Backwards compatibility

Do you think backwards compatibility is a really important feature in game consoles now? In recent years, several systems have succeeded in part because they could play older games. The PlayStation 2, GameBoys and DS, even the Wii. But other consoles have dropped this feature, like the PlayStation 3. Is it a really important thing for a new console to have, or does it not matter at all?

Personally I think it's important. I never owned an original Xbox but can find tons of games for it from $5-$20. The Xbox 360 is much more appealing knowing I could quickly build a library for it. I gotta think backwards compatibility has helped the Wii sell since it's library is still a little soft. Being able to augment with titles like Wind Waker, Metroid Prime, and Mario Party has helped it keep its momentum going.

In the case of the PS3, backwards compatibility may be hurting it. Since the PS2 was the last generation leader by a wide margin it's in Sony's best interests to kill it off. The PS3 needs more exclusive titles to succeed, as long as publishers are still supporting the PS2 that will be challenging. If everyone owns a PS2 it's not exactly a selling point for the PS3 to backwards compatible. I believe this is why Nintendo killed-off the NES as quickly as they could once the SNES was out.

<shameless plug>A few months ago a wrote on article on history of backwards compatibility:http://huguesjohnson.com/features/backwards/ </shameless plug> - I talked about how backwards compatibility may be hurting the PS3 there too.

I think my angry face and my large stack of PS2 games says enough. Well, that, and my desperate search to find one of those launch PS3s. You know, the ones that still have the chip in them. I hear there's a good amount floating around Europe, still.

I think its kinda important, cuz our PS2 wears down really quickly. We need something that doesn't die on us on day 4.

Whenever I think of backwards compatibility, I always think of the Sega Saturn, and how irritating it is to have that cartridge slot back there, but no way to play Mega Drive/Genesis games... In a way, I guess that kinda relates to nowadays with the PS2/PS3 thing that hugues was talking about. The Saturn had a terrible line-up of games, maybe Sega ditched the MegaDrive support to force gamers to 'move up' and buy the crap Saturn games; interesting...

But that's a time long past; as far as today's consoles go, I, as an avid videogamer, see backwards compatibility as being very important and a huge deciding factour in the next-gen console I purchase. Having a huge library of games (albeit old ones) to play upon getting the console is a big plus, otherwise, a situation similar to what occurred with the Saturn is bound to happen, and has in the case of the PS3 anyway.