Month: June 2006

Kikizo spoke with Peter Moore recently on the issue of Xbox 360 and backwards compatibility. Moore had some interesting things to say:

“Nobody is concerned anymore about backwards compatibility. We under promised and over delivered on that. It’s a very complicated thing… very complex work. I’m just stunned that we have hundreds of games that are backwards compatible. […] More are coming, but at some point, you just go, there’s enough, let’s move on, or people aren’t as worried about a game being backwards compatible – and I like to think we’ve upheld our end of the bargain in making at least two or maybe three hundred games backwards compat.”

Under promised and over delivered would we? Look, backwards compatibility isn’t really important to me—I would have been fine without it—but that statement is just asinine. I like Peter Moore—he helmed the launch of my beloved Dreamcast—but give me a break. A good 3/4 of the Xbox games I own are not backwards compatible. I’d say “over delivered” is a bit of a stretch.

As Xboxic points out, this quote may signal the coming end of backwards compatibility altogether. They’d better get Capcom Classics and Street Fighter Anniversary Collection on that list, or I will write them a nasty email so fast. Oh yes, I will.

—via Xboxic

In a recent interview with German Magazine—say it with me now—Der Spiegel, Sony Exec Phil Harrison lays down a quote that I’m sure will soon be famous:

“We believe that the PS3 will be the place where our users play games, watch films, browse the Web, and use other computer functions. The PlayStation 3 is a computer. We do not need the PC”

Call it a leap if you will, but I’m guessing that the PS3 won’t include a word processor, photo editor, web editor, or a multitude of other PC functions. Still, I find this continued dismissal of the PS3’s main function disturbing. Not only that, diversifying the PS3 too much will confuse consumers. If people (ie Moms) see the PS3 as a computer, they will have a more complex choice to make. Let’s imagine a little exchange shall we?

Consumer Mom: What is this exactly? My child wants one.

Mr. Sales Guy: Why, it’s a PS3. It’s like having a “Super Computer.”

Consumer Mom: But we already have a computer.

Mr. Sales Guy: But this can play Blu-Ray movies!

Consumer Mom: We already have a DVD player…

Mr. Sales Guy: Exactly! Blu-Ray is like DVD only better. Look at that picture!

Consumer Mom: I can’t tell the difference…

Mr. Sales Guy: Um…Well, it plays games, too!

Consumer Mom: Yes, that’s what little Billy wanted. How much?

Mr. Sales Guy: Five hundred dollars.

Consumer Mom: Gadzooks! Why so much?

Mr. Sales Guy: Well, it’s like a “Super Computer” remember?

Consumer Mom: Okay…do you have anything that just plays games?

And so on and so forth. I know Sony is counting on tech savvy adults to buy this for themselves, but the truth is that a lot of little kids will be wanting a PS3 under the Christmas tree. If Sony wants to sell these things to Mom, they’d better be damned sure to exemplify the PS3’s primary function. Then again, I’m not sure even Sony knows what that is anymore.

—interview quote from Gamasutra