How important would PS5 BC be to you?

[Zenpai]

So a lot of rumors have started floating around regarding the PS5. Two points have come up the most - the release date and the possibility of backwards compatibility.

 

Regarding the release date, there really isn't much to talk about (though I'd much rather see it later than sooner, I only started playing my PS4 last year), but backwards compatibility is another thing entirely.

 

Personally, I don't even think we need a PS5. Graphics already look more than gorgeous on the PS4, especially on the Pro, and we have tons of bells and whistles already packed into the current generation consoles. I guess we could make the push for native 4K in every game and a UHD Blu-Ray player, but I personally don't really care about any of those. I'm more than fine with good ol' 1080p.

 

But since it's kind of a done deal that there will be a PS5 now... might as well get used to the idea.

 

So since we are having it sooner or later no matter what, let's talk about backwards compatibility. Because that... that indeed's a major deal to me.

 

I don't really like packing my consoles away. I'm the kind of guy that wants all of his games playable at any time. Hence why I now have six different consoles all plugged into my TV screen. If the Playstation 5 came with backwards compatibility, I would completely jump for joy. Not only would I be able to play both PS4 and PS5 games on the same machine, my PS4 games would automatically be granted all the advantages of the PS4 Pro.

 

This generation, the justification we got as to why the PS4 wouldn't be boasting backwards compatibility was because of the PS3's unique architecture. This time around, though, they really have no excuse. If the PS5 and PS4 both have PC-like architectures, then there's really no reason why the PS5 couldn't be backwards compatible.

 

The ideal scenario would be for it to have backwards compatibility with all previous Playstations. I mean, by this point, emulating PS1 games should be a pice of pie and hackers have found that the PS4-enhanced PS2 games that you can buy from PSN are actually running on a native emulator that can run just about any PS2 game... if only Sony would allow it. PS3 is the big elephant in the room... but if regular PCs can emulate it, there's no reason why a PC-based console wouldn't be able to. Not to mention, it's been 12 years since the PS3 launched. I'll be damned if a current piece of hardware couldn't easily emulate it.

 

That would be the ideal scenario... but for now I'll settle for just PS4 BC (in order not to get my hopes too high).

 

But what do you guys personally think about backwards compatibility? Is it important to you? A deal-breaker? Not even in your radar?

[SnowxSakura]

Not important at all, I keep all of my old consoles hooked up

[Squirlruler]

It would be nice to have but not a deal breaker for me. If BC is there, I would probably buy the console sooner. If there is no BC, I would wait until there is a PS5 exclusive that I really want to play and buy it then (much like I did with FO4 and the PS4 lol). 

[Sir_Bee]

I would not even consider buying it if it did not have backwards compatibility.  I am not done with my ps4 yet.  There are many ps3 games I would be much more inclined to go back to if I could just boot them up on my ps4, but since I would have to get my ps3 out and hook it up, much less likely to happen.

 

That said, My ps4 is not that old, I am still years away from thinking about a new console.

[Helyx]

If PS5 isn't fully BC at launch, it'll be a deliberate slap in the face to all Playstation owners.

[RevengeancePrime]

I probably won't buy it right away regardless of backwards compatibility or not because I'd rather focus on getting through my backlog on my current console before making the switch. 

[Conker]

backwards compatibility is a must for the PS5 whenever it comes out, which i hope is still a few years away

[Gwendly]

With MS seemingly doubling down on BC it would seem silly for Sony to release next gen and not have BC...

 

If it didn't have BC I would likely wait on buying a PS5 whereas it would probably be a day 1 buy for me if it had BC just so I could get rid of the PS4.

[DrBloodmoney]

It is very important to me that it not be included.

 

Backwards compatability is a terrible addition to any console - it holds back the technology by tethering it to the tech of the previous generation.

 

If i want to play my old games, I’ll play them on my old console. I don’t want the pace of progress for new games to be held back by a desire to ensure old games still run on new hardware.

