U.S. next to lose PS3 backward compatibility?
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Feb 24th 2007 at 2:50PM }
This week Sony announced there may be some slight backward compatibility issues on the European PS3. CVG followed-up and received word from Sony European PR, "Backwards compatibility is important but it does not define the PS3 in the same way as the other features do." They'll let the Europeans know what games are compatible when the system launches March 23.The question now is if this backward compatibility issue, spawned by a software program handling PS2 conversion instead of a hardware chip, would rear its ugly head for future PS3 owners in the U.S.? 1UP went ahead and asked the question and they were told, "We have no announcement ... at this time." Um, that's not a "No." Where's the "No?" Let's hope that Sony at least makes an announcement about the conversion, or gets their software up to the 98 percent compatibility like the current PS3 model, before they leave backward compatibility behind like a high school girlfriend after prom.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Patrick M. @ Feb 24th 2007 2:56PM
I guess this means they aren't going to be fixing the current B/C issues anytime soon.
Negativecool @ Feb 24th 2007 2:58PM
I'm not sure what everyone is boo-hooing about. Less hardware will reduce the price...eventually. And more backwards compatibility can always be addressed via firmware updates ala 360. On top of that, since the PS3 hardware will be rendering the PS2 games, there’s a greater chance of older games being upscaled to *gasp* 1080p...which is apparently the only HD according to Sony.
Ben @ Feb 24th 2007 3:04PM
There are definitely some interesting possibilities once you step out of the immediate backlash and look at what Sony could be doing. But in the short term people outside of the US and Japan are paying more, for less. Not to mention the possible compatibility issues here.
Perhaps software emulation has been Sony's plan all along and the hardware implementation was only a stop-gap solution for early revisions of the hardware. After all, Sony do have parts of the technology needed to do this in their possession and have proved that they can make emulation work in the past.
http://gamenian.blogspot.com/2007/02/sony-virtual-game-station.html
batman @ Feb 24th 2007 3:09PM
Lets Rewind to last fall... Mr. Kutagari, if you would, please:
"...the PS3 will feature backwards compatibility with PS and PS2 games from day one. I'm emphasizing this because, from what I hear, there are some platforms that haven't been able to completely do this. It's costly in terms of hardware, but we'd rather [invest] firmly on compatibility from the beginning, rather than to have issues later on."
Wow... rock on Sony. Rock on.
Supino @ Feb 24th 2007 3:08PM
So? isn't that fair. Should you guys be treated differently? Why should you have that privilage, and not us. We already got a delay..
Do you want us Europeens to pay more so you can get your PS3 for less?
JJ @ Feb 24th 2007 3:15PM
But once again, i though sony's intent was always to do it through software once they were able t nail it down.
I really dont see this as much of a problem unless the compat rate is lower than 75% or something.
As of right now i think its just making a mountain over a mole hill out of a current gen, standard application (software emulation)
disguised @ Feb 24th 2007 3:17PM
@4. So? isn't that fair. Should you guys be treated differently? Why should you have that privilage, and not us. We already got a delay..
Do you want us Europeens to pay more so you can get your PS3 for less?
Funny that you asked. Not that we have control over this but OF COURSE we want to pay less than you.
Supino @ Feb 24th 2007 3:25PM
@disguised
haha! ok, that was a stupid question. sorry :)
chessasaur @ Feb 24th 2007 3:34PM
I don't think PS3 B/C is really that big of a deal. With 10's of millions of PS2's in the world and more being sold all the time, everyone will still have access to them for years to come. Plus, Sony is still selling the PS2 and will keep selling it until market penetration of the PS3 is high enough. By then we will look at PS2 games the way we look at PS1 games now - boring. (Assuming, of course, that the PS3 doesn't just fizzle out because it was too expensive to break into the market the way the PS2 did.)
uh_oh @ Feb 24th 2007 3:43PM
They better not drop backwards compat, make a lot of ps owners angry.
