Xbox 360 backwards compatibility coming to Xbox One

Compatible disc-based and downloadable games won't need to be re-purchased.

Read the whole story

 

[Bush]

This is great news!

 

[torp]

Ohh... first time I like some feature of XBox One.
SONY, YA HEAR?

 

[Blue Adept]

Now this is interesting. With pure emulation being unbelievable, I wonder if the new download version is basically an x86 SDK test build running with a X360 API -> XONE conversion layer.

 

[daneren2005]

Sweet. Now I don't care if they re-release Gears of War because I can just buy the 360 versions!

 

[Nowicki]

Finally someone appeals to what gamers actually want. A more consolidated system that is backwards compatible. Now is it going to suck like the xbox backwards compatability on the xbox 360? will it be software emulation or hardware you have to buy a new xbox one to work with the old games?

 

[Paladin]

Annnnd suddenly I am actually thinking about buying an XB1 at some point. Very nice!

 

[Rosyna]

If Apple proved anything with Rosetta, the power of the previous generation didn't hinder the ability to run code from a different architecture.

And since this requires downloading a binary from Xbox Live (and doesn't work with existing binaries), it's entirely possible that all the needed translation is done beforehand, server-side.

 

[Midnitte]

Technical details on how this works are still unknown. The hardware of the Xbox 360 is very different from the hardware of the Xbox One, and pure emulation of the kind used in console emulators such as MESS and arcade emulators like MAME is technically improbable; Xbox 360 is simply too fast, too new. The limited compatibility and need to download even those games that are owned on disc suggests to us that some mix of recompilation and emulation is in use.

On stage they used the words "downloaded", perhaps leveraging their cloud platform?

 

[LimpBagel]

I hope Nintendo notices how they aren't charging customers a fee to re-buy the same game on a new platform.

 

[iknowthenumber]

This is really exciting, as my 360 is one of the old models and I'm just waiting for the day when it red rings. However, I only have a handful of Xbox One games and I'm already down to roughly 100-120 GB left on my Xbox One's hard drive, so having to install disc based 360 games to the hard drive could be frustrating from a storage management perspective. I guess I'll have to stop lying to myself about fully intending to replay Assassin's Creed Unity or Dragon Age Inquisition and clear some hard drive space.

 

[Mgamerz]

soulsabr[/url]":2sitmrp8]Ye gods let them do this better than what Nintendo did with the Wii to WiiU. Emulate the Wii but remove all of the cool features of the WiiU like using the control pad as your TV screen.

The WiiU doesn't emulate the Wii. It has the same hardware as the Wii built into it, just like the Gamecube was essentially built into the Wii.

As such it doesn't have access to WiiU features.

 

[soulsabr]

LimpBagel[/url]":h34su8bo]I hope Nintendo notices how they aren't charging customers a fee to re-buy the same game on a new platform.

You mean the execs over there with the dark glasses, fingers in their ears, singing "la la la la la"?

 

[Shazbot!]

Some posters here were probably fed up with my writing all over the comments section about how I won't buy an Xbox One without backwards compatibility. Many of those same posters delighted in telling me it would never happen.

To them I say, "I could say I told you so, but I'd rather buy you a beer and play a few rounds of Halo3 with you on my shiny new Xbox One."

 

[Danrarbc]

soulsabr[/url]":2hci2sb5]Ye gods let them do this better than what Nintendo did with the Wii to WiiU. Emulate the Wii but remove all of the cool features of the WiiU like using the control pad as your TV screen.

Have you not used a Wii U? You can stream original Wii games to the pad, and the pad has a mini sensor bar in it.

 

[dfjdejulio]

Well now. If the backwards compatibility list includes "Bioshock", "Mass Effect", and "Rock Band: The Beatles", Microsoft just sold me an XB1.

(If it includes at least one of those plus a few others I really care about, that might do the trick too.)

 

[Sufinsil]

LimpBagel[/url]":26yuju2i]I hope Nintendo notices how they aren't charging customers a fee to re-buy the same game on a new platform.

Nintendo has offered backwards compatibility for many systems now.

VC Wii > VC Wii U required a bit more work, since the games were redone to have new WIi U Virtual console features (Off TV mode, save states and other features). Otherwise you could just load up the VC Wii games anyway on the Wii U.

Edit:It was $1/$1.5 I think to upgrade each title.

 

[jeffbax]

I’d like to see the bulk of XBLA games supported, so REZ can live on. Still, I feel like it’d be easier and more valuable to finally bring full “Xbox” emulation to life given its all x86 there so gems like Jet Set Radio Future, Panzer Dragoon, and Gunvalkyrie can live on.

 

[yeahreally]

From what I understand, the Xbox OS and games run as virtual machines under a hypervisor. It's possible that they've got a guest image that allows 360 games to run on the hypervisor. I always wondered if they would use that for allowing backwards compatibility with the next generation of hardware, but I didn't think they'd do it with this past generation.

