Sony execs talk backward compatibility, PS3 comeback
by Kyle Orland 
{ Feb 14th 2008 at 5:45PM }
One year after EGM's infamous BattleStation cover feature on the PS3's problems, the latest issue has a feature that's quite a bit more bullish about the system's chances in the coming year. Included in that feature is an interesting interview with two PlayStation executives that reveals some interesting thoughts on the future of backward compatibility on the PS3.First off, VP of Marketing Peter Dille said point blank that backward compatibility was "important" to Sony, and stressed that there's still a model on the market that offers the features (for $100 extra, of course). What's more, according to PSN Operation Director Eric Lempel, downloadable PS2 title might be possible even on versions of the system that don't support disc-based backward compatibility at all. "There are possibilities through technology and software emulation to make that possible," Lempel said, intriguingly.
The entire interview is a must-read for anyone interested in a somewhat defensive take on everything from PS3 motion sensitivity to hard drive sizes and system pricing. Well worth wading into the tree-killing magazine racks of your local newsstand.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
sgthalka @ Feb 14th 2008 5:51PM
Just FYI: Paper mills, like, manage tree farms to sell paper 'n' stuff. Nobody's burning down national parks to print People magazine every week.
Burritoclock @ Feb 14th 2008 5:56PM
LOGIC HAS NO PLACE IN ENVIRONMENTAL DISCUSSIONS!
AirIntake @ Feb 14th 2008 6:35PM
Not true at all in Canada. Logging companies are allowed to cut down trees on Crown (public) land for virtually free (minimal stumpage fees). I work out in the bush often, and every year, there's less and less bush to work in, and more and more empty fields.
Namarrgon @ Feb 15th 2008 3:21AM
Same is true here in Australia - there are "managed" forests, but the great majority of logging is done in public forests still (and much of it is shipped to Japan as woodchips).
Arttemis @ Feb 14th 2008 5:52PM
"...and stressed that there's still a model on the market that offers the features (for $100 extra, of course)."
Discontinued?
glitched @ Feb 14th 2008 6:04PM
discontinued after the interview?
Arttemis @ Feb 14th 2008 6:21PM
Retailers have been fazing out the SKU for almost a month and a half.
http://kotaku.com/348819/best-buy-says-playstation-3-80gb-is-on-its-way-out-%5Bupdate%5D
Obviously this doesn't happen without notice from Sony beforehand.
Seeing how this interview is in the "latest issue" (march 08) of EGM, I'd think it's NOT "discontinued after the interview" but before.
glitched @ Feb 14th 2008 6:30PM
This is a magazine, not a blog. The interview was not in march, it could have been a while ago... Thats why i had a question mark asking if anybody knew WHEN the interview actually was...
and your like was dated Jan 24.
Arttemis @ Feb 14th 2008 6:35PM
"and your like was dated Jan 24."
And the first words of the link state:
"We've received multiple tips from readers—ones who also happen to be Best Buy employees—who have informed us that the North American retailer hasn't received stock of the PlayStation 3 80GB model for ***many weeks*** and is expected to discontinue carrying the model soon."
You're right though - I don't know when the interview happened, though I doubt it's over a month old, but I quite possibly could be wrong.
Nick the Hero of Canton @ Feb 14th 2008 6:01PM
So the ability to download PS2 games for the PS3 is being considered?
*waits for Sony fanboys to praise it yet still attack Microsoft's Xbox Originals*
glitched @ Feb 14th 2008 6:05PM
I will praise it as an extension of what they have done for the downloadable PS1 originals...
What does it have to do with the downloadable xbox originals?
Fernando Rocker @ Feb 14th 2008 6:09PM
Bahh...
Nintendo did that in the first place: N64 VC games... before Sony PS1 =)
FidliousWong @ Feb 14th 2008 6:28PM
Fernando, is there ever a point where that little voice inside your head goes "this is stupid, maybe I shouldn't post this?"
Just curious.
Vidikron (FU) @ Feb 14th 2008 7:02PM
When were people attacking the Xbox Originals?
Grimmus @ Feb 14th 2008 7:23PM
Rather ironic that Fidli would make that point when it could easily apply to a lot of what he's posted.
