Rumor: Next Xbox to improve 360 games

by Dustin Burg { Oct 15th 2008 at 2:30PM }

Here's an interesting Xbox 720 (you know, the next Xbox console) rumor. According to Xbox Evolved and their "sources", Microsoft is planning on implementing "forward compatibility" into their next console creation. Saying that the next Xbox will improve upon current 360 titles, increasing frame rate, draw distance, graphics, textures, etc. Interesting rumor, but we can't help point out that Xbox Evolved's use of the term "forward compatibility" doesn't really make sense.

If the Xbox 720 were to play Xbox 360 games and improve the the overall experience, that's simply called backwards compatibility. Just like the Xbox 360 plays (some) original Xbox games. So, we're not entirely sure what Xbox Evolved's rumor news is really about, because we sort of expected the Xbox 720 to play and improve the overall experience of 360 games. That is unless they're talking about future Xbox 360 games adding code to make them forward compatible with the 720. Actual code on the disc that the 720 will use to improve the features, look and experience. That's what we'd call a forward compatible Xbox 360 game.

[Via Game Stooge]

Tags: forward-compatible, microsoft, xbox-360, xbox-720

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

andyg8180 @ Oct 15th 2008 2:35PM

Well, considering the product isnt out yet, the games will be "forward compatible" If the 720 was out, then it'd be backwards compatible...

me so smaaarrttt :-)

Dustin Burg @ Oct 15th 2008 2:37PM

No matter if the 720 is out or not, 360 games would be forward compatible to work with it (the console's the next in the tech lineup, hence it's forward). BUT never would the 720 be forward compatible, unless it plays games that come out on the 1080?

andyg8180 @ Oct 15th 2008 3:08PM

Pretty sure i said it right, buddy... My xbox 360 games are forward compatible... How are they backwards compatible... Its the system thats backwards compatible, not the game...

If i owned a 720 at this moment, my 720 is backwards compatible with my 360 games.... not the other way around...

Grant @ Oct 15th 2008 3:16PM

If the 720 was forwards compatible, it would negate a future console from being necessary. current 360 games can be forward compatible if they were written to have specials features that only the 720 could utilize.

TORO @ Oct 15th 2008 4:00PM

You guys got me all cross-eyed with this backward/forward compatible talk.

Ryan Hartman @ Oct 15th 2008 2:42PM

Maybe it's the other way around? Maybe the the 360 will be "forward compatilbe" in that it will be able to run 720 games (at least the first wave of them) at a reduced rate or something? They could do it, launch games never look that great to begin with.

That would be crazy, and it would really put the whole console lifespan in question when the next gen first cycle is still able to be played on the previous gen.

An analogy would be like the original xbox being able to run Perfect Dark and all those other garbage looking launch titles that the 360 had (Kameo? More like Blam-eo ... because it made me want to shoot myself in the head) You can't tell me they were leaps and bounds above what we had seen on the first box at the time.

PeterF @ Oct 15th 2008 3:33PM

They were HD though, the Xbox 1 can do that!

EdgeOne @ Oct 16th 2008 8:32AM

What would be the motivation to buy the next gen console if you could play its launch titles on last gen?? "Gee, I wish this crappy game looked better?"

joeybeast @ Oct 15th 2008 2:43PM

"forward compatibility" will mean 360 can play 720's games.
It is, of course, not possible, or financially viable.

DBoyFlex @ Oct 15th 2008 2:43PM

I don't like thinking about a new system yet being that I have put so much cash into my current 360. I sure hope it gives me at least 3 more years. I also hope that the next-box (get it?) is less prone to problems, as that has caused some big headaches this genframe. Oh well, hopefully they learned. Also, please make at least the controllers forward compatible, maybe the HDD some how also, even just as a backup. Or make all of my content easily transferable, like what they did with the 120 gigs. Thanks MS for listening (yeah right).

SuburbGuerrilla @ Oct 15th 2008 2:47PM

Lets focus less on future compatibility and more on producing bug-free glitch-free games, eh?

Michael Paul @ Oct 15th 2008 2:50PM

I'd guess that "forward compatibility" means they are planning ahead now to completely emulate a 360 inside a 720, so each game doesn't need the hand-crafting we saw for original Xbox games.

I'd hope the 720 will be 10 or 20 times the machine a 360 is, so it'd take a game so complex that it couldn't actually fit in the machine to make it bog down. That platform, running a 360 emulator, would be supreme.

Until, of course, somebody builds a better machine...

ryan @ Oct 15th 2008 3:03PM

forwards compatibility?!?!?

*brain implosion*

Arnie @ Oct 15th 2008 3:04PM

See the way I think about forward compatibility would be if they used a modified version of Dx10(I presume that's what they are shooting for) just like the 360 uses a modified version of Dx9. This way the underlying code could render additional effects or better effects like AA for instance @ full 1080p(& not upscaled shit like today) and be forward compatible. Regardless of the coinage, I hope Microsoft realizes that a lot of people have invested in this generation and native backwards compatible will be important to gamers unlike the previous xbox.
Also, given their usage of the Direct X layer, compatibility can be maintained(of course I am just making a good guess here)

Gaymer @ Oct 15th 2008 3:18PM

forward compatibility!

Those this mean I can finally play;

Deus Ex: Invisible War???