 

[gijames1225]

Very smart, they're going where Sony can't follow. This may actually make my buy a Xbox One this Fall instead of a PS4 like I was planning to.

 

[dfjdejulio]

I hope they include "Original Xbox" games too. Both systems used the x86 architecture, so it should be easier to pull off. (I want my copies of "Stubbs the Zombie" and "Knights of the Old Republic" to keep working!)

 

[Mitlov]

Huh. I just recently bought a 360 instead of an XBO because there were so many 360 games I wanted to play, and the XBO wasn't backwards-compatible. I don't have buyer's remorse--I got a great price on the 360--but I'm glad for other buyers that that's no longer an issue and they can just buy an XBO for the best of both worlds.

 

[Danrarbc]

yeahreally[/url]":30p1kvt2]From what I understand, the Xbox OS and games run as virtual machines under a hypervisor. It's possible that they've got a guest image that allows 360 games to run on the hypervisor. I always wondered if they would use that for allowing backwards compatibility with the next generation of hardware, but I didn't think they'd do it with this past generation.

They're doing the same thing they did for original Xbox games on 360. It isn't a compatibility layer, MS just isn't using the binaries on the disc or in the download and is using a special one created for the new system. This is why it doesn't work for every game.

gijames1225[/url]":30p1kvt2]Very smart, they're going where Sony can't follow. This may actually make my buy a Xbox One this Fall instead of a PS4 like I was planning to.

There's no reason Sony can't do this too. It isn't emulation so CELL isn't an issue.

 

[soulsabr]

Mgamerz[/url]":1ske3tv6]

soulsabr[/url]":1ske3tv6]Ye gods let them do this better than what Nintendo did with the Wii to WiiU. Emulate the Wii but remove all of the cool features of the WiiU like using the control pad as your TV screen.

The WiiU doesn't emulate the Wii. It has the same hardware as the Wii built into it, just like the Gamecube was essentially built into the Wii.

As such it doesn't have access to WiiU features.

That isn't QUITE true. Yes it is native but it also can access WiiU features as Wikipedia (which is never wrong) states. Anyhow, I stand thoroughly corrected. Must be the mind bleach from an earlier discussion on robotic heads.

 

[gijames1225]

Mitlov[/url]":hpagqen4]Huh. I just recently bought a 360 instead of an XBO because there were so many 360 games I wanted to play, and the XBO wasn't backwards-compatible. I don't have buyer's remorse--I got a great price on the 360--but I'm glad for other buyers that that's no longer an issue and they can just buy an XBO for the best of both worlds.

You still got the best setup for playing 360 games. It'll be a while before everybody's 360 collection runs on the Xbox One.

 

[gijames1225]

Danrarbc[/url]":3ab6xfg5]

yeahreally[/url]":3ab6xfg5]From what I understand, the Xbox OS and games run as virtual machines under a hypervisor. It's possible that they've got a guest image that allows 360 games to run on the hypervisor. I always wondered if they would use that for allowing backwards compatibility with the next generation of hardware, but I didn't think they'd do it with this past generation.

They're doing the same thing they did for original Xbox games on 360. It isn't a compatibility layer, MS just isn't using the binaries on the disc or in the download and is using a special one created for the new system. This is why it doesn't work for every game.

gijames1225[/url]":3ab6xfg5]Very smart, they're going where Sony can't follow. This may actually make my buy a Xbox One this Fall instead of a PS4 like I was planning to.

There's no reason Sony can't do this too. It isn't emulation so CELL isn't an issue.

So you'll have to re-download a custom version of each 360 game you want to play? Even if you have the disc? Interesting, and not quite as exciting, but still nice to have.

 

[Aelinsaar]

Literally the first thing that has me remotely interested in an Xbone. Maybe I actually will snag one at the end of this gen, used, and it'll be worth having.

 

[Danrarbc]

gijames1225[/url]":32natii1]

Danrarbc[/url]":32natii1]

yeahreally[/url]":32natii1]From what I understand, the Xbox OS and games run as virtual machines under a hypervisor. It's possible that they've got a guest image that allows 360 games to run on the hypervisor. I always wondered if they would use that for allowing backwards compatibility with the next generation of hardware, but I didn't think they'd do it with this past generation.

They're doing the same thing they did for original Xbox games on 360. It isn't a compatibility layer, MS just isn't using the binaries on the disc or in the download and is using a special one created for the new system. This is why it doesn't work for every game.

gijames1225[/url]":32natii1]Very smart, they're going where Sony can't follow. This may actually make my buy a Xbox One this Fall instead of a PS4 like I was planning to.

There's no reason Sony can't do this too. It isn't emulation so CELL isn't an issue.

So you'll have to re-download a custom version of each 360 game you want to play? Even if you have the disc? Interesting, and not quite as exciting, but still nice to have.

