There’s now a new talking point in the gaming media. Its come up the last few years and it seems to be hurtful to gamers. There is a new phrase that a game is trapped on older consoles if it hasn’t’ gotten a port.

This is a misleading idea and makes no sense. The timing of this is very strange because it’s only come up in the last few years. It wasn’t when the 8th gen consoles didn’t have back compat to start. It has only come up in the last few years by the gaming media.

Back compat usually has been a thing in newer consoles. It wasn’t really a deal breaker when the Gamecube didn’t support N64 cartridges. The PS3 had back compat, but it was removed when they made the cheaper versions. The reason people by a new console is to play new games.

I question if the spread of this idea in the media, proves a point of mine. Are games now so cookie cutter and without heart, that we need to play old games for enjoyment?

I’m a big fan of old games, but saying they’re trapped is ridiculous. When I want to play an old game, I can get a copy and a console and play it. You can also download the emulators and play the games at higher res, higher FPS, custom textures and mods. Then you can use things like cheat programs to change the game. For example, you can unlock unused assets or give yourself unlimited money. It many ways the games can be more fun than an official rerelease.

Red Dead Redemption just got a rerelease on PS4 and Switch. There’s no enhancements outside of resolution. On the Xbox 360 emulator Xenia, you’ve been able to run it at 4K 60 for a few years.

MGS4 gets a lot of hate for having long cutscenes. Yet it is one of the games, the gaming media claims that’s trapped on an older console the most. It’s funny that Digital Foundry said this, while emulating the game.

I’m calling this idea dangerous for gamers, because it invites more remasters when we already have a lot. At the beginning of the 8th gen, there were many definitive editions of games. They were games that came out within a year or so of the new consoles that you had to pay full price for an uprezed port with some skins, that sometimes had a higher FPS.