Simon I thought the PS4 had some backward capability in that it could play PS3 games. So much for listening to my kids.
PS4 OR X-Box One?
by cantleave 14 Replies latest social entertainment
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Simon
Oh, and also worth waiting for is the new Steam console.
Steam are massive in PC gaming and their console is very interesting because it is modular and PC based (running their own Linux based OS).
Unlike the other consoles, you'll be able to buy different variations so can get it cheaper with less quality graphics or pay more for a better spec. They are also going to let you build your own from components which you'll be able to upgrade and the games and infrastructure they already have are pretty good.
It's possibly going to be a decent alternative and worth looking at when it's out early next year.
Also more on the 360 -> XBox One upgrade:
They don't seem to be attempting any sort of compatibility layer this time round like they did last time. This is probably to avoid possible lost game sales and to try and give people more of an incentive to upgrade plus it's a lot of effort. I remember the list of compatible games gradually growing but honestly, by the time things were on the list you had new next-gen games available and didn't want to go back to inferior ones. I really did miss Midtown Madness though which never made it and never got a sequel - it was THE most fun multiplayer game ever.
Both of the new consoles are pretty good in terms of the hardware you get for your money - they don't make much on each one at all (very thin margins) which is typical at the start of a consoles life. This is another reason they are unlikely to see big price-drops because neither company wants to get back into the game of selling the hardware at a loss again.
Of course, the older consoles are still very capable and decent - 1080 is still 1080 whether it's on the old or the new and you can pick up a 360 for $149 so if you just want something cheap, that could be a decent option. I don't think they will stop making games for them anytime soon because no publisher can ignore the 200m or however many consoles there are already out there. At some point though the games are maybe not going to be quite as good and maybe the online gaming element will suffer - who knows, too early to say.
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Simon
I think the PS4 can't play games natively but they are possibly going to add support via a software compatibility layer in 2014 (called Gaikai).
This may be a cloud-based streaming service though and it's not clear if you have to re-buy games (can't see it working if you do).
Bottom line is, I wouldn't count on backward compatibility. Neither system is like the PS3 (or was it the PS2?) that had a chip of the old system built-in which added to the cost and bit into profits.
To be honest, I wouldn't worry about it. After new games are out no one wants to play the old ones much (assuming the new gen games are much better of course) so it's only an issue for that time when you have the old console and are thinking of buying a new one. Maybe a better option is to sell the old console and games and move on.
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cantleave
Thank you very much for your response Simon. I am almost tempted to go a get a PS3. We still have a Sega Dreamcast as well as the Wii so a PS3 is still a massive upgrade for us.
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marmot
500GB PS3 GTA:V bundle with a subscription to Playstation Network is totally worth it. They give you tons of free games to download with the subscription.