhere is suddenly gonig to become available again on storeshelves, then you're a fucking moron. They could put those game back out right now. You didn't sega genesis backwards compatibility to get the sonic compilations put out. They will put out games that did great in the marketplace, aand can STILL be found everywhere for the lazy mom at wal-mart, not the game you couldn't even find when it came out 5 years ago.

keep living in a fantasy world.

[rjcc]

"Backwards-compatibility is great, because it allows us to re-release our back catalogue without the bother of updating! I mean, if we were re-making the game, we'd be obligated to at least fix this glaring bug here since we have to port the code anyway, but this way, we can sit back and let the publishers do all the work!"

QFT

this isn't about giving gamers what they want.

[sanatos]

It's not so bad. I'm not much a one for backwards compatability because I just hang onto my old consoles. My baby SNES still works, and I've heard that some parts are actually still warrenteed (here's hoping that's true). Ports, on the other hand, are good for both the hardcore and the casual gamer. Back in the day my family wasn't so well-off, so it was rare that we'd actually buy a game. We would go rent stuff most of the time instead. A lot of my childhood favorites, like Chrono Trigger, half of the good stuff on the Saturn, and other old school classics, I never actually owned a copy of. Unfortunately, a lot of these titles are rare and expensive. Rereleasing gives me a chance to play them again and today's kids a really awesome experience, as long as they haven't been spoiled too rotten by today's modern super-games.

[Kagger]

Read my lips (err... keys), Sony--I am NOT going to pay you ANYTHING to re-buy my old games again.

Not that all of the points made in this article were invalid, but the part about re-packaging old games and selling them for the modern console has far less to do with BC than it does with squeezing ever more money out of your back-catalog.

Ok, that depends.

We owned Mega Man 2 and 3, and have 1 on loan. Now...our NES is totally fudged, can harldy play it. I LOVED Mega Man Anniversary Collection, it was amazing, a great great game. (never could beat 7...didn't play 8 yet). Now...lets look at X collection. I had completed 1, but 2 and 3 for the SNES (which work), were both $50 and $100. And, it included the 4-6, so I didn't have to go out and find those and waste ps1 memory card space. I'll be playing those later this summer. $30 for each, a steal.

Or, what Madden did. For 10 extra bucks, you could purchase 3 older maddens. If you love Madden, that was a great way to play 2 really old versions, and like 2001.

[Cyrano]

Also, I hate it when record companies release box sets of old recordings on CD. I already have all those recordings on vinyl! How dare they! Doesn't everyone have an old turntable, reel-to-reel and 8-track hooked up?

If anyone doesn't like the idea of publishers re-releasing old games, he doesn't have to buy them. And to whoever made the comment before, yes, Midway Arcade Treasures is indeed an excellent example of a classic compilation.

[Johan]

I don't see how you can't care about BC if you consider yourself a gamer... Does your NES still work? Because mine doesn't. I have a huge box full of NES games that I can't use because my NES stopped working many years ago. My SNES is in bad shape, and my Genesis wasn't even working when I got a PS1 (the first controller port stopped working). Our consoles aren't going to last forever, and yes I still enjoy playing old games. Luckily the PC can emulate pretty much anything given time.

Now what happens when my XBOX breaks down a few years from now? Am I just never going to play the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer game again? Or will I have to wait for the amateur emulators catch up once again?

Good games don't die of old age.

I couldn't have said it better...totally agree and appreciate your putting it in words.

[The Vidiot]

THEY are the ones saying they want to follow the movie model. The movie model clearly sucks ass.
Oh yeah, the movie model is horrible! I mean, not only are my favorite movies coming out on DVD, but in some cases, I can enjoy watching the first DVD for years, and then they come out with a NEW DVD with even MORE extras on it! And I’m sitting there saying, “My favorite movie, but now with even MORE extras??? What kind of a hell am I living in??!!?” Plus, the movie companies hire this guy to put a gun to my head, and he forces me to buy the movie all over again!

So I have to suffer with all my favorite movies, and many of them with super-deluxe special editions. Life sure sucks. Oh, and many of those special editions cost as much as $9.99 at Best Buy! I mean, am I supposed to shell out $9.99 for a crappy movie like The Godfather???

Multiple special editions, remastered editions, low prices, and free availability of back catalog releases. Yeah, the movie model sure does suck.

[Spigot]

Movie model only really sucks if you're someone who has to buy everything the second it comes out and will buy repeated copies of a movie (or in this case, game) that you already own.

Sure, I've had the occasional movie that I've waited to pick up and then after finally getting it the company responsible puts out a brand new edition with extra stuff. That said, it's then up to me to decide a) do I want to get the new one (ie. is it worth it or just a cash cow) and b) what should I do with my old copy if I do get it.

