"We have no plans to do so at the moment. The sheer numbers of PS2 titles available, together with the increased complexity of using a software only solution for each and every title means that to ensure accurate software emulation for the majority would be technically challenging, time consuming and costly," he said.
"As we have mentioned on several occasions, our engineering resources are now focused on developing new and innovative features and services for the PS3 and, as a result the 40GB model does not have backwards compatibility with PS2 titles," he said.
When asked about the fate of future emulation updates for 80GB and PAL-territory 60GB models that are running software-supported backwards compatibility, Sharples told us, "the current PS3 system software and future updates will continue to support backwards compatibility for the current 60GB and 80GB models." He later added, "The current solution offers around 90% backwards compatibility with PS2 titles and we are able to help publishers to make sure any new PS2 titles are backwards compatible with the 60GB and 80GB models."
Sharples had no information on today's rumor concerning the 40GB model coming to North America. Included after the break is Sony's statement confirming the loss of PS2 semiconductors in the latest model.
Regarding PSOne emulation
"The PS3 has never been equipped with either the CPU or GPU that were used in the original PlayStation, and the backwards compatibility for PS one titles has therefore been made available through software emulation from the beginning. Therefore backwards compatibility for PS1 titles remains the same no matter how many times the model is changed."
Regarding PS2 emulation
"On the other hand, backwards compatibility for PS2 titles is largely made possible through the use of actual semiconductors, supported by the PS3 system software. The 20GB and 60GB PS3 models launched in Japan and the USA were equipped with both the PS2 Emotion Engine and Graphics Synthesiser chips and we could therefore guarantee over 90% backwards compatibility for PS2 titles.
"The 60GB model launched in Europe was a new model (shared with the 80GB model launched subsequently in USA) which contains only a modified version of the Graphics Synthesiser chip from the PS2 and not the Emotion Engine chip. The European launch model therefore used a combination of software and the modified version of the PS2 Graphics Synthesiser chip to deliver backwards compatibility for PS2 titles. As a result the percentage of backwards compatible PS2 titles was slightly reduced.
"The 40GB model, to be launched in Europe on 10th October, is a new model and is not equipped with any of the semi conductors from the PS2, and backwards compatibility would therefore have to be achieved by software emulation alone. The sheer numbers of PS2 titles available, together with the increased complexity of using a software only solution for each and every title means that to ensure accurate software emulation for the majority would be technically challenging, time consuming and costly. As we have mentioned on several occasions, our engineering resources are now focused on developing new and innovative features and services for the PS3 and, as a result the 40GB model does not have backwards compatibility with PS2 titles.
"The current PS3 system software and future updates will continue to support backwards compatibility for the current 60GB and 80GB models.
"Keen gamers in Europe, for whom backwards compatibility is important, can still purchase the existing 60GB PS3 Starter Pack which contains an extra SIXAXIS controller, two first party titles and has extensive backwards compatibility with PS2 titles."
(Page 1) Reader Comments
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It not possible to add emulation to the EURP 40GB SKU since Sony have remove the PS2 GPU from the unit.
Today PS2 games are partially emulated thru software on the EU 60GB unit - the CPU is emulated while the GPU is still in the PS3.
But after Sony removes the GPU also, emulation is not possible thru software (to complicated to emulate).
I'm not defending Sony (the decision is retarded!) but that's the reason for no BC in the 40GB EU SKU.
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Does the 360 have any XBOX parts in it to aid emulation?
As Nimblequick said, 360 doesn't have the hardware solution. BUT it does have a licensed GPU which can be used to ease the strain. Even with that crutch 1/3 of the games that they claim work have severe performance issues.
So it can be done, SCEE just won't do it. But this brings up another interesting question, what has SCEE done besides converting TV standards in the way of software on PS3? I mean,s eriously. Majority of the update firmware updates come from Japan and Santa Monica. Japan, this will be an issue and Sony will be forced to adapt. US? I mean, hell, how many stories on how many sites are bitching about this across how many days? Like upscaling the PS2 games in the first place, this will likely be an issue where Sony is just forced to eat crow and work on it anyway.
No but the Xbox GPU has a much simpler architecture and better documented that the PS2 GPU (RSX) - basicly easier to emulate.
