Backwards compatibility is the best feature of Xbox, and I don't understand why Sony is so far behind on this - eviltoast

When I got the XSX recently, it was so I can play Starfield when it comes out. That was basically the only reason. I did not realize the extensive backwards compatibility that this thing has. But since getting it, I’ve been playing FF13 trilogy, Fable games, Dragon Age series, Lost Odyssey, etc. Basically all games of note going all the way back to the OG Xbox will play on the latest console. Either with the original disc, or you can even purchase them online.

The point of my post is I think it’s a real travesty that PlayStation doesn’t do this. I don’t understand it. First of all, you cannot buy most PS1-PS3 games on the digital store. You can’t use the discs. The main way to get access to these games is through the top tier of PS+. But the selection is quite limited, and PS3 games in particular are streaming only.

With the selection, I want to point out that you can’t even play most of the Killzone series on PS+. This is a first party title. There is absolutely no reason that Killzone shouldn’t be available. Killzone 1 isn’t even on there. A PS2 title that is not graphically demanding.

As for the streaming of PS3 games, maybe this was justifiable back on the PS4 because the PS3 has a unique architecture that can be difficult to emulate without performance drops. But with the capabilities of the PS5, it’s not credible to claim that it can’t emulate a PS3. It certainly could, if Sony wanted to assign resources to make an emulator.

I am not a fanboy of one or the other, and I probably still play more on the PS5 than my Xbox, but I think Microsoft should market their backwards compatibility superiority a lot more than they currently do.

  • almar_quigley@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    lol, I’d rather have the first party modern bangers Sony’s pumping out then…checks notes…literally no good first party games on my xsx since I bought it. Backwards compatibility is great, but I don’t spend $600+ on a console to play old games. I can keep my old consoles around for that or emulate.

    • NuPNuA@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      Depends on your tastes doesn’t it. I’ll take a hundred smaller projects like Pentiment, Hi-Fi Rush or Psychonauts over another generic open world adventure or sad dad simulator.

      • prole@beehaw.org
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        1 year ago

        I have all there of those on my PC/Steam Deck. They’re not really XBox exclusives.

          • prole@beehaw.org
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            1 year ago

            I wasn’t being disingenuous… I can and have played all of those games and I have never owned an XBox in my life. That’s not exclusive.

    • prole@beehaw.org
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      1 year ago

      Yeah. I also have a Steam Deck, if I want to play an old PS1 or PS2 game and it isn’t on PS+ then I’ll just emulate it.

      I will say though, there are a few PS3 games that have yet to be remastered that are kind of a blind spot, but that list is getting shorter.