AfterDawn: News

Microsoft objects Xbox 2 rumors

According to an article published by Team Xbox (an IGN site) Microsoft has issued a statement that yesterday's rumors regarding Xbox 2 not being backwards compatible, were not true.

"Recent stories in the press about future Xbox products are nothing more than pulp fiction. Microsoft hasn’t made any announcements regarding the next generation, so it’s far too early to speculate about specifics, including backward compatibility. In fact, this media conjecture is irresponsible. The credibility of any publication willing to compromise fact in favor of a catchy headline must be questioned. Xbox fans are smart enough to distinguish truth from sensational reporting."



Now as you can see, Microsoft isn't saying that Xbox 2 will be backwards compatible. They are probably still trying to make up their mind on the matter. However using a different CPU platform might make it impractical to try and implement adequate backwards compatibility.

Source: Team Xbox

Written by: Jari Ketola @ 22 Jun 2004 15:18

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• 10 comments

• SGSeries2

  It seems rather ambiguous. "We don't know yet, and if we don't know, you don't know either." I don't think it'll happen, unless they/we (meaning we buy an add-on hd)cram either a hd or a really large memory card into that thing, we're not going to see anything. After all, games use it for more than just online entertainment downloads. Impracticallity is exactly the word I would have picked. It's a perfect way to sell add-on devices though. "Buy a hd and get all the XBox games for free! (XBox games not included. Additional purchases required.)" Or they could just make a more expensive XBox 2 and call it XBoxX. Oh, the possiblities! ;)

  23.6.2004 09:26 #1

• Ghostdog

  I don´t think it´ll be backwards compatible either. Depending on what kind of GPU ATI provide Microsoft with (new design or a derivation of a future PC product), the GPU might not be the obstacle. Here I´m of course asuming that alot of what I´ve heard about the XBox GPU is true (that it is basically a more advanced version of the chip the GeForce 3 cards use, running the same kind of code as normal PC-gamers).
  The CPU is another story. I doubt it will have a lot in common with the Pentium 3 architecture.
  
  It´ll either be impossible or too costly.

  23.6.2004 10:59 #2

• abl223

  i sure am glad i got a Playstation2.

  23.6.2004 15:55 #3

• Toiletman

  I'm glad I don't know you. ^PS2 FANBOY ALERT^
  
  This is the third generation consoles we're talking about, not 2nd generation.
  
  Let's face it, without Microsoft there would be no AfterDawn. Without PlayStation there would be no Devil May Cry.
  
  How many of you guys actually play PS1 games on PS2. I hope that answer is not many, because as I have said on the other news article, backwards compatability is as useful as a blunt knife.

  23.6.2004 17:00 #4

• Toiletman

  Sorry for that post, I was half asleep when I posted that.

  23.6.2004 17:00 #5

• Praetor

  Quote:Sorry for that post, I was half asleep when I posted that. Well wake yourself up next time that happens or you will find it edited. Other people have tried the "I was drunk" argument before -- and this aint "asleep" argument isnt gonna work. Cheers :)
  

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  23.6.2004 17:56 #6

• vurbal

  There's no reason using a different CPU would cause that many problems with compatibility. Back when AMD was a second rate CPU manufacturer their version of the 586 (the K-5) was in fact a RISC processor that just emulated a 586. It was noticably slower than a Pentium (in fact it was slower than a 486 with a Pentium overdrive attached) but since a game console doesn't need the CPU horsepower that a PC does it shouldn't be a problem.

  24.6.2004 15:13 #7

• pcshateme

  well i love my MS windows XP, and i love my ps2. but ill probobly get a ps3 over an xbox2 cause im a long time ps fan, and all the rare games are on ps2.

  24.6.2004 17:26 #8

• vurbal

  Fortunately I don't plan to buy either, so it's all academic to me.

  24.6.2004 17:30 #9

• SGSeries2

  Actually, the new gpu doesn't seem like it'll make such a huge difference if the leaked rumor specs that were posted over at rage3d are true: that the next gpu will run a somewhat extended version of directx. So, the gpu I don't think would be that big of a deal, but that's just speculation. Now, unless there's some commands were added to the xbox's gpu that are not included in directx...

  24.6.2004 19:22 #10