DangerMouse @ Feb 14th 2008 7:29PM
I knew this was going to happen. See, the purpose of no PS2 games in the 40GB was to promote software sales, which is where they make most of their money. If the PS3 games are sucking at the moment, the consumer goes and buys PS2 games. Where, you might ask? Right at gamestop, where they have a bunch of used games, in which gamestop makes a shitload of money and Sony doesn't see a dime. The loss of PS2 capability in the 40GB has little to do with cheaper production, but more with possible future sales of downloadable content.
FidliousWong @ Feb 14th 2008 11:18PM
Grimmus, thank you.... moving on.
dangermouse, you assume the worst when all evidence doesn't support it.
Xbox Originals runs off the emulator on 360. Games available were already compatible. No emulator was installed with the game. In fact, all the problems the 360 had running a hard copy still exists in the DLC copy.
PSX games on PSP and PS3 when bought from the Playstation Store, likewise, do not come with the emulator. That's built into the firmware or the software already. So all you're buying is a much better compressed version that would run the same way as a hard copy, glitches and all.
Now, considering Sony has yet to confirm the return of software emulation, neither can make assumptions on either side. But considering the way Virtual Console, Xbox Originals, and PSX emu all work on their respective consoles, why should we assume PS2 downloads from the Playstation Store will be the trend breaker? They HAVE to get the software emulation working before they can sell the games. Why would they keep that from us?
Delgado @ Feb 14th 2008 6:04PM
I call shenanigans.
Cherry May @ Feb 14th 2008 6:05PM
Yup, there's absolutely no 'available' PS3 in Europe that has backwards compatibility right now. The very first European PS3 models had the 'half-hearted software backwards compatibility', but they've been discontinued.
The only version available here now, is the 'no PS2 support at all' one. Not to mention that it's still the equivalent of about $750 USD.
Quite honestly, the lack of backwards compatibility, price, and lack of dual shock controllers are the only things holding me back from buying a PS3. When they finally sort those three things out, I'll be getting one. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem like any time soon, if ever...
rv @ Feb 14th 2008 8:44PM
$750 usd?
What is that now, 75 euros?
Rob Accomando @ Feb 14th 2008 6:16PM
I could see this coming from a mile away. An Extra $100 though?
B1gC72 - PSN: KillaKornbread @ Feb 14th 2008 10:26PM
i think they were referring to the 80GB man.
"and stressed that there's still a model on the market that offers the features (for $100 extra, of course)"
u gotta read the whole sentence, not just the $100 part lol.
Marty @ Feb 14th 2008 6:16PM
So they slashed backward compatibility in order to cut cost, and then they announce that they are releasing games that require backward compatibility to be played... welcome back, Sony. Back from your Xmas holiday a little bit late!
FidliousWong @ Feb 14th 2008 6:23PM
Wow, so I guess you missed that whole part about software solutions to BC issues, huh? It's okay. We'll just chalk it up to yet another half-hearted attempt at understanding your lastest bitch against Sony.
Marty @ Feb 14th 2008 6:35PM
Ah, of course, the inevitable apologist reply from Fidlious. I don't see a problem with bitching about this when it's obviously worth bitching about.
But no, they didn't make a dumb move; they just have to backtrack and fix their brilliant cost-cutting maneuver with software, which will give it sporadic incompatibility errors, and which will leave their market for BC play segmented and confused.
But hey, Fidlious is getting his buttons pushed when people mention these things, so maybe they are best left unsaid. No more tears, okay Mr. Wong?
copa @ Feb 14th 2008 6:44PM
Consumers have already figured out the backward-compatibility solution.
That's why PS2 continues to outsell PS3 every month.
Sony changes their BC strategies faster than sheppy changes his user id. If Sony is continuing to fret over BC, they have their head up their ass.
They need to concentrate on getting out Home and XMB, and on helping their partners get out LBP and MGS4. And they have to knock at least three of those projects out of the park.
FidliousWong @ Feb 14th 2008 6:45PM
I hardly see where I am apologizing for Sony. Of course I also hardly see where your basis for bitching exists...
"So they slashed backward compatibility in order to cut cost,"
Bad move, yes... and you'd be hard pressed to find someone who defends it other than the people that argue BC isn't everything. I'm not one of those people...
"and then they announce that they are releasing games that require backward compatibility to be played..."
