Take-Two Interactive chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick isn’t worried about the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One’s inability to play games from previous generations. The sales figures for both next-generation platforms have been highly positive, and while some people are concerned that a lack of backwards compatibility will slow the adoption rate for consumers with a significant last-generation collection, Zelnick argues (via GameIndustry International) that this just won’t be an issue moving forward.
"I don't see it as a problem at all, and certainly we have the physical ability to port, and it wouldn't be particularly costly," Zelnick said at an investor presentation at the Credit Suisse' 2013 Technology Conference. "The question is, 'Is there an economic opportunity for us to do so?' I don't think backwards compatibility affects consumers at all."
We’ve seen plenty of older games get polished and ported to the PS3 and Xbox 360, so we shouldn’t be surprised if some pieces of software get similar treatment in the coming years. With Grand Theft Auto 5 being a last-gen game, Zelnick might consider creating a next-gen versions in the near future since Take-Two has the “physical ability” to do so.
