Make Xbox2 backwards compatible

To:  Xbox Gamers

Petition to make Xbox2 backwards compatible

Microsoft Xbox Hardware Development (www.xbox.com) has yet to decide if they are going to make the Xbox2* backwards compatible with existing Xbox games for the Xbox(1), this petition is a request to Microsoft to make the next Xbox play the Xbox games of today. We urge you, existing and future Xbox owners, please sign this petition, hopefully Microsoft will listen and hear the public demand and make the Xbox2 backwards compatible.

*Xbox2 (Codename: Xenon, a.k.a. XboxNext, a.k.a. Xbox II), expected to be released in year 2005.

Background: Xbox is a popular game console by Microsoft. The existing Xbox has an x86 (Pentium III) processor made by Intel (www.intel.com), however Microsoft has for the Xbox2 contracted IBM (www.ibm.com) for processor design/development would could lead to a non-x86 processor would mean that all existing Xbox games would not be compatible with the next Xbox, Xbox2. IBM is one of the world-leaders in innovation of processor design, they make PowerPC processors for Mac (www.apple.com), plus they are also developing the processors for the PlayStation3 and GameCube2, but none of these processors are x86 based and can thus not run x86 instructions in its core. Now x86 can be emulated in software but this is a very intensive task and as an example the very fastest PowerPC processor in 2005 (two years from now) would not be fast enough to run an 'old' Xbox game at full speed, (even so, Microsoft will not use the fastest processor in Xbox2 but instead the one that is most value for money). Now IBM does have the expertise and capability to re-design a PowerPC processor to run x86 natively in the processor core, and even if IBM couldn't design this themselves they could easily license the technology from other x86 CPU developers like AMD, Intel, VIA or Transmeta. As a selling argument and reason why Microsoft should do this just look at the PS2 from Sony (www.playstation.com), it would not have sold even close to what they do did when it came out if it wasn't backward compatible with PS1 games.

More facts and speculations on Xbox2 processor:
http://www.ibm.com/news/us/2003/11/031.html
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2003/nov03/11-03XboxIBMPR.asp
http://www.totalvideogames.com/?section=Read\%20News&id=4127&gameid=2928&format=000005
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=12523
http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,61065,00.html
http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/22622.html
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/54/33741.html

Thank you for your interest

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Make Xbox2 backwards compatible Petition to Xbox Gamers was created by and written by Andreas Setterlind (setterlind@usa.net).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.