Now the prices have been lowered! One of Microsoft’s most reprehensible actions (among many) against its users has been its policy against backwards compatibility on the XBox 360. But it looks like somebody making decisions for them isn’t a completely heartless, greedy schmuck. In a surprising but pleasing move, Microsoft just announced a new patch that will add 84 older titles to the platform’s list of playable games.

Can it be they actually have taken gamers’ needs into consideration and realized that although most people only purchased the 360 to play HALO 3, even that mammoth can’t haul the platform along indefinitely? Can it be– is it possible– that they’ve just decided to show some gratitude to loyal users?

Ha, ha. Okay, just kidding.

I’m glad this happened, and I really don’t care what the motive was. In a perfect world, this decision would have been made to show gratitude and respect to loyal XBox players who want to continue to enjoy solid older titles. Heck, I miss playing Goldeneye and if that’s one of the games added, I’ll be very happy. But deep down I know it’s just another crass commercial tactic by Microsoft to further leverage their competitiveness against the PS3, which has always offered backwards compatibility and never experienced the bugginess that the XBox had. (The result of Sony, a company that knows how to make quality hardware, outpacing Microsoft, a company that can’t even put out bug-free software.)

As much as I love the HALO franchise, I don’t want to see Microsoft achieve the sort of dominance in the gaming industry the way it has in software and operating systems. It will only lead to the same sort of laziness that encourages them to continue to put out buggy, unsecure PC products with no incentive of healthy competition to encourage them to improve. That’s why I’m relieved that Bungie has gone independent again. Luckily their Babylonian Captivity didn’t last too long to destroy their soul and quash all talent, innovation, and creativity.