I'm not one of those tech savvy guys but I guess that's why, when you play an Xbox game on a 360, a DS game on a 3DS, a GBA game on a DS, or a Gamecube/Wii game on a Wii/Wii U, you don't have access to virtually any of the newer console's extra features.  I think it's a blessing from the heavens above that the Wii U controller can display Wii games, now--with Wii Remote support, too!

It's extremely important to me. My Wii U plays Wii games, but I've got to keep my Wii around to play my Gamecube games. (Which, yes, I still play.) I'm going to get a PS3, but I've still got to keep my PS2 around to play the games that weren't re-released down the line. And if someday I get a PS4, I'll have to hang on to my PS3 AND my PS2. The whole thing is a massive pain in the ass. At least there's the hope that the PS4 will be able to stream PS3 games, but otherwise it all sucks if you're still into playing your old games. I don't have room for seven freaking systems on my entertainment center.

actually i do... it is like moving on to a new console... and someone can inherit the old console (esp for younger nephew or niece.)

it is a nice feature that you can actually re-play old games without taking the old console from your basement.

I hate it when people say... i bought a new console to play new games.... it is not like it is true, but don't people replay old games? i know i do.... having a backward compatibility give you the extra space under your tv screen.

but companies see milking by making old games digital and selling it.... on your new console....

For this coming gen with the wii and ps3 library I have, I have to have some type of backwards compatibility. If not then that means the ps3 and wii go in the basement for family use and the wii u and ps4 stay upstairs.

Possibly with Wii and definitely with Wii U, the system does run 100% as if it were the old hardware, although the best way to gauge that would be to test GameCube games with known slowdown on the Wii and Wii games with known slowdown on the Wii U, but i think due to the architectural similarities, the system can tell itself to underclock and you suddenly have the same environment.

No the WiiU has a miniature Wii in it^

Hence you can crack the Wii in it and have it play gamecube games

I care for it but it isn't anything that would stop me from buying a console if it did not have it.

I care about BC. Not a deal breaker but rather a selling point. I get that BC would only add to the cost of the machine and it might be better to leave it out. I mean we still have our old consoles right? But the way I see it, BC is a nice addition to a console I already wanted to buy and a valuable feature to have for consoles early in their life cycle as a means of attracting new customers.

Not everyone can afford to have every console and some might choose one over the other. Let's say someone only went with the Wii and now they are interested in the PS4. They missed a whole generation's worth of PS3 games and now they are stuck between two options. Get a cheaper PS3 or a brand new PS4? But maybe they are only really interested in a handful of PS3 games, which is why they went with the Wii in the first place. But then again, the PS4 will only have just launched, so there are only a select few launch titles to choose from. They would have to wait at least an year or two before some games really start showing up. Should they wait an year or possibly two before getting a PS4? What games will they play during this seemingly long period of time? Only Wii games?! Well since the Wii U has BC, they can still play their backlog of Wii games and play some Wii U games they were interested in. In the end, they never buy the PS3 or PS4 and stick with the Wii U because it keeps them occupied enough and they have limited spending money.

So long story short, BC ended up being the selling point for a console they weren't expecting to get in the first place. BC is valuable from a business standpoint for attracting new customers because it adds a huge ass catalog of games for your new console without having to actually have them made. And this is important for consoles early in their life cycle when there are so few games to choose from. For old customers, it's a nice convenience and you basically buy two consoles in one. If your old one happens to die out, no problem! Obviously, if there is some huge hurdle to overcome in order to have BC, like with the PS4 and its completely different architecture, then it might be better for both the company and the consumer to leave it out if it means raising the cost of the machine unreasonably. Again, not necessary, but definitely nice to have and definitely helps to sell consoles!

Sony supports their consoles for a long time. Once i get a ps4, I still would like to buy ps3 games and play them on one box (Like dark souls 2). It is nice, but not essential. It is a good feature to have, its one area PC is much better then consoles.

Good to have but not important. The only time I remember using BC this gen was to play Halo 2 a few years ago. I don't really go back and play games from over a year ago so by 2015, I probably wouldn't even care if BC was an option.