 

 

Edited April 11, 2018 by DrBloodmoney

[jpwbjpwb]

I know that my PS3 and PS4 will die at some point so it would be nice to have somewhere to play those games in the future. With most games being digital these day being able to take them too the next console seems like the sensible move for Sony to make. My thought for the future would be if PS continues with generations at all, they could move to a modular system of continuous improvement instead.

[Bossi15]

I really hope it is BC for all other people but I dont really care since I have all the consoles setuped.

[mecharobot]

I'm probably going to get a PS5 to play PS5 games. The feature is only useful for launch anyway and these days there are useful remasters and crossgen games to smooth things over. It's pretty much the last thing I'm interested in. Things like the future of PStore, user accounts and cross region gaming are infinitely more important to me.

[starcrunch061]

It will be the same for me as with every console. BC will be super important to me early in the life of PS5. If it's there, I'll likely buy it early on (like I did with PS2 and PS3). If it's not, I'll wait for some number of years before I purchase it.

 

 

31 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

It is very important to me that it not be included.

 

Backwards compatability is a terrible addition to any console - it holds back the technology by tethering it to the tech of the previous generation.

 

If i want to play my old games, I’ll play them on my old console. I don’t want the pace of progress for new games to be held back by a desire to ensure old games still run on new hardware.

 

Is that really true, though? Blu-Ray players also play DVDs, but I don't think the technology was held back by it. DVD players used to have VHS machines built it, but I don't think that really hurt things. I don't think PS2 would have been light years better were it not "tethered" to PS1 via backward compatibility.

 

Times may have changed, but Nintendo was able to basically force everyone out of the handheld market simply by adding light BC to its various Game Boy and DS incarnations. PS2 beat down XBox in no small part because of fan loyalty, at least some of which could be attributed to the fact that their PS1 collections were immediately available to them.

[SnowxSakura]

There's not really that many consoles in general that have backwards compatibility. The one issue with it hardware wise, is it tends to balloon the cost of a newer console when it uses physical hardware, like with the ps3 at launch. The wii and wii u didn't really have that problem as they shared similar hardware

[starcrunch061]

1 minute ago, SnowxSakura said:

There's not really that many consoles in general that have backwards compatibility. The one issue with it hardware wise, is it tends to balloon the cost of a newer console when it uses physical hardware, like with the ps3 at launch. The wii and wii u didn't really have that problem as they shared similar hardware

 

Neither did the Wii and the Gamecube, though, and their hardware seems quite a bit different, but the Wii wasn't terribly overpriced or anything.

Edited April 11, 2018 by starcrunch061

[Falvaire]

Not important enough to me to change any purchasing plans.

 

It would be nice though, especially if a PS5 offered a "boost mode" for PS4 titles, similar to what the PS4 Pro does for non-Pro enhanced PS4 games.  And even if that wasn't a feature, having a "second" PS4 when you buy a PS5 would allow for easier in-home multiplayer gaming for PS4 titles, or legacy protection should your original PS4 conk out.

 

These are nice features, yet I wouldn't take them if it meant limiting the power of a future generation of consoles (architecture wise).

Edited April 11, 2018 by Shuklar

[NaRayquaza]

Well, consoles will break sooner or later, my PS3 for example (bought on 2011) it's not 100% healthy, my PS1 and PS2 have problems reading discs (and games on USB sometimes, in PS2's case), so a backward compatibility for PS5 would be very nice. I mean, let's say PS5 will be out in few years and PS3 will break by then, is it really worth buying another PS3 just to replay some games or finish some of them? Maybe it is for someone, maybe it isn't for someone else. Plus, it's not easy to find a sealed console after 12 years, and if you do it won't be cheap.

 

1 hour ago, jrdemr said:

This generation, the justification we got as to why the PS4 wouldn't be boasting backwards compatibility was because of the PS3's unique architecture.

Then how is it possible to play PS3 games on PS Now? Were they mocking us?

Edited April 11, 2018 by NaRayquaza

[SnowxSakura]

21 minutes ago, starcrunch061 said:

 

Neither did the Wii and the Gamecube, though, and their hardware seems quite a bit different, but the Wii wasn't terribly overpriced or anything.

