Backwards compatibility is the biggest selling point for me when it comes to console shopping. I have a lot of games, and while some of them don’t have as long a shelf life as other titles, especially those in my Steam Library, I do like cracking open some of the titles I rarely play or haven’t replayed in a while. Between every few sessions of Monster Hunter 4U, it’s nice to kick back with some Tamagotchi Corner Shop or Phoenix Wright. So when it comes time to upgrade to the next generation, my favor is heavily swayed to whichever side can say “Yeah, you can still play all those old classics without having to swap machinesâ€. Of course, in this era of partial backwards compatibility, this factor becomes harder and harder to determine; but for some who share my viewpoints, the decision may have just become easier as Microsoft added Garou: Mark of the Wolves, Duke Nukem Manhattan Project, and Sonic the Fighters.
Earlier yesterday, Larry Hryb made the announcement on his Twitter page that these three games were now available to as part of the Xbox One’s ever expanding list of Backwards Compatible games that Microsoft has been steadily expanding. While not the most recognizable titles Microsoft could’ve chosen from, these do provide a faint confirmation that almost nothing is too obscure or old to make it onto the list. After all, if an arcade fighter based around Sonic the Hedgehog can make it, there’s hope for your favorite niche title as well.
Unless of course, thine name is Red Dead Redemption; as Larry Hyrb also made a statement on the recent rumored leak that popped up due to the game appearing on people’s Xbox apps. Stating “This is not a leak, nor an indicator if and or when a game is coming to BC. In the latest Xbox One dashboard update we now allow ALL Xbox 360 games to show up in game hubs.â€
Similarly, there have also been mutterings of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 being added as well; but since Microsoft has no set deadlines attached to formatting these games to fit Backwards Compatibility, rather releasing them when they’re ready to be released, only time will tell whether or not any of these console classics will find their way onto the Xbox One back catalog.