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.
_thumbnail.jpg "i am 8-bit: 2008")
(Page 1) Reader Comments
Reply
Discontinued?
Reply
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.
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.
*waits for Sony fanboys to praise it yet still attack Microsoft's Xbox Originals*
Reply
What does it have to do with the downloadable xbox originals?
Nintendo did that in the first place: N64 VC games... before Sony PS1 =)
Just curious.
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?
Reply
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...
Reply
What is that now, 75 euros?
Reply
"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.
Reply
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?
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.
"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."
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.
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...
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.
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.
Reply
Reply
ca-ching.
Reply
And this is a good thing?
Reply
I don't see that as fanboy fodder.
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!
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.
Reply
No, there isn't. The bloody fools.
Reply
Oh bring back my BC to me, to me!
Briiiing back, briiiing back
Oh bring back my BC to me!
Reply
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.
Reply
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!!!
Reply
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.
Reply
Perhaps they'll have some way of unlocking games you've already bought?
Reply
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.
Reply