Anso, if emulating the RSX was realistic, Sony would allready have done this to save money at the same time they removed the CPU (emotion engine) 8 months ago for the EU PS3.
No but the Xbox GPU has a much simpler architecture and better documented that the PS2 GPU (RSX) - basicly easier to emulate.
Anso, if emulating the RSX was realistic, Sony would allready have done this to save money at the same time they removed the CPU (emotion engine) 8 months ago for the EU PS3.
From my understanding, Microsoft actually recompiles xbox games (just binaries, so the link to the new directx library, and are compiled for powerpc instead of x86..usually a 1-10 meg file) for the 360 hardware so no emulation (or very very little) is needed. Because original xbox games used a custom form of directx, GPU access isnt a problem. It is a relatively simple process, but its not 100% because of the custom directx library and some things may not translate directly (very rare though).
I also like to disspell myths and disinformation wherever I see them.
There is no, absolutely 0, difference between hardware and software as far as logic goes. Anything that can be done in hardware, can be done in software, and vice-versa.
There is no situation that "software emulation cannot be done" - if the hardware exists, software can be written to emulate it. End of story. No if's, no but's.
Sony won't do it because they don't WANT to do it,not because they can't.
Hardware makes it easier to get things done. It takes a remarkably more powerful processor to do in software what took hardware to do.
We also have to consider Sony's focus. Sony isn't particularly experienced or good at software aspects. They're a hardware company. For them, getting software emulation running would actually make the unit more expensive since they'd have to hire decent software programmers and give them months to get the thing running right, not to mention more months of patching, which is counter to what Sony is trying to do, get the price down.
Of course they could write emulation software, but it'd be glitchy and buggy as Hell. See also: Xbox360 backwards comaptibility.
Thanks for the defend, samfish.
Sometimes you (sly-ly lol) write a good post, but near the end (sometimes the beginning) you throw in a comment that has a little bit of Sony bias, not that it is a bad thing, just some see it, some don't.
But heck, you like the PS3. Not the most popular choice but you obviously don't care what they think(BTW I was an Xbox fan back in the dizay, for reasons other than Halo, and I didn't like the PS2(broke 2 weeks after warranty err), I know what it's like to be in the minority lol).
Heck, I'd play online with you, but all I have is a Wii (BOO URNS). LOL
BTW in NDF, the "N" stands for NINJA!
See also that Microsoft doesn't own the XBox architecture, so they have to reverse-engineer everything from scratch in their emulator. Sony fully owns the PS2 architecture, so they could make a pretty damn good emulator if they wanted to.
I'm confused. Sony spent billions developing the PS3, over a billion just on the Cell processor. Yet, they can't hire a crack team for $10 mil or so to make an emulator from their core IP that would help save the platform from floundering, to say nothing about improving PR?
I think it's just politics. The hardware teams don't want to give the proper information to the software team due to IP paranoia. There's a lot of nasty infighting that can happen between different divisions of a company. Emulating the CPU was easy because Sony simply licensed the CPU core from another company, so it's easier to deal with IP issues between departments in that case.
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It's good to know that there's at least a chance of it in the future if enough people ask for it or something.
And for people who say it's impossible, I would think adding PS2 BC would be as simple as modifying the Cell's code to allow it to run PS2 games.
The 360 can obviously run Xbox games, and AFAIK it has none of the original Xbox's hardware.
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Dont't buy it. Thats it. really.
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Shouldn't you Sony fanboys be lapping at their feet anytime they say anything?
The "Duct Tape" comment got how many write-ups, again?
Why does it burn us? We already have PS3's with BC.
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Hell, even Nintendo can play GC games - and that units only $250.
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Nintendo:
-Reciclying their consoles and adding "new" "revolutionary" features
-Milking franchises
-Moving to the casual gaming market
Microsoft:
-Craptastic hardware quality
-Somewhat awful BC
Sony:
-RUMBLE IS LAST GEN!! (I don't use it, but it was funny, lol)
-Good BC at the beginning, then taking it away on the latest SKU (somewhat retarded, taking in mind that there are other SKUs available with BC)
He is right, though, these console companies are really a stupid lot, when you come right down to it, really resistant to change
I'd buy it.
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It sounds like metal hitting dirt, over and over again....
Must be Sony digging their grave
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