{@} @ Oct 15th 2008 3:48PM

Have you played the original "Deus Ex"? It's my favorite game of all time.

Yamagushi @ Oct 15th 2008 3:22PM

Its BS. This is an attempt for this small unheard of site to get publicity. And it worked.

shane86 @ Oct 15th 2008 3:25PM

That second paragraph melted my brain.

spin @ Oct 15th 2008 3:25PM

i can't believe this is gaining so much ground. some 13 year old kid is laughing his ass off because the whole internet is believing some bs he made up after he huffed some air freshner.

{@} @ Oct 15th 2008 3:31PM

Seems to go along with the thread.... I have a question, does MS plan on updating it's list of BC games for the CURRENT platform? I know they've clearly moved on, but I'd like to get the chance to play "Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath." The 360's BC is all sorts of pathetic, and it'd be nice is all.

Neuromancer @ Oct 15th 2008 3:38PM

What forwards compatible means is that the 720 will be so advanced, all it's games will work the same on the 360- eliminating the need to even buy it!

kyle @ Oct 15th 2008 4:57PM

i dont think microsoft would do that. think about it. microsoft still wants to make money, so why would they make it so you wouldn't buy a 360 anymore?

Neuromancer @ Oct 15th 2008 4:57PM

*facepalms*

iFester @ Oct 15th 2008 3:50PM

I thought that CheapAssGamer contest ended ages ago. ;)

Alex @ Oct 15th 2008 3:52PM

I hope to god it isn't called the 720.
Be original, PLEASE!
Don't want to go too far down the 'very-original-Playstation-predecessor-naming-process'.

Phawx @ Oct 15th 2008 3:59PM

Guys, think of forward compatible as a PC not a console.

Like Crysis doesn't run well at Very High settings. Wait 5 years for Mainstream gfx cards to chew up Very High on easy.

You are now playing a game that LOOKS better, but is still old. I don't doubt they could get away with this, with just a download patch.

Much the same way when you start certain games and its says a game has been updated. It downloads a patched XEX file. And runs from that.

Why is this concept so hard to grasp? It's widely known the PS4 will support this, because they are just increasing the SPEs and getting a new Nvidia chip

Evan @ Oct 15th 2008 4:08PM

Nintendo did something similar: Gameboy Color games could recognize if they were running on a Gameboy Advance, and some Gameboy Color games rendered better graphics when played on the Gameboy Advance. The system wasn't really forward compatible, the GAMES were! Likewise, it should be possible for future 360 games to recognize if they are being run on 720 hardware, and for the games to make use of the extra power.

whistlepig @ Oct 15th 2008 4:13PM

ughh my head hurts from reading all this gonna get back to eating pizza and lookin up midget porn

nojak @ Oct 15th 2008 4:13PM

In regards to them improving looks:

Sure, they can increase frame rates, and possibly draw distance.

Problem is, besides using more AA and AF on textures, they're not going to look much better. It's not like you can magically go back in the game and uprez the textures. Likewise, a lot of draw distance is coded into games, so how they expect to increase draw distance for games like that is beyond me.

All that's really going to happen is the games will be played with a better graphics processor, meaning increased frame rates, possibly further draw distance, a higher amount of Anti-Aliasing, and a higher amount of Anisotropic Filtering. Big leap there... woah.

And considering most games are really only rendered out at 720p, and up-rez'd to 1080p already, because of frame rate issues, whoopdee doo.

Anticrawl @ Oct 15th 2008 4:18PM

There must be a gas leak over at the bloggers house.... did anyone actually read the article? When has this site ever been credible, the kid who wrote it sounds like your average GameFAQ forum dweller.

Anticrawl @ Oct 15th 2008 4:20PM

I don't blame you Dustin, natural gas can give you some ideas.... don't light a match dude, call your local gas & electric company to fix the leak.

Dustin Burg @ Oct 15th 2008 4:34PM

No gas leak, the games will be forward compatible not the Xbox 720.

ZombiesRPplsToo @ Oct 15th 2008 6:28PM

If you think about, in this case, the term "forward compatable", means that the designated console can run games of the nest generation.

I think what they're trying to say is that the "720" (definitely not what the console is going to be named), will sort of upgrade the console...?

Matjaz @ Oct 15th 2008 5:30PM

As I understand it, it mean just implementing high-res textures and support for higher resolutions that the current hardware couldn't handle, but the future hardware might. What's so confusing about that?

Jared @ Oct 15th 2008 4:50PM

My take on Forward Compatability is this:

Just like the 360 can play old Xbox games, the new Xconsole will play 360 games BUT also be able to implement whatever the games for that console can do.

example: playing Knights of the Old Republic on the 360 is possible, but no achievements were worked in/ buttons were different and changed so they did different things. The games for the 360 will be able to do those new-fangled things that the next consoles games will be able to do on their own.

Trekster_Gamer @ Oct 15th 2008 7:47PM

I just want ALL 360 games to work perfectly by default on the next XBOX!

myabsolution @ Oct 15th 2008 8:25PM

Will it have 4D graphics?

JerkfacedFed @ Oct 15th 2008 9:18PM

what the hell dont you understand?? think like a pc game...turn up aa, draw distance, ansiotropic filtering, resolution. increase graphics card / cpu...frame rate and quality go up...keep all other assets the same.

some editors should not be allowed to write ever again about video games