PS2 memory cards need adaptor for PS3
by Christopher Grant 
{ Aug 4th 2006 at 2:40PM }
Sony really got the short end of the backwards compatibility stick. Because of the immense popularity of the PlayStation 2 and the anticipated quality of the PS3's backcompat solution (it's got a PS2 inside), all eyes are going to be on Sony to deliver a great experience. Forget about Xbox 360's middling backwards compatability, with no save file compatibility. Sony is going the extra mile by offering an adaptor that will allow users to plug their PS2/PSone memory sticks into their PS3s and copy the data to the hard drive. From their recently updated (after the Apple snafu) website:
"To use saved data on a PlayStation 2 memory card, you must copy the data onto a virtual memory card within the hard disk. This requires a PS2/PSone memory card adaptor to copy the data to your PLAYSTATION 3. A memory card adaptor is designed to edit, up/download game saves to and from EMS flash card or smart media card."
So why is it that we're still predisposed to side with the petulant 14-yr. old inside all of us? Other solutions we're imagining: a free PS2 disc that will allow you to copy memory card data to a USB thumbdrive; an online service you could upload your memory card data to, then download to your new PS3; game store kiosks that have a memory card slot in one side and a Memory Stick™ slot on the other. Feel free to jack any of these, Sony. We just don't want to lose our Guitar Hero progress ... and we're cheap.
[Thanks, Angelcurio]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Belcho @ Aug 4th 2006 2:46PM
Sounds good, MS should pay attention to this.
Mike @ Aug 4th 2006 2:50PM
Yup, I've put down some good XBox games b/c I didn't want to start over again when I got my 360.
ElChibo @ Aug 4th 2006 2:50PM
Speaking of guitar hero, how will you connect the controller?
Optimus Prime @ Aug 4th 2006 2:51PM
Joystiq, what is your problem; this is a good solution. If you can afford a $600 PS3, $2000+ HDTV, $1000+ theatre system, .. then you can afford a stupif $10 adapter.
C. Grant @ Aug 4th 2006 2:55PM
ElChibo: we'll totally use our brand new PS3 wireless Guitar Hero controllers!
Prime: well, first off, you're assuming we have a $2000 HDTV, a $1000 home theater, and the $600 PS3 (I'm looking at $500), secondly, I didn't say it was logical, I said it was petulant. I'd just prefer a free solution that's (as far as I can tell) technologically possible.
blahman @ Aug 4th 2006 2:58PM
The good thing about this is the fact that if at least one of your friends has this peripheral, you don't need to ever buy it. Just pop in the old ps2 cards you got, transfer to hard drive, and return the peripheral to it's rightful owner. It's a rather cheap solution if you have friends. I just hope Sony doesn't get word of this post and decides to do something convoluted like offer "a free PS2 disc that will allow you to copy memory card data to a USB thumbdrive; an online service you could upload your memory card data to, then download to your new PS3; game store kiosks that have a memory card slot in one side and a Memory Stick™ slot on the other." Silly Joystiq, keep it simple, stupid.
Kev @ Aug 4th 2006 2:59PM
If it's an adaptor, why not load the save data directly from the real card instead of requiring it to be uploaded to a virtual card? Oh well. Better than no saves at all!
wakusei @ Aug 4th 2006 2:59PM
In all likelihood I would expect this sort of adapter to cost more than $10.00...look at the current price of Sony's first party memory cards for PS2. They're STILL high!
gman @ Aug 4th 2006 3:00PM
didn't want to have to say it...but couldn't they just add PS2 memory card slots, like the GC slots in the Wii? Why sony? Wii?!?? ...I mean WHYYY!?!?
Alan @ Aug 4th 2006 3:00PM
I take it, this means that PS1 memory card data can also be transfered. If so this is excellent news. God knows the PS3 needs some.
I hope the ps1 emulation for psp is also available on ps3 at some time. Any1 here play Yoyo's puzzle park for ps1, great game that is, especially on 2player.
ZENegade @ Aug 4th 2006 3:00PM
Yea, I was wondering if the update on the PS3 site was old news, I just saw the changes yesterday for the first time, but the press releases are dated July 18th so I wasn't sure.
Anyways, linking to the Warhawk website is a must for PS3 fanboys. Good gameplay footage plus just about every movie is a plug for the PS3 and its capabilities itself.
Thad @ Aug 4th 2006 3:01PM
Er, do you actually know what "got the short end of the stick" means?
GSI @ Aug 4th 2006 3:02PM
Oh quit your whinning guys...I may not be on the total bandwagon for the PS3 yet but at least they working on this. I would hate to have to either keep my PS2 or replay all my PS2 games all over again on the PS3.
Microsoft should take note and try to come up with something.
