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[jshackles]

Let me use my fuckin discs

Here I am trying to remember the last time I had an optical drive attached to my PC

 

[Bry0]

This is awesome. Updating crimson skies in the future to add cheevos is sick

 

[LordCBH]

The work the BC team has and continue to put is the best part of Xbox for me. And super cool seeing this program extending to PC.

I'll give one of my toes to get Eternal Sonata added to this program since Namco refuses to acknowledge it even exists.

 

[wvnative]

I wonder if you can go in and swap the ROMS?

 

[DavJay]

Ninja Gaiden Black is all I need.

 

[AGRacing]

YES!!! This is GREAT!

 

[LordCBH]

Here I am trying to remember the last time I had an optical drive attached to my PC

Lmao I have a USB disc drive to rip my blu rays. My pc case doesn't even have a spot for a disc drive, which kinda annoys me tbh

 

[Magic Carpet]

I can remove those 4 games off my Series X and load them onto my PC.
These old games don't need to be on those now super expensive M.2 drives. Time to put those old SATA SSD's back in service inside the PC.

 

[DarkLordOtaku]

I'll give one of my toes to get Eternal Sonata added to this program since Namco refuses to acknowledge it even exists.

Which toe?

 

[Sanepar]

Very cool move MS, kudos for u!

 

[LavitzSlambert]

This is a great thing for exiting Xbox owners who are all in on a digital library, but it doesn't do much for me. I have discs I'd like to play on PC and have no interest in supporting Microsoft's storefront.

 

[DeepEnigma]

This is a great thing for exiting Xbox owners who are all in on a digital library

The segway begins.

 

[LordCBH]

Which toe?

Xbox leaderships choice.

 

[Topher]

Pretty much confirms Helios is a PC and not a closed ecosystem console to me

 

[Ceallach]

Here I am trying to remember the last time I had an optical drive attached to my PC

USB drives are cheap!

Granted not everyone is making BD backups like I need to but still!

 

[jshackles]

I'll give one of my toes to get Eternal Sonata added to this program since Namco refuses to acknowledge it even exists.

Zero chance that Eternal Sonata gets added to Microsoft's BC program without Namco's involvement, or at least permission. But I'm right there with you, would love a native PC version of that game.

 

[kevboard]

Let me use my fuckin discs

not possible without a proprietary drive.

normal disc drivrs can't read Xbox discs. some drives can be firmware flashed to read them, but it's only a small selection

 

[BennyBlanco]

 

[Genesis Knight]

Am I missing something or is "backwards compatibility" a weird way to phrase this. You can't use your original discs so aren't these just modern PC re-releases of old games? "Please buy it again" etc. Not trying to be negative, just seems misleading

 

[bender]

Zero chance that Eternal Sonata gets added to Microsoft's BC program without Namco's involvement, or at least permission. But I'm right there with you, would love a native PC version of that game.

Eternal Sonata is...what's the right word...oh yeah:

 

[Itito]

This is great news, hope they get to the 360, i have been wanting to play Condemned 2 and the original Skate games.

 

[rodrigolfp]

https://www.digitalfoundry.net/features/hands-on-with-xbox-back-compat-for-pc-a-new-initiative-that-begins-with-four-classic-games

- 30 fps locked;
- can increase the resolution by 2x, 3x or 4x, for a maximum of 2560x1920 (4:3 ratio);
- can enable v-sync, increase MSAA to 2x or 4x, enable anisotropic filtering (AF) and choose a trade-off between sound latency and sound clarity;
- sub-par frame-pacing on the 30fps titles, with deviations from the regular 33.3ms or 16.7ms update rate that can produce jerky camera motion.
- There's also a bug where display scaling results in lower-than-intended rendering resolutions - so the "2560x1920" setting produces only 1440x1080 if Windows is set to 150 percent scaling. Setting Windows to 100 percent scaling fixes the issue - something we didn't know during testing, meaning our video captures require updating before we can post video content. Beyond this, AF is limited to a single setting and looks worse than on Series X, and there are a handful of visual bugs, including wireframes visible in Fuzion Frenzy, shadow artefacts in Blinx and motion judder in Conker.

Jesus. Xemu is still far better.

 

[SNG32]

Zero chance that Eternal Sonata gets added to Microsoft's BC program without Namco's involvement, or at least permission. But I'm right there with you, would love a native PC version of that game.

Your only choice for that is the Xenia Emulator.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Am I missing something or is "backwards compatibility" a weird way to phrase this. You can't use your original discs so aren't these just modern PC re-releases of old games? "Please buy it again" etc. Not trying to be negative, just seems misleading

I think the biggest news is getting the console games over to the PC. When the backwards compatibility thing first started you already had to basically redownload the entire game even if you had the disk.

 

[existensmaximum]

Oh, cool! I hope they will release some good games for it.

 

[jshackles]

Am I missing something or is "backwards compatibility" a weird way to phrase this. You can't use your original discs so aren't these just modern PC re-releases of old games? "Please buy it again" etc. Not trying to be negative, just seems misleading

Yes these are essentially just modern PC re-releases. Not even remasters. They're setting expectations. They're just calling this "backwards compatibility" since that's what the program is called on the console side of things.

What's nice is that Microsoft is actually giving those of us that own these games a way to play them on PC without having to re-purchase them. Although I would 100% repurchase some of their BC games if they were re-released on Steam.