Nowadays, most plain-jane DVD releases are followed up by special editions a few months later, especially if they initial release is in the spring. For the big movies like Sin City or LOTR, those of us in the know who would be apt to buy the special editions usually know long before the plain editions are released that there will be a delay between the first release and the second. If you still decide to run out and get the stripped down version, that's your own fault. I waited for the LOTR and Sin City sets and saved myself the extra cash.

[Goronmon]

I didn't make up the trend. THEY are the ones saying they want to follow the movie model. The movie model clearly sucks ass. If you don't want ot admit that, fine. If you really think that super rare game you can't find anywhere is suddenly gonig to become available again on storeshelves, then you're a fucking moron. They could put those game back out right now. You didn't sega genesis backwards compatibility to get the sonic compilations put out. They will put out games that did great in the marketplace, aand can STILL be found everywhere for the lazy mom at wal-mart, not the game you couldn't even find when it came out 5 years ago.

keep living in a fantasy world.I'd rather live in a fantasy world then this fucked up, cynical hell hole you seem to be stuck in. I want you to go into Wal-Mart right now and find me a copy of SSB for N64.

Seriously, whats wrong with rereleasing old games? Nintendo has done it (with the GB games) and will do it with the Wii. Like others said, no one is forcing you to re-buy games you can already play. I know this may be hard to understand, but not everyone has a working copy of SMB3 with a working Nintendo sitting in their basement. Especially with the younger generation, who weren't gamers when the older games were released.

Its just a matter if giving gamers a chance to try out some of the oldies that are still a blast to play if you can get past the lack of pretty pictures.

[rjcc]

Oh yeah, the movie model is horrible! I mean, not only are my favorite movies coming out on DVD, but in some cases, I can enjoy watching the first DVD for years, and then they come out with a NEW DVD with even MORE extras on it! And I’m sitting there saying, “My favorite movie, but now with even MORE extras??? What kind of a hell am I living in??!!?” Plus, the movie companies hire this guy to put a gun to my head, and he forces me to buy the movie all over again!

So I have to suffer with all my favorite movies, and many of them with super-deluxe special editions. Life sure sucks. Oh, and many of those special editions cost as much as $9.99 at Best Buy! I mean, am I supposed to shell out $9.99 for a crappy movie like The Godfather???

Multiple special editions, remastered editions, low prices, and free availability of back catalog releases. Yeah, the movie model sure does suck.


LOL. You're on fucking crack. If you're choosing to be totally oblivious of the dreck movie studios are rolling out and what they are charging for it, then I can't help you. The prices aren't low, the quality isn't consistently better, you can't buy them by themselves when you want to, they intentionally cut off supply of existing DVDs early to create demand. Yeah all those things are great and wonderful.

Furthermore, for some reason you idiots can't see how this has nothing to do with BC, no one will ever rerelease games that didn't sell well the first time around like you hope, and this doesn't solve the problem of hunting around ebay. CDs and DVDs haven't stopped the rare item on ebay for music and movies have they? no, cuz the studios rerelease only the stuff that was a major success the first time around.

Unless your original games shipped on LPs and were all scratched up, this is not a good thing. This gives them more incentive to go after the emulators and ROMS that ARE willing to focus on games most people don't care about. but whatever, if the VP of gametap thinks its a good idea, it must be.

[EGO]

I don't see how you can't care about BC if you consider yourself a gamer... Does your NES still work? Because mine doesn't. I have a huge box full of NES games that I can't use because my NES stopped working many years ago. My SNES is in bad shape, and my Genesis wasn't even working when I got a PS1 (the first controller port stopped working). Our consoles aren't going to last forever, and yes I still enjoy playing old games. Luckily the PC can emulate pretty much anything given time.

Now what happens when my XBOX breaks down a few years from now? Am I just never going to play the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer game again? Or will I have to wait for the amateur emulators catch up once again?

Good games don't die of old age.

I think that's the problem with people nowadays, they DO THINK good games die or sadder, a game CAN'T BE GOOD, if it's OLD. :rolleyes: :mad:

That's why I'm really worried about the future of games and gaming. This canabolistic narrow-minded thinking about games means the next generation of game makers only know what's "now" and unlike film makers, never go back and look at classics or even have any appreciation for them.

And people wonder why games are so derrative...

Oh and the original Xbox Buffy is STILL AWESOME! One of my favorte modern brawlers. Right up there with Ninja Gaiden, God of War and Devil May Cry! (too bad no one played it and now never will...)

[Heretic Machine]

Oh and the original Xbox Buffy is STILL AWESOME! One of my favorte modern brawlers. Right up there with Ninja Gaiden, God of War and Devil May Cry! (too bad no one played it and now never will...)

Damn right! But the sequel (Chaos Bleeds) was highly disapointing. Makes a good case against multiplatform games, actually, as the original was an XBOX exclusive. Makes you wonder why the original isn't on the BC list, while the sequel is?