David @ Feb 24th 2007 3:48PM
So Sony fanboys do you feel completely screwed yet?
Long live Nintendo and MS!
John Doe @ Feb 24th 2007 3:52PM
Nintendo is the only one with true, universal, complete backwards compatibility.
SuicideNinja @ Feb 24th 2007 3:56PM
So?
I don't play original Xbox games other than Halo 2, and I certainly don't play any PS2 games. If I wanted to, I would use the slim or brick PS2 anyway, because even with the update, it still looks better on a PS2 than the PS3. On the PS2, I played FF7, FF8, and I.Q. on random weeks a couple years ago because I was bored...in the end, the BC wasn't that valuable.
I think backwards compatibility is given way too much credit. If you still want to play PS2 games...just keep your PS2. There's no reason to buy a PS3 yet anyway!
silkylove @ Feb 24th 2007 4:02PM
Sony Staff: PS3 sales in the US are lagging way behind the 360 and the Wii! Krazy Ken do you have any ideas?
KK: Eureka! How about we announce a new version of the PS3 that has LESS functionality than our old crappy version?
Sony Staff: A new version with...less functionality?:/
KK: Sure! Then people will rush out to buy the older version!
*insert maniacal laughter here*
roflmfao @ Feb 24th 2007 4:23PM
2. I'm not sure what everyone is boo-hooing about. Less hardware will reduce the price...eventually. And more backwards compatibility can always be addressed via firmware updates ala 360. On top of that, since the PS3 hardware will be rendering the PS2 games, there’s a greater chance of older games being upscaled to *gasp* 1080p...which is apparently the only HD according to Sony.
PS3 is missing a scaler chip so it can't render in 1080p. LOLZ
The 84th @ Feb 24th 2007 4:30PM
BC is pointless, and a waste. Id rather the console work 100% for 5 years with its own games rather then them spend time trying to get old games to work (i say this as my 3 year old xbox begins to give me DD errors, the second of 5 years...). If you want to play old games, use your old system, its always better that way anyways.
Ben @ Feb 24th 2007 4:47PM
"9. I don't think PS3 B/C is really that big of a deal"
You may well be right chessasaur, PS2's are cheap now and many people have already got through a few of them over the past 6 years or so. But the point is that Sony thought it important enough to include in the original design and important enough to push as a selling point not to mention criticise competitors solutions to the same problem.
PS1 backwards compatibility and DVD playback were big selling points of the PS2 and helped power it to success after initial problems. A similar situation is occurring with the PS3 launch... except no-one wants Blu-Ray and PS2 support is being dropped.
http://gamenian.blogspot.com/index.html
Allister Howe @ Feb 24th 2007 4:48PM
Personally, I would like the PS3 to get rid of all those old PS1 and PS2 chips in its huge shell, and run all older games through emulation. The thing would probably run a little less hot that way, which is always a good thing.
Plus, lets face it, older systems look like ass on HDTVs. The reason I like the 360's B/C is because I can play the games in 720p, and get rid of the blurryness of a 480i image on my TV.
And yes, I know I could go out and buy some component cables for my Xbox and my PS2, but frankly, those will only help solve the problem if a game actually runs in 480p, not all do. With software backwards compatability, you don't have to worry about whether or not a game is designed for progressive scan, it's going to be in HD anyway.
Jimmuy Bay @ Feb 24th 2007 4:50PM
at 1
What issues? Right now it's 98% BC. Minorities experience slight issues but that's not too bad. On topic, Why would they do this. they answer that way to every stupid rumour, but ppl just love to get riled up when it comes to Sony no matter how dumbass it is. TRUST DAT!
Azorean @ Feb 24th 2007 5:10PM
@ #2
And you think Sony is going to pass the savings on to you? The PS3 already costs them a few hundred $$$ over the current price of the console and taking out a $27 doller chip from the PS3 isn't enough of a price reduction to each individual console to spark a price drop!
Gansly @ Feb 24th 2007 5:22PM
#6
That's true, they ALWAYS intended to go software, hell, they even announced they had a team in the UK working on software emulation.
