Nvidia Gives Graphics Tech to Xbox 360
Microsoft's backwards compatibility struggle becomes a little less entangled.
Seamless backwards compatibility for Xbox 360 took a step forward this week with the revelation that Nvidia, supplier of the graphics chip for the current Xbox, has licensed its technology to Microsoft for use in Xbox 360, 1Up is reporting.
Microsoft skipped over both Nvidia and Intel, the processor supplier for Xbox, for its new machine, choosing instead to work with ATI and IBM. This has made it hard for designers to get Xbox games running on Xbox 360 because of incompatibilities in the different hardware.
Microsoft is using software emulation of the original Xbox to get its games working on Xbox 360, which will be made easier by Nvidia's licensing of its technology.
Xbox 360 will come with support for all the top Xbox games from Microsoft and other publishers when it launches later this year, and owners will likely be able to get more games working either through downloads or through store-bought software updates.
Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games
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