Now the other thing I am concerned about (and I dunno if they've announced anything about this) is will PS2 controllers (namely Guitar Hero) work on the PS3? I hope someone makes some kind of USB adapter.
Enigma @ Aug 4th 2006 3:05PM
At least they are offering something, unlike MSFT!
But joystiq must stick with the e-trends of Sony Hatorade!
ill trooper @ Aug 4th 2006 3:06PM
At least it's an option - the 360 has no official solution for getting your XBox saves. I like the 'upload/download' idea, although not everyone would be able to do that either.
dave @ Aug 4th 2006 3:08PM
This is a little over enthusiastic.
What it really means is that you are forced to give sony even more money in order to migrate your saves. And where are the adapters so that I can play a non gimped version of my ps2 games? You know, with that rumble technology sony doens't need anymore?
Xbox 360 BWC woes aside, you can still play the bloody game at it's full potential, once you get it running. And their lack of BWC is due to inability. Sony has no excuse for not providing these things upfront, rather than making us pay for them later. I'mm supposed to pay 600 US for a ps3, even if i don't want blu ray and sd card readers and memory stick reader...but i still need a damn adapter to play ps2 games? That's BS. It should be standard with the system, like the wii.
Enigma @ Aug 4th 2006 3:11PM
@Dave
How do I get my Halo saves onto my 360 again, without any sort of hacking or modding?
/wink
Rare Hare @ Aug 4th 2006 3:14PM
"Er, do you actually know what "got the short end of the stick" means?"
I second this question... how does that figure of speech fit this topic, exactly? I'm confused, because I read that and though "Crap, more bad news." But then it wasn't. Please explain the logic behind the usage, Mr. Grant, if you would be so kind.
KawF @ Aug 4th 2006 3:17PM
Not to nitpick, but this has been known since at least E3-06...
But... one of these should probably be more than enough: http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=25&products_id=202
or
http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=25&products_id=138&
Minimum cost for a physical adapter: $5.90.
Not that it matters to me at all since I have no PS2. :)
blahman @ Aug 4th 2006 3:19PM
"I'mm supposed to pay 600 US for a ps3, even if i don't want blu ray and sd card readers and memory stick reader.."
Then buy the $499 Ps3. And if you don't want Blu-ray you can take the drive out and throw it away.
JimmyHACK @ Aug 4th 2006 3:19PM
at least someone supports their old products...
thanks sony.. cant wait 3.5 months left
Ciaran Gallagher @ Aug 4th 2006 3:22PM
Why don't Playstationers just keep their Playstation 2's rather than buy an expensive PS3 plus the adaptor.
They should keep their PS2's and buy an Xbox 360, if they wanted to save some money. Although if your rich then a PS3 will be good!
epobirs @ Aug 4th 2006 3:24PM
#17
Enigma, there are a number of products that allow you to read an Xbox memory card's file on a PC. Likewise, there are products to go from a PC to the Xbox 360 cards and hard drive.
THe option is there is you really want it. But really, if you're that far into the game, why not finish it on the Xbox? If you aren't very far into it, how much of a tragedy is it to start over? At least you know it needs to be done unlike some of the suprises I received from early PS1 memory cards.
Enigma @ Aug 4th 2006 3:28PM
@epobirs
So you are basically saying you have to PURCHASE a product, which does cost more than $10 just like PURCHASING the $10 adapter for the PS3.
Gotcha! /wink
Also if you are that far, and or have saves on a PS2 game, then the same goes for the PS2/3!
Advanced @ Aug 4th 2006 3:29PM
Sony list of things to do:
Get price down
Stop saying stupid things
Stop 3rd parties from running away
Try to keep our Live..umm Online service free
Get the damn dual layer working in Blu Ray
Convince public 1080P is needed
Bad mouth Microsoft
Steal something else from Nintendo
Get PS2 Memory cards to work with PS3 - Check!
Make more money by getting PS2 Memory cards to work with PS3 - Check!
ZENegade @ Aug 4th 2006 3:30PM
Just a couple things that could be off topic here:
Why is the PlayStation 3 label on the console shifted all the way off-center like that?
What's with the Spiderman font?
Yea I'm done. This from a Sony fanboy too. Eh oh well
C. Grant @ Aug 4th 2006 3:31PM
Gladly fellas,
"If the load is off-center a disproportionate burden is placed on the person(s) on the 'short end of the stick.'"
Sony will have a disproportionate burden (higher expectations) placed on them because of the popularity of their previous console. Microsoft, although facing some negative feedback, will come up against far less trouble despite the (anticipated) disparities between the two company's backcompat solutions.
