Both the Xbox One and PS4 have a similar flaw. Now if you still haven’t bought a console from the latest generation and are planning to do so, you are undoubtedly weighing up the pros and cons of all three systems. The Wii U is a little to one side, if you enjoy Nintendo games and specifically Mario titles then there is plenty for you on that platform. However, if what Nintendo has to offer is not your forte then you are probably trying to choose between the Xbox One and PS4, both have their advantages and disadvantages and their own list of tempting exclusives.
However this one flaw that both consoles have, and something that has seemed to become an unfortunate trend for this generation, is that neither of them is backwards compatible. Why? This presents an irritating problem for consumers, especially for the younger ones. This may not be as much of an issue anymore since the decline of physical game stores, but it used to be common that you would trade in your old console in part exchange for a new one, something often done when people buy a new car.
But to do this now would mean rendering an entire section of your games collection useless. If you bought a PS4 and sold your PS3 in order to help pay for it, you would be consigning your PS3 games to irrelevance. The same thing applies to the Xbox One. Why are Sony and Microsoft doing this now? The PS2 supported PS1 games and the PS3 supported PS2 games. The Xbox 360 could play some Xbox games as well but no such story with the new consoles.
All of these were backwards compatible. What happened?Obviously the most cynical answer is that this is being done to generate more profit. This could be concluded from facts like that Microsoft are planning to re-release their Halo series in the ‘Master Chief Collection‘ on the Xbox One. Of course, if the Xbox One was backwards compatible you wouldn’t need to buy this collection but now if you want to play your beloved Halo games on your new Xbox the only way to do so is to fork out more money to Microsoft for a product you essentially already own.
Nintendo, a company fond of bucking trends, are the only company with a current generation console out that is backwards compatible. They even managed to do that with the Gamecube to Wii, despite the Gamecube using mini-discs, they managed to keep this trend going on to the WiiU.
You would think that this would be the trickiest backwards compatibility to execute as everything on the Wii U is HD whilst the Wii had no high-definition capabilities but nevertheless Nintendo have managed to deliver in an area where the competition has failed.
You can even play Wii games on the Wii U game pad.The lack of backwards compatibility in this generation is just another facet in the relative indifference and hostility towards the new generation of consoles. Hopefully the big companies have learnt that they need to court the consumer and when a wish so simple as backwards compatibility cannot be met then no amount of marketing can save a product.
There are rumours that Sony are planning to add backwards compatibility to the PS4 in a not-so-surprising capitulation to public demand. If this were to happen it would not be out of the realm of possibility that Microsoft would follow suit. One wonders if this means that these companies have learnt their lesson, in this new age of relentless online feedback it is more important than ever to give the consumer what they want.