They announced dick. It was stated this is something they are LOOKING into. And in this statement, it was mentioned true software emulation would make a debut. Kinda like how it's done on PSP? Oh shit, that requires logic... it hurts.
Maybe one needs to reread this statement...
"What's more, according to PSN Operation Director Eric Lempel, downloadable PS2 title might be possible even on versions of the system that don't support disc-based backward compatibility at all. "There are possibilities through technology and software emulation to make that possible," Lempel said, intriguingly."
FidliousWong @ Feb 14th 2008 6:53PM
"Sony changes their BC strategies faster than sheppy changes his user id."
Umm... really? You went there?!? Personal attacks that are unfounded?!?
A. Sheppy was banned long ago (early october) for slamming one of the bloggers. On occasion, I post as sheppy2.0 but most of the time, it's FidliousWong, named after the laugh inspiring chinese dub version of Darbie O'gille and the Little People. This means 2 usernames.
B. FidliousWong was publicly exposed as a sheppy account LONG LONG ago. Practically within a week of it's debut. Exposed by me once, but later exposed by Justin McElroy on the podcast as I got my B-B-B-Brush with Faaaaame. In fact, you'll never find me deny my existance as sheppy and the only reason why I made the change in my name is because I'm known as sheppy EVERYWHERE and decided to make a change.
C. All of this is essentially public knowledge and FidliousWong has been a constant user for the past 5 months... hardly constantly changing.
Fernando Rocker @ Feb 14th 2008 7:05PM
sheppy
You need some sense of humour... what happened to that little place in your heart? Now it looks like a lemon... bitter.
Happy Valentine sheppy...
Marty @ Feb 14th 2008 7:08PM
I I had known it would hurt your feelings this badly, I might not have even posted, Fidlious. You can stop embarrassing yourself with all these lame-brain excuses though, you're not going to convince me I am wrong.
Any company that would cut part of it's hardware out only to re-introduce a software solution months later is obviously unsure of where it wants to go. You don't need to be a fan of any system to see that.
finnith @ Feb 14th 2008 7:21PM
I thought lemons were sour?
FidliousWong @ Feb 14th 2008 11:25PM
God, I feel like Jennifer Connely staring down an overly feathered David Bowie when I say this but... you have no power over me.
This is the internet, detached from reality. You may believe I invest real emotions to it, but I don't. I just saw misinformation and offered up a correction. Marty, I know this is hard for you but man, if you'd just quit taking the darkest assumptions on anything related to Sony and READ the article before commenting, I wouldn't have made mention. I mean, hell. I saw 5 Xbox 360s go up in flames (well, okay... 2 technically RRODs, one burned out the AC and two had bad drives... thank you Meijer extended Warranty) and yet I don't spend all my time bitching about 360.
hell, truth be told, I wish the Jaspers would hurry the hell up because I really want to finish my copy of Bioshock and PLAY these sealed copies of Halo 3, mass Effect, and Blue Dragon I have sitting here. Not to mention Lost Odyssey...
But despite that, I don't rant on and on about the system. Otherwise I wouldn't have kept all my games and controllers and I would have cancelled all my preorders of upcoming 360 games.
DMeisterJ @ Feb 14th 2008 6:17PM
Maybe they'll do something a la "XBOX Originals"
DMeisterJ @ Feb 14th 2008 6:17PM
Maybe they'll do something a la "XBOX Originals"
James @ Feb 14th 2008 7:18PM
One more time.
AmishPhysicist @ Feb 14th 2008 6:18PM
They're salivating over the money nintendo has raked in with virtual console games. Why provide backcap when you can just sell them the game again in a format they'll never be able to transfer?
ca-ching.
Van Faulk @ Feb 14th 2008 6:20PM
Is it just me, or doe sthat sound like they removed BWC so that they could resell ps2 games as downloadables?
And this is a good thing?
Arttemis @ Feb 14th 2008 6:25PM
Only on April 1st. But this is a different holiday. =(
Vidikron (FU) @ Feb 14th 2008 7:07PM
Anyone who truly cared about BC should have bought a BC version long ago. This whole scenario didn't exactly happen overnight. The simple truth is, most people really don't care that much... it's basically just internet fanboy fodder.
Arttemis @ Feb 14th 2008 9:52PM
I care immensely about backwards compatibility. I haven't purchased a PS3 yet, but I'd like to get one that does have that feature.
