To say that input ports on most TVs are highly contested real estate could be a big understatement. On the same vein, room on your entertainment center is equally as competitve. This is one of the benefits of having a backwards compatible console. Thanks to my Wii U, I no longer really need my Wii. Sadly, both the PS4 and Xbox One launched without backwards compatibility. While the former will be gaining the ability to stream older titles in the future, the latter doesn't have any official plans on the subject.
Until now.
Microsoft is reportedly considering bringing an Xbox 360 emulator to the Xbox One console. Whether or not it would be a matter of playing games straight from the disc or purchasing them through an online service wasn't specified. The full report came from Microsoft's Build developer conference. When asked about plans regarding 360 emulation, the following answer was given:
There are [plans], but we're not done thinking them through yet, unfortunately. It turns out to be hard to emulate the PowerPC stuff on the X86 stuff. So there's nothing to announce yet, but I would love to see it myself.
It's nice to see Microsoft recognize the chance of backwards compatibility to exist down the line. We'll keep our fingers crossed.
Jake Valentine is a regular freelance contributor for GameZone. When he’s not writing about (or playing) video games, chances are he’s playing a board game, Magic: the Gathering, or obsessing over food. You can follow him on Twitter @hop3less.