It is replacing the binaries, not all of the content.

 

[SickOfItAll]

Well, they might have finally gotten me to consider buying an XB1. But first I want to see the list.

 

[salamanderjuice]

Danrarbc[/url]":1x8i056f]

yeahreally[/url]":1x8i056f]From what I understand, the Xbox OS and games run as virtual machines under a hypervisor. It's possible that they've got a guest image that allows 360 games to run on the hypervisor. I always wondered if they would use that for allowing backwards compatibility with the next generation of hardware, but I didn't think they'd do it with this past generation.

They're doing the same thing they did for original Xbox games on 360. It isn't a compatibility layer, MS just isn't using the binaries on the disc or in the download and is using a special one created for the new system. This is why it doesn't work for every game.

gijames1225[/url]":1x8i056f]Very smart, they're going where Sony can't follow. This may actually make my buy a Xbox One this Fall instead of a PS4 like I was planning to.

There's no reason Sony can't do this too. It isn't emulation so CELL isn't an issue.

You're right about this but for Xbox 360 Backwards compatibility it actually was an emulator. Games need their own specific tweaks to work but it still read and used the assets off the disk. I hope Sony does something similar and at least gets PS1 classics on PS4 already.

 

[Danrarbc]

salamanderjuice[/url]":nphyzd63]

Danrarbc[/url]":nphyzd63]

yeahreally[/url]":nphyzd63]From what I understand, the Xbox OS and games run as virtual machines under a hypervisor. It's possible that they've got a guest image that allows 360 games to run on the hypervisor. I always wondered if they would use that for allowing backwards compatibility with the next generation of hardware, but I didn't think they'd do it with this past generation.

They're doing the same thing they did for original Xbox games on 360. It isn't a compatibility layer, MS just isn't using the binaries on the disc or in the download and is using a special one created for the new system. This is why it doesn't work for every game.

gijames1225[/url]":nphyzd63]Very smart, they're going where Sony can't follow. This may actually make my buy a Xbox One this Fall instead of a PS4 like I was planning to.

There's no reason Sony can't do this too. It isn't emulation so CELL isn't an issue.

You're right about this but for Xbox 360 Backwards compatibility it actually was an emulator. Games need their own specific tweaks to work but it still read and used the assets off the disk. I hope Sony does something similar and at least gets PS1 classics on PS4 already.

Using disc assets doesn't make something an emulator. And emulator runs unmodified binaries on a new platform, which Xbox 360 BC certainly wasn't. Sounds like this is also using assets off the disc if you have a disc, just saving them to the hard drive.

 

[Sasparilla]

This is a game changer for the Xbone - excellent decision Microsoft. I was totally looking forward to a PS/4 - significantly more powerful GPU and if your internal hard drive dies (which they do) you can replace it unlike the Xbone.

But this is huge (crazy it wasn't ready at launch...but that reflects on the execs making decisions) - Microsoft have Halo Reach in there and this moves the Xbone front and center for my next console.

 

[marsilies]

dfjdejulio[/url]":1b5s8pmh]Well now. If the backwards compatibility list includes "Bioshock", "Mass Effect", and "Rock Band: The Beatles", Microsoft just sold me an XB1.

(If it includes at least one of those plus a few others I really care about, that might do the trick too.)

Mass Effect was shown during the announcement, so that's almost definitely coming.

Another article states that MS plans to have 100 titles "by this holiday," so don't expect 100 titles at once. Also, previous digital download purchases will just start showing up in your library as they become compatible, so no hunting them down necessary, although you will still have to download them, they don't download automatically.

 

[SirOmega]

Hoping that the Rock Band games get on the supported list, simply because then I would be able to go in to those games and export the titles for RB4 without having to go and buy a new 360 to do it (my last 360's DVD is broken, again).

 

[marsilies]

Danrarbc[/url]":35t78cmh] Sounds like this is also using assets off the disc if you have a disc, just saving them to the hard drive.

I don't think it's using the disc for anything but confirming you own the game; Note that you only need the disc if you didn't it digitally, and it says it downloads the game fully.

Likely the recompiling of the game makes it hard to actually utilize the original game disc assets, but the game disc still have copy protection mechanisms in it to confirm you own a legit game disc.

 

[arkiel]

I guess we're all set to find out whether cell emulation is technically feasible on the PS4.

XBOX just became a little less shitty for seemingly removing itself from the library deprication game.

 

[marsilies]

maxwell[/url]":tauy9719]What is the point of pre-announcing something like this?

I've seen enough grand proclamations from Microsoft to wait out this one. Show us the list. Show us a working 360 title on an Xone...or be quiet about it.

They showed Mass Effect running on the Xbox One during the announcement. The list is due out later today. It was part of Microsoft's E3 press conference, so it was only one small part of the overall press conference, which is why more details are forthcoming once the press conference is over.