#12
Yeah, I'll just load up my SNES cartridges...oh wait.
#15
Actually, it DOES have a scaler, recently announced. Uh-ohs. 1 less thing for Sony haters to bitch about. Quick, make it sound like the scaler is a bad thing to balance this good news out!
#17
Funny, Blu-ray's won because of PS3. Looks like people do want it.
Steve @ Feb 24th 2007 5:52PM
Has Sony finally lost its marbles? One of the reasons the PS2 was such a success was that the system was also a PSX! Disc-based systems simply make backwards compatibility a logical feature.
I do think Nintendo seriously underpowered the Wii, but I like that it was built off of GCN technology. Why reinvent the wheel with every generation? It seems much smarter to simply advanced and expand the existing functionality.
Steve @ Feb 24th 2007 5:53PM
I don't see why the software emulation should even be a problem or potentially cause titles not to work. The PS2 was the weakest of the last generation in terms of horsepower, and the PS3 is currently the one with the most horsepower. It's significantly better than the PS2 in terms of horsepower, so shouldn't that huge jump in technology be more than enough to compenstate for the inefficencies caused by software emulation?
LongshotX @ Feb 24th 2007 6:01PM
If Sony were smart they would make the Sony Pi , it'll have Playstation 2.5 hardware and motion controls. Plus cute little Pi math symbols. Only then will they be able to compete with the Nintendo Donkey Kong-like Giant that is the Wii.
Microsoft just needs to drop the price of the premium to $299 and make the revised edition $379. And pump out some true Live Arcade titles to compete with the VC.
dsub @ Feb 24th 2007 6:07PM
I just find it so funny that Sony had no problem using the whole "PS3 is 100% backwards compatible" arguement to speak down upon the 360. Sony and it's executives are always preaching that "when you buy Sony, you are buying long-lasting support for your console as all our hardware will always be backwards compatible with older hardware" they speak about how this is one of the biggest values when it comes to buying into the Playstation brand, yet they have no problem then turning around and saying something like...
"Backwards compatibility is important but it does not define the PS3 in the same way as the other features do."
What??? I don't get it. Are you all for 100% BC or not? What happend to the "value of buying into the Playstation brand"?
You know what I think. Sony is learning real quick that going the emulation route like MS did is alot harder than it sounds. Especially when you have hardware that is so radically different like you do in the case of XBOX--->360 and PS2--->PS3. They thought it would be a breeze to pull off and now they are finding that it's hardly easy at all.
Rallion @ Feb 24th 2007 6:30PM
The still-stellar sales of the PS2 are proof that people DO want those games. Since the PS3 currently has...well, practically nothing decent out for it, the legions of PS2 games at least provide a use for the system while their loyal customers wait. B/C IS important, and it's one of the reasons the PS2 has experienced the insane level of dominance that it had, or still has.
scepia @ Feb 24th 2007 6:37PM
"And pump out some true Live Arcade titles to compete with the VC."
Mario? Zelda? Metroid? Didn't think so. Nintendo has done a good job of making old titles compatible because of the small upgrade to GameCube they did. It's funny, the Wii costs less, sells more, and is more compatible because it has LESS power.
bmanor @ Feb 24th 2007 6:38PM
1. I guess this means they aren't going to be fixing the current B/C issues anytime soon.
what issues? ps2 games work and look the same on ps3 as they do on the ps2.
OTAM @ Feb 24th 2007 6:52PM
Where are all the Sony fanboys who threw the BC setup of the 360 in the Xbox owner's face?
Zell @ Feb 24th 2007 6:58PM
Honestly, how on earth could consumers even defend the PS3 anymore when it seems they just keep getting the shaft? It's just an abusive relationship at this point. You stick it out why, because you feel things will change? Things will get better, perhaps? It was funny at first but now it's just sad. The hell is Sony doing?