It perhaps wasn't the best idiom I could have chosen, but there you are.
soco @ Aug 4th 2006 3:31PM
correct me if i'm wrong, and i'm sure you will, but the guitar hero guitar plugs in as a normal PS2 controller, right? and there are no normal PS2 controller ports on the PS3, right? now assuming i'm right, up to this point, Guitar Hero isn't going to be played on the PS3 without some sort of additional adapter.
ZENegade @ Aug 4th 2006 3:46PM
I was just thinking about the whole "universal interconnectivity between the PSP and the PS3" and I'm sorry for not posting this in a fanboy blog but here I go anyhow:
The PSP with its camera peripheral could be used as a portable videophone in conjunction with the PS3. Think about it: anywhere you are in the world you could dial up a PS3's ID number and send a video-email to its harddrive. That, or if Sony expects the PS3 to be on all the time, you could theoretically have a video conversation from a PSP to a PS3 from anywhere to anywhere in the world.
Just a thought guys. Tell me what you think!
Paul @ Aug 4th 2006 3:46PM
Am I the only 360 owner that doesn't want my old XBox save games on the 360? Seriously, if I'm allowed to bring my save games over, that means all the little script kiddies will be bringing over all their hacks. So far I'm liking the fact that the 360's security is rock solid. It makes Live games much more enjoyable.
Good luck with this Sony. Your PS3 is going to be running homebrew in no time!
Enigma @ Aug 4th 2006 3:52PM
@Paul
Last I checked Sony was in coherts with Linux ... and last I checked it was far more secure than a MSFT product!
Though I do love Live, but the more competition the better.
The Dude @ Sep 11th 2006 3:51PM
I guess this is some good news
Mr. Khan @ Aug 4th 2006 3:58PM
With a console that large, why couldn't they just slap on a PS1/2 Memory Card slot somewhere?
I think this is just Sony falling into MS's bad habit of making seperate accessories that must be seperately purchased...
GSI @ Aug 4th 2006 4:01PM
@ Paul:
Yes you are the only one. I started playing SW:KoTOR again since I have yet to finish it and while I wasn't THAT far in the game, I have to start from scratch b/c there is no real easy way to transfer my saved data.
Plus if MS ever gets their head out of their ass and makes Panzer Dragoon Orta work on the 360, I'll have to replay the game again since I wouldn't be able to transfer that data either.
Paul @ Aug 4th 2006 4:03PM
Enigma,
Define secure. I'd be inclined to believe that MS products are more "secure", just attacked WAY more than anyone else. But that's beside the point. We're talking console's here, not desktop OS's.
You have to admin that the very fact that Microsoft's 360 still hasn't been hacked to run homebrew code is quite impressive from a security perspective. Making the hard decision to not allow save games from the security cripled Xbox 1 was likely a good business decision in retrospect.
Ethan @ Aug 4th 2006 4:03PM
It seems to me that microsoft got "the short end of the stick" considering that only the premium xbox 360 console is the only one that even supports BC, and with over 2/3 of the titles missing. I dont know though, I guess you can use it in this way also (not really).
Enigma @ Aug 4th 2006 4:10PM
@Paul
I totally agree about the security. And I like the 360. But it has only been out for almost a year, and it took about that long if not a little longer for the original. Sadly the hackers are not done yet. And I dont think it was a "save game issue" as to why they didnt option this. More of an overlook.
Linux has an extremely reliable server based structure, and if that carries over to the PS3, then it wont be as bad as most think (wish).
ZENegade @ Aug 4th 2006 4:15PM
Short end of the stick for MSFT Ethan? Are you kidding?! I LOVE playing Barbie's Horse Adventures (or How to stay bulemic by shoveling horse crap all day) on XBOX 360!!
Or, I would if I was ever stupid enough to buy a $400, wannabe next-gen 360...
(and then I still wouldn't)
apoc06 @ Aug 4th 2006 4:30PM
"ElChibo: we'll totally use our brand new PS3 wireless Guitar Hero controllers!"
Since there are already plenty of third party "ps2 to usb, or xbox, or whatever" adapters on the market already, I think your guitar hero controller is pretty safe.
..."secondly, I didn't say it was logical, I said it was petulant. I'd just prefer a free solution that's (as far as I can tell) technologically possible."
There are already devices on the market that allow you to back up your save files to a PC/ USB adaptor etc... Many people already own these said products. Even if you don't, you can always softmod and back the saves up. Those of us that already know how to workaround the ps2-ps3 save feature don't really care about the adapter.
All in all, it's a great gesture on behalf of Sony. There is a great number of PS2 owners that don't have the time and don't want to exert the energy to do all that. Not to mention the fact that Sony doesn't want to advertise ways to softmod their equipment.
There's a large number of PS2 owners that dont have any form of USB storage either. The fact that Sony has decided to release a first-party adapter is good news, no matter how it's spun. A free disc to do it would be 'better' news. lol.
