Topic: How important is backwards compatibility to you?

To all the 360 and PS3 owners here, how important is it to you for the PS4 and 720 to be backwards compatible? Is it a deal breaker to you if they aren't BC? I will admit I am dissapointed that the PS4 will not be BC as I would love to transfer my downloaded games, but I will wait and see what Sony does with Gaikai before making my final judgment. Perhaps all our PSN games could be streaming to PS4? If so, then I would consider getting a PS4 at launch or soon after, if not, then I will probably hold off a while longer.

As much as I gave "Wii Mode" a hard time, at this point it seems to be the best console BC option this gen.

Considering I've chosen not to transfer my Wii stuff over to my Wii U, not very important.
I think it's a bit more important for handhelds because that means I can still have all my games while only taking one system around with me.

It is not. I will just buy a spare PS3. Could use the extra storage space anyway.

It's kind of important. I think it's more relevant when you buy a console, and still have all your last gen games still laying there. I play Mario, Kirby, and Smash Bros. Wii games on a regular basis with my brother, but once the new versions of those games come out, I'll probably rarely, if ever go back to the older games of the same series. I'd say it bridges the gap to moving on to next gen more or less, in any case.

We have to consider that Microsoft hasn't ruled out backwards capability for its next generation console (unless there's an announcement I've overlooked). We also have to realize that this feature may not be a deal breaker when referring to the entire audience.

Though, I don't usually sell systems so backwards compatibility is never an issue. Even if it would be convenient.

Yes. New audiences probably never considered getting a gaming console until the new one comes up and it's right in their face. I know people who didn't even buy the Wii for GCN BC. I knew about it, and had tons of GCN games, but it wasn't on of my list of main reasons to get one. Wii consoles, Xbox 360s, and PS3s are eventually gonna disappear from store shelves, and only the newest consoles available will remain. Buying a new console with BC in mind is kinda of missing the whole point of a new console IMO. You're buying the consoles for the new games, not the old ones.
It's definitely a plus, but that's not what I bought my Wii U for.
Wii U just emulates the Wii games. There is no extra hardware that enables the Wii U to run Wii games, and relies soley on the Wii U's components to run Wii games. I'm thinking even the 512mb for Wii mode is actually derived from the Wii U HDD, because the Wii U takes up 5GB of HDD space just by default, and you need to update the firmware to even use Wii mode.

EDIT: My Wii U tries to access my ext. HDD when in Wii mode, as indicated by the LED light on the ext. HDD, but it's not in the programming to be able to access it.

I look at it as a nice bonus if it has it but not a must.

to me it doest fully matter since it is about the new console it self and new games but yeah i could see why it would be nice to have it just in case i mean if we have the older console and the later on that stops working you can just use the new gen console

in the endd it has its bonuses but it could also have its down side o.o

Very important. Consoles don't last very long anymore, so I'd like to stil play my games when they stop producing the old consoles.

Not too important. I keep my old consoles around so it doesn't hurt my feelings not to have it in the current systems.

While it isn't a huge deal, there's really no reason to not make it a feature in your console this day and age. It's more of a convenience than anything though.

It will affect initial sales substantially not having backwards compatibility - although they could help balance that out with a must-have title (One that isn't a remake).

If I didn't have backward compatibility on my 3DS, I probably never would've finished Curious Village. I find it very important.

If I didn't have backward compatibility on my 3DS I never would've tried Pokemon, which would have been a tragedy considering how addictive the series is.

If this is the logic you're going by, then no console has ever lasted very long.

(The average time span of successful consoles is around 5-6 years.)

Not important since I keep all my older consoles/handhelds and in working condition. For the most part when I get a new system, I don't play the older games and if I do, I play it on the matching system. Ex. NGC games on NGC system and NDS games on NDS lite (especially when it's Pokemon). It's a weird habit of mines.

Plus I always pictured that having backwards compatibility drives up cost, time, and production which in turn is reflected to the buyers. I would hate to hear that the company had to sacrifice a new/improved feature of the system just to play games from the last gen.

Does it really? The 360 and PS3 have not been the shining symbols of bc and I dont think it hurt their sales any. Nor do I believe people walked into a store looking at the Wii and saying 'it can play gamecube games and thats why I will purchase it over the others'.

Although it is nice to have so I dont have to a bunch of systems laying around. But I would keep my old systems anyway regardless of the current gen having BC. The only reason I would want BC is like someone said if my older consoles breaks down than it would be easier to track down a current gen console to play last gen games than a last gen console.

I think it would be a nice feature to have but it isn't a deal breaker for me no. I have enough space to have both consoles if necessary.

I think he meant that they are more likely to break or malfunction.