The two friends I have who actually showed interest in the PS3 at first have already gotten XBox 360s.
peshue @ Feb 24th 2007 7:05PM
Wow, #5batman is the only person here who's correct.
People are pissed because Sony promised them the world with the PS3 and has slowly gone back on most of their promises. Does anyone honestly think that the PS3 is even capable of running a game in dual hdmi at 1080p, or producing the graphics they've claimed previoulsy. The sony die hards can keep on defending them but they still can't deny that Sony has blatantly lied over and over again when it comes to the PS3.
Jimmuy Bay @ Feb 24th 2007 7:24PM
At 31
PS3 BC IS 10X BETTER THAN 360 BC
SOME PPL ARE USING THIS AS A WAY TO BASH SONY EVEN THO ITS HAPPENING IN ANOTHER CONTINENT... no wonder
europeans are probably like "wtf are they bashing Sony nothing's even happened to them"
AssemblyLineHuman @ Feb 24th 2007 7:44PM
#12, JohnDoe: "Nintendo is the only one with true, universal, complete backwards compatibility."
Yes, because paying between $5-10 dollars each for a relatively minute selection of the digital forms of old games is "true, universal, complete backwards compatibility." *cough*
AssemblyLineHuman @ Feb 24th 2007 7:47PM
#35, Jimmuy Bay: I think someone is more likely to be curious as to why you take such strong offense to someone bashing Sony that YOU MUST TYPE THE FIRST HALF OF YOUR COMMENT LIKE THIS. This is a video game blog. If Sony does something that people think is stupid, they have every right to say it regardless of whether it actually affects them.
zmaster123 @ Feb 24th 2007 7:55PM
europedoesnt need ps3
Mel @ Feb 24th 2007 8:03PM
As a PS3 owner with a 1080P LCD HDTV--I don't think the PS2 compatibility issue is a big deal. It's sometimes painful to watch a 480P PS2 game on a 46 inch screen.
I would rather do it through software and have the graphics get upscaled (if possible).
Plus, they haven't resolved the problem of PS2 hard drive saves getting deleted so it might be a good thing to downplay the BC feature.
pezman726 @ Feb 24th 2007 8:36PM
did anybody read the interview in EGM with jack trenton. if not, here's a great quote...
"What does PlayStation meain? PlayStation means you could have bought a PlayStation back in 1995, and it had software support and was selling tremendously well until 2005, and it'd still be selling today, but we stopped manufacturing the hardware. And then PlayStation 2 came out, and that sold 110 million units, and it's still the best-selling [console] seven holiday seasons later in 2007, and that had backward compatability with the original PlayStation.
Let's say I went out and bought [a competing] system. How many of those machines lasted five years? None of them. How many of those machines still have great software support? None of them. So I may be making an incremental investment if those other features I just talked about are not unique to PS3, but if I invest in the PS3, it's a brand that has staying power and has proved itself. Until we let the consumers down, that's toing to be a strategic advantage for us. Hopefully we never will"
So...they've got all these great things, have backwards compatability....and then they take that away???? I'm pretty sure that that is "letting the consumers down."
pezman726 @ Feb 24th 2007 9:00PM
Bah, the dude's name is Jack Tretton!! My bad!
Jimmuy Bay @ Feb 24th 2007 8:48PM
At 37 Assembly
I do start to get annoyed when ppl go overboard and start saying sony has poor BC when nothing is confirmed, and this is their standard response to any rumour.
There is way too much outright hatred for PS3 in US and I do not see it for 360 despite their many mistakes! No company is perfect but why is their so little negative press on the 360? It's ok to post any sensationalist article on PS3 no matter how small/insignificant(LIKE THIS ONE ITS FOR EURO BUT PPL HAVE A FIELD DAY WITH IT) but the only time I see it for the 360 is when they're really fud up. The scale for fairness is not with you PS3, I', sorry.
ill trooper @ Feb 24th 2007 9:06PM
[Sony says]"We have no announcement ... at this time." Um, that's not a "No." Where's the "No?"