The wii was just an overclocked gamecube, it could play gamecube games natively

 

https://gizmodo.com/205275/miyamoto-says-the-wii-is-basically-a-gamecube

[Keyser Soze]

not a big deal to me, I still have my old consoles hooked up to my tv.

[AndresLionheart]

Its nice to have in case my PS4 breaks, I wouldn't need to buy another one.

 

Still, as you said, current non-Nintendo consoles are just cheap PCs. There is no reason the new hardware can't run the old games, just like PCs do natively (unless its a VERY old game, which needs to slow down the processors and other little things. I'm talking MS-DOS games)

[starcrunch061]

Just now, SnowxSakura said:

The wii was just an overclocked gamecube, it could play gamecube games natively

 

https://gizmodo.com/205275/miyamoto-says-the-wii-is-basically-a-gamecube

 

Wow. That's a remarkably honest and candid statement. I had no idea. While I knew there were no great graphical jumps from the GC to the Wii, I had thought it was more than that.

Just now, AndresLionheart said:

Its nice to have in case my PS4 breaks, I wouldn't need to buy another one.

 

Still, as you said, current non-Nintendo consoles are just cheap PCs. There is no reason the new hardware can't run the old games, just like PCs do natively (unless its a VERY old game, which needs to slow down the processors and other little things. I'm talking MS-DOS games)

 

The PC is a good example. I don't think that the BC there is holding back development. 

[g-bake_1986]

I don't care about physical BC, I just want all previous games to be available on the store. For example, my PS3 is plugged in because eventually I want to play inFamous, Far Cry 3, maybe some old Tales games and the like, I'd rather just have the ability to play them on my PS4 (and PS5 going forward).

It wouldn't be a deal breaker though, I'm Sony through and through unless they really mess things up. Just hoping the PS5 isn't for a while because I still got a backlog.

[AiManiaTrophyhuntres]

I don't want a PS5 to launch anytime soon, let's talk about it in another 5 years or so. and I really think that is a realistic time since we got the ps4 pro and there is absolutely no benefit they could pull to justify the idea of a PS5 right now.

it will cost 399$/€ again, will have newer hardware but there is no technical achievment at the moment.

so let's hope sony knows that too and they won't try to fool us.

 

I'd love a BC, bc consoles won't live forever anymore (my gamecube can still kill a housebreaker, but sony doesn't build their hardware that way...)

My "biggest fear" as a hunter is that my PS3 will stretch it's legs up before I can play (and plat) the PS3 games remaining in my shelf.

I got 2 of them and still, they are "old". yes my ps1 and 2 are still working but not as good as they did back in the days so one day it will be over.

 

I don't car which excuses they hat to not implement BC and if they were true or not.

For PS5 it is time to bring it.

sony will have a benefit of it bc they can shutdown the PS3 store (maybe not PS4... but that will be easier too in the future) and I don't think ppl will complain too much bc of that IF there is BC.

 

 

[SnowxSakura]

21 minutes ago, NaRayquaza said:

Well, consoles will break sooner or later, my PS3 for example (bought on 2011) it's not 100% healthy, my PS1 and PS2 have problems reading discs (and games on USB sometimes, in PS2's case), so a backward compatibility for PS5 would be very nice. I mean, let's say PS5 will be out in few years and PS3 will break by then, is it really worth buying another PS3 just to replay some games or finish some of them? Maybe it is for someone, maybe it isn't for someone else. Plus, it's not easy to find a sealed console after 12 years, and if you do it won't be cheap.

 

Then how is it possible to play PS3 games on PS Now? Were they mocking us?

Because it is literal ps3s running the games and then streaming them to your ps4

[GT__Jedi]

Love my launch PS4.  Really don't want to buy a PS4 Pro to keep up with the neighbors, but would be nice to jump to the PS5.  BC for the PS5 would be nice if the PS4 died, as I would hate to have to buy a PS4 again to finish my backlog, which is huge.