Eternal Sonata is...what's the right word...oh yeah:

I know it is. But a "mid" Xbox 360 era JRPG is still better than a lot of modern ones.

 

[kevboard]

Am I missing something or is "backwards compatibility" a weird way to phrase this. You can't use your original discs so aren't these just modern PC re-releases of old games? "Please buy it again" etc. Not trying to be negative, just seems misleading

you could have bought some of these digitally on an Xbox 360 or Xbox One and still use them on modern systems.

that's why it's called backwards compatibility.

 

[bender]

I know it is. But a "mid" Xbox 360 era JRPG is still better than a lot of modern ones.

Too many good options to replay that quality of game. Yes, I'm bitter that Eternal Sonata's boring ass made me play it twice for all the achievements.

 

[ResilientBanana]

This is a welcomed surprise. kind of let's you know what's possible with digital licenses.

 

[IntentionalPun]

Pretty much confirms Helios is a PC and not a closed ecosystem console to me

Helix is supposed to be full hardware compatible with Series consoles. If it isn't then it is completely DOA as there is no way Microsoft is going to be able to emulate the Series consoles on PC.

So there's no reason to run a janky ass "PC Version" of these BC games on Helix, as they could just utilize the full XBOX hardware BC.

I think this has absolutely nothing to do with Helix personally.

 

[uncreativename]

On the other hand, I do like that it says purchase, and I assume considering it lists minimum specs that it is actually running them on PC. Idunno, I might buy Crimson Skies.

You know what would get me 100% on board? Jet Set Radio Future .

 

[bender]

kind of let's you know what's possible with digital licenses.

All four titles are first party though so I'd say the jury is still out on that.

 

[Syphon Filter]

This is pointless since you can already emulate xbox games on pc...

 

[SNG32]

Helix is supposed to be full hardware compatible with Series consoles. If it isn't then it is completely DOA as there is no way Microsoft is going to be able to emulate the Series consoles on PC.

So there's no reason to run a janky ass "PC Version" of these BC games on Helix, as they could just utilize the full XBOX hardware BC.

I think this has absolutely nothing to do with Helix personally.

This. I think it's all about them adding more value to their PC store and offering something that other stores don't offer. A place to play Xbox and Xbox 360 games.

 

[Aryl]

When can I buy these games on my PS5?

 

[boomtimesbaby]

This is pointless since you can already emulate xbox games on pc...

It's shoddy atm. it's nowhere near really developed emulators like PCSX2 or Dolphin.

 

[DR3AM]

XBOX with another W. They just can't seem to stop winning with Asha

 

[Bojji]

So can I play lost Odyssey and blue dragon I have in my library (I don't have console anymore)?

Edit: this is just for original Xbox?

 

[SNG32]

This is pointless since you can already emulate xbox games on pc...

This doesn't mean anything also with emulation especially Xbox you have to be somewhat tech saavy. Xbox emulation is no where near PlayStation and Nintendo level so they can get in front of emulation a bit with this. As long as it's not a slow drip feed.

 

[LordCBH]

Zero chance that Eternal Sonata gets added to Microsoft's BC program without Namco's involvement, or at least permission. But I'm right there with you, would love a native PC version of that game.

I don't even understand why Namco just refuses to acknowledge this games existence. Like if they won't remaster it, let Xbox make it BC. It would cost them I assume nothing or next to nothing to let them do it.

 

[boomtimesbaby]

This doesn't mean anything also with emulation especially Xbox you have to be somewhat tech saavy.

You could probably dump these legally now as well and use them with an xbox emulator if you care about doing it legally.

 

[Arsic]

Fucking sick!

Ninja gaiden black please and then do 360 for ninja gaiden 2 original.

I will bust!

 

[Trogdor1123]

These are through the windows store I assume?

 

[MDSLKTR]

Is it active yet? Im trying to install Conker, but the windows Xbox app and website defaults to installing on console.

 

[RAIDEN1]

This program for me is what gave the Xbox the edge over Sony's consoles ....Sony did a woeful job on PS2 titles for the PS4...and they don't even know what the term backward compatibility means as they don't care about their legacy, just the dollars, but in some cases some of these games haven't been bettered in today's gaming world- Split Second, Panzer Dragoon Orta, Burnout Revenge, the table tennis game from Rockstar...(to name but a few..)

 

[uncreativename]

This is pointless since you can already emulate xbox games on pc...

I mean, it's also possible to pirate most Steam games and every GOG game.

Just like with those, if I'm buying any of these, part of the reason is to show I approve of what they're doing.

 

[Det]

I wonder if there will be marching orders for Xbox fanboys to spend two years talking about this, just like with the Xbox One.

 

[rodrigolfp]

there is no way Microsoft is going to be able to emulate the Series consoles on PC.

Why not? They just need a "Proton" layer for that.

 

[adamsapple]

Pretty much confirms Helios is a PC and not a closed ecosystem console to me

Helios?

 

[Three]

These are already BC on Xbox consoles. For all intents and purposes, BC work on consoles is done with so now it's time to work on PC getting BC; that or fire the entire BC team. Would you prefer that?

When they got rid of their 37yr veteran you can assume that's pretty much what's happened already anyway:



They just let the PC version release now as they wind down the console. They had all but completely unified xbox/PC abstraction last gen already so it's not like the PC release would have been a Herculean effort.