Mark D. @ Aug 4th 2006 4:32PM
@enigma
I'm running Ubuntu Linux atm so I obviously don't hate Linux, but you obviously don't know what the hell you're talking about.
Linux is an open source kernel, it's not an interface or UI or anything. This means that everything is documented, and changing the kernel is easy. Linux's security and firewall is at the kernel level, so in essence, a Linux kernel with kernel level security would be the LEAST secure option. There is no reverse engineering needed to access it.
Microsoft's platform uses their own proprietary system which hackers don't know about and still can't crack(the actual core security, not the DVD firmware).
But wait you're saying, my friend, who's like a developer on Linux, like, said that it's more secure. Yes, that's true. But it's only secure if you don't eff it up yourself. It's secure in the meaning that it's hard for someone on the internet to hack into your computer or run arbitrary code on your computer. However, you can run pretty much any code you want on Linux with root priv. As soon as people get root on PS3, it's all gone to hell, and I think that will be pretty soon.
Finally, "Sony was in coherts with Linux"... You can't be in "coherts" with Linux because Linux isn't a friggin company. It's a kernel. And the way the Linux kernel is licensed means that if you use it and modify it for your own use, you must release your code to the public. So...good game PS3 security.
Jack Coleman @ Aug 4th 2006 4:38PM
boooo sony teh ps€ is fer teh n0000blets
apoc06 @ Aug 4th 2006 4:39PM
This is offtopic I know, but I think it would be interesting to see maybe the first few letters of posters email addresses or the first few numbers of their ip or something. I am thoroughly convinced that a certain segment of the people that troll Sony posts are either the same person or work for companies that have a vested interest.
Its getting ridiculously out of hand here.
SuicideNinja @ Aug 4th 2006 4:41PM
"Sounds good, MS should pay attention to this."
Why? The Xbox Memory card was pretty useless.
Besides, you actually can transfer your Xbox saves to the 360. But it isn't an official method and takes a little work. I believe you needed a Data Transfer kit and an Xbox Action Replay.
KawF @ Aug 4th 2006 4:56PM
Regarding linux on PS3:
From all that is known, all we actually know, is that they [Sony] will be providing a Linux system in some form available as default on the PS3 hard-drive.
From this we can deduct the following:
o. There will be a Linux system on the PS3
We can however NOT deduct the following:
x. PS3 Games (as developed by EA and such) will run on Linux... They won't. I'll bet my reputation on that! :)
x. Linux on PS3 will give you full access to the hardware... It won't, some fun parts will be inaccessible
x. Sony-Linux on the PS3 will be shite... Could be, but expect a furious effort by Linux community members to get on it the day after it is released in Japan
x. You won't be able to do anything nice with Linux on PS3... Actually, wou probably will be able to, if Sony hasn't made the PS3 default OS into basically an HTPC, then the Linux system will probably be modifiable to be such. And the homebrew games... sweet possibilities.
My best guess based on the previous Linux-efforts from Sony, a Linux-system to use for homebrew development and [homebrew] games will be available. It will give you all the access you need as a programmer to the hardware without compromising security of the console. Most likely it will run under hardware virtualization, not to be confused with emulation. What this basically means is that the naughty bits of the system that have to be available to run pirated PS3-games and such will not be available from the Linux system.
Someone might find a way around the security somehow, someone always does. But I'll bet that it will take quite a few years to do.
Some information on the security capabilities offered in hardware by the Cell BE: http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/power/library/pa-cellsecurity/
Tiago @ Aug 4th 2006 6:02PM
We could just start the games over from the beginning I guess xD
That's replay value in action! xD
If they had allowed to save games in usb pen drives in the PS2 there wouldn't be an issue at all.
Paul @ Aug 4th 2006 6:15PM
You know... there is always just playing those games on the PS2, removing the use of an adapter.
Ghost @ Aug 4th 2006 6:59PM
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Now you can sell the ps2 when you get a ps3!
Comtar @ Aug 4th 2006 7:30PM
So wait, Nintendo was the only one smart enough to put a memory card slot used also on it's previous system for backwards compatibility?
James D @ Aug 4th 2006 8:08PM
Uh, I don't understand how you guys complaining about an adaptor expect to physically connect the memory card to the PS3 or even your computer for that matter without an adaptor of some type. Does your computer have a Playstation-compatible memory card slot? Didn't think so.
Doing something like this REQUIRES some sort of adaptor. At least it's possible unlike Microsoft.
hotdrop @ Aug 4th 2006 8:12PM
I guess that adds the 30$ memory card adapter to the things you "have to buy" with the ps3. So now its $630+10.9% sales tax to a grad total $698.67 for your new PS3 (thats excluding the $70 game and the extra controlers)