Anyone know if there's any truth to this rumor?

I was taking it as just a rumor, but a friend of mine, who's usually out of the loop when it comes to stuff like this, said he heard Microsoft bought Sega, or merged with them or something silly like that.

So is it true that Xboxes will be able to play DC games?

Nope not true at all. Would be nice though.

Sega is still independant. Nintendo came close to taking them over, however Sega decided against any buy outs for now. Besides the DC hardware has already been out sourced to another company for some set top box thing.

Though the Xbox won't play the DC games there are reports that it will play the PS2 games. Here is a recent article dated April 1, 2001. And no, it's not an April fool's day joke...

Microsoft XBox To Play PlayStation2 Games
Reported By Robbie Otal | 10:20 AM EST

According to a recent report from the Tokyo Game Show, it has now been determined that Microsoft's XBox console will indeed support compatibility with existing PlayStation 2 software.

As early as January, insider reports had suggested that Microsoft's next-generation console would support compatibility for existing Dreamcast software. Only weeks later, Sega would announce their departure from a first-party hardware developer, and their transition to a third-party software developer. Microsoft later debunked reports linking the XBox console to Dreamcast games.

Months after these incidents, it now seems that these rumors were at least partially true; The Microsoft XBox will be able to support a format other than their own. The format however, will not be that of the Sega Dreamcast, but of the PlayStation 2. We know what you're thinking. We are just as shocked as you are.

Although we have yet to receive official reports from Sony and Microsoft themselves, an insider close to Sony Computer Entertainment was able to pass the following information to us:


"Microsoft's XBox console will include a component inside that will allow XBox owners to play PlayStation 2 games. Basically, the two formats will be interchangeable. So players can play both XBox and PS2 software on the same console.

"I'm not exactly 100% sure how these plans came to be, but apparently a new deal may have been worked out by Sony and Microsoft behind closed doors. There was a demonstration of these compatibility options shown behind closed doors at the Tokyo Game Show. The XBox may even be able to enhance existing PS2 software by the time it's released in the Fall."

Could this really be an alliance between Sony and Microsoft? What does the future hold for the PlayStation 2? We will have more news on this as it becomes available.

Nope
 

Sorry, I just aint goning to fall for it. The hardware between the 2 is just to different. Not a chance.

Agreed. No way X-Box is going to play PS2 software--unless they're referring to those "special" DVD's out there emblazoned with the "PS2 Compatible!" stickers. ;)

Hahaha give me a break! What a pathetic attempt at an April Fools joke. Come on...I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid. Oh oh wait, maybe this is the magical box that was going to come out this winter, what was it, the Dreamstation or something? Hahaha...

Hahahaha...that was a pretty funny report there. Considering Sony would sue Microsoft's ass off if they did put that technology in the X-Box, this report is false right from the start. Would be industrial espionage, electronic fraud...you name it and Microsoft will have broken it if this technology was in there. It was a good laugh though, thanks much.

where is the source for this alleged non april fools joke...and is it still true today?

Hey necros, <b>I've got a 7" I'll sell you for $1000.</B> Ha!

Whether true or not I don't know... I was simply passing along a very interesting article that I read over at PSX2.com. The direct lind to this particular article is http://www.psx2.com/news/view_news.p...2035#986142035
Or from their home page you can look at the news headlines on the right. Dated April, 1 you will see the Xbox/PS2 headline.

So, as you see, if it was an April Fools joke, it was not started by me... And so far no reason to believe this site was not serious when posting it. Guess we'll see... I mean if an Emulator can do the SNES games on the DC why not be able to incorporate these two systems? But since I don't own a PS2 and probably will not own an xbox either, it really doesn't matter to me. I'm just content with my DC :)

A SNES is much easier to emulate for several reasons. Number 1 is that the SNES hardware is far surpassed by the Dreamcast hardware. (The new GBA is virtually a portable SNES) Emulation is not as easy as people like to think, it takes quite a bit of hardware to emulate something. With the case of the X-box, I don't think its powerful enough to play PS2, the hardware gap is not that large.

Another reason SNES games and the like are emulated more is because of the availabilty. Easy to download. Been around for a long time. etc...

Just to clarify, my post was made on April 1st, but it wasn't a joke :)

Here's a link I found with some of the rumor info :)

http://www.gamers.com/news/526674

I think everyone is referring to my comments about the xbox playing PS2 games as the April Fools joke not that of your original post topic. I did however follow your link above and read your article. It was dated March 18th and referred to a gaming show in Tokyo that was to take place on March 30. If you will read the article that my link above points to you will read that, "Microsoft later debunked reports linking the XBox console to Dreamcast games." and have the answer to your post question. Now the only remaining question is whether or not the xbox will play PS2 games...


Even if the answer turns out to be no, this is still an interesting article... even if ficticious. Though psx2.com gives no reason to believe that it would be (ficticiuos that is).

[Edited by Shuki on 04-03-01 at 09:37 AM]