I don't see that as fanboy fodder.
lvl99ultrathug @ Feb 14th 2008 11:08PM
Actually, the 60 GB models aren't completely extinct in the wild yet...but just about though. We bought a 60 gig a little over two weeks ago at Kmart, just in time to still qualify for the 5 free Blu-ray movies offer.
So if you'd rather not pay bullshit eBay shipping fees, Arttemis, call up your local Kmart. They never sell any video game merchandise, lol. Some dude on CAG said he was still buying NES games there during the N64/PSX era!
Vidikron (FU) @ Feb 15th 2008 2:02AM
@Arttemis
Well, I didn't say "everyone". Seriously though, even if you do buy a BC model, I doubt you will end up using it much. You'll have the fanboys that claim they do, and a handful of people that actually do... but what really happens is some people think it's a "must have" feature, but as soon as they get a new system all they want to play is the new games. I've used the BC on all my consoles sparingly at best... and I'm a pretty hardcore gamer. The average joe is less likely to care.
jimmygotsmack @ Feb 14th 2008 6:28PM
.........
James @ Feb 14th 2008 7:17PM
"and stressed that there's still a model on the market that offers the features"
No, there isn't. The bloody fools.
ThornedVenom @ Feb 14th 2008 7:17PM
Briiiing back, briiiing back
Oh bring back my BC to me, to me!
Briiiing back, briiiing back
Oh bring back my BC to me!
don.wright @ Feb 14th 2008 7:25PM
Personally, I could care less about BC. That's just me though. I bought the 40GB (I will probably upgrade that to 500GB IF possible), I have not one regret so far. I still have my last gen consoles if I need to play the last gen games. I barely have time to play the current gen games let alone last gen.
If anything, just make an optional download to have BC. That should cover everything.
GoonieGooGoo @ Feb 15th 2008 12:00AM
I could really care less about a larger HD....Backwards Compatibility is more important....not to mention a way to make old PS2 controllers compatibile.
True early adopters got rewarded for a change...
But the fact that SONY is throwing BC out the window for no other reason than to cut costs so they can defend the Blu-Ray adoption......well.....
Give BC back to all PS3 owners!!!
Josh @ Feb 15th 2008 1:16AM
i owned a ps1, bought a collection of games i loved. ps2 came out and i thought nothing of trading up as it had bc. bc just encouraged me to trade up. no bc on ps3 just makes me stop with sony at the ps2.
the wii vc makes sense to me because i own a nes, snes, tg16 and genesis. its a huge mess of wires to have all those and a wii hooked up, along with my ps2. plus no cart swapping. its a huge space saver between wires, systems and controllers.
now if sony were to have a vc with ps1, 2 and other old consoles, then maybe, but nintendo already grabbed up all the good consoles. another dealbreaker would be if they got the guncon 1/2 games to work on plasma screens. (and yes i understand its a hardware limitation with the guns). i love time crisis games, but have to lug my ps2 across the house to play.
J @ Feb 15th 2008 2:12AM
Right, so I can buy games that I already own?
Perhaps they'll have some way of unlocking games you've already bought?
benbo @ Feb 15th 2008 6:23AM
i hate to sound like a fanboy but....
Although it is slightly irritating to be paying Nintendo for games you have bought before te last gen, the Cube, does work just by sticking the discs in.
Yes, I know that the Wii is 2 cubes duct taped together and therefore easier to implement but it is useful I find. I do play old Cube games and when there's nothing worth buying on the Wii shelves then I'll often go an EBay a cube game I missed - jut picked up F-Zero GX and love it.
I'll get a PS3 at some point but I would love to have BC on t properly as I own quite a few PS2 games and there's a laod more I'd like to buy on EBay - saw Tekken 4 for £2.10 the other day. But i see that doesn't make Sony any money.
Look come on, all of you, Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft - just sit down ad make ONE machine. Sony, you deal with the building the thing so it's reliable, Microsoft you look after all the online bits n pieces and the marketing. Nintendo, you oversee the games (obviously taking some notes on how to make hardcore games as well for the other 2)
All hail the WiiStation 360! No exclusives you miss out on, no downloadables you miss out on, no old titles you can't download due to licensing arguments, no developers baking the wrong horse. Everybody wins.