Please, Joystiq. Avoiding answering that question is not that serious. Microsoft won't confirm HDMI/larger hardrives yet either. We all know a company is not going to risk the 'Osborne Effect' and tell us about the next model with the current one still fightin' the good fight.
And #31/OTAM, the PS3 still has better b/c percentages than the 360. So stop trolling.
samfish @ Feb 24th 2007 9:13PM
You know, this has honestly gone past the point of even being funny and it just really, really sad, now.
How can any of you PS3 owners DEFEND this?!
I sure as Hell wouldn't if Nintendo said they were giving the ax to Gamecube BC.
There are no good GAMES out for the PS3, save the debatable VF5! Of COURSE you want the god damn backward compatibility! It's the only way you're assured you'll be able to play your old games!
I've been buying old Cube games myself left and right while waiting for something new to play on the Wii.
Before I dumped my PS3, the only game I had bought to play on it was Okami, too.
Do you honestly want to keep your PS2 laying around? I gave my brother my GC the day after I picked up a Wii.
Oh, what the Hell. This is STILL hilarious!
ill trooper @ Feb 24th 2007 9:14PM
"So...they've got all these great things, have backwards compatability....and then they take that away???? I'm pretty sure that that is "letting the consumers down."
Posted at 8:36PM on Feb 24th 2007 by pezman726"
MAKING MOUNTAINS OUT OF MOLEHILLS
Sony actually improved B/C on the PS3 via a software update a month ago... I'll give them that - you know, because that ACTUALLY HAPPENED, rather than all this negative speculation on how Sony is 'taking that away." Turn that critical eye on the 360 too if you NEED to complain about it on the PS3 - the 360 ALREADY uses the lower-percentage b/c of 'software emulation.'
Faisal @ Feb 24th 2007 9:26PM
i'm actually glad Sony is doing this...one of the reasons I have not yet bought a PS3 is because of the PS2 hardware inside the PS3...as soon as Sony stops making PS2 hardware inside the PS3, I will buy a PS3...and of course as soon as they drop at least $100 off the price...
north o 49 @ Feb 24th 2007 9:31PM
To #'s 30&27: While you fellas are busy fucking one another,I just have to say that I recv'd one of the very first Canadian [a week after launch]PS3's-the Wurlitzer model; so far it has been 100% b/c-and I've run a lot of PS2 games thru it. So my guess is they cut corners on the assembly line soon after mine was made and b/c was part of the assjob. I love my 360 and Wii, but I gotta say the PS3 is like driving a Caddy thru a town full of Chevys-it's a total class machine!
bmanor @ Feb 24th 2007 10:01PM
45 well put.....a majority of these fools cant afford the thing so why not rag on it.
Mike Jones @ Feb 24th 2007 10:05PM
Who Cares. I'd rather be playing this
http://www.ultimagame.com/play_station_3/los_espectaculares_entornos_y_enemigos_de_lair_para_ps3_n4572_0.html
Than Old PS2 games
Kannon @ Feb 24th 2007 10:15PM
From what I can understand gamecube sales new and used have spiked thanks to the Wii's complete backwards compatibility. It seems like a big deal, as it was a big factor that made PS2 such a big deal 6 years ago.
David @ Feb 24th 2007 10:31PM
"BC is pointless, and a waste. Id rather the console work 100% for 5 years with its own games rather then them spend time trying to get old games to work"
Sadly Sony can't get either to work.
LongshotX @ Feb 24th 2007 10:38PM
Considering the Wii is essentially a modified Gamecube I could see how it would be easier to implement BC versus a Xbox 360 and a PS3 playing older Xbox and PS2 games respectively.
Ironhide @ Feb 24th 2007 10:51PM
This is so deliciously ironic. Sony makes a huge deal about full bc, and then strips out the one thing that would guarantee it. Meanwhile MS stated they want to have full bc, but amended that to top games. They still suprised us with a few nice little cniche games every so often.
Sony is the one making thier own bed. They're